ICOMIA Distributors Guide – a guide developed to assist anyone operating in the marine industry.

Whether you are a boat dealer, distributor, or boat builder who is looking to develop and implement an international distributor’s network, this guide can point you in the right direction.

This start-up guide outlines the requirements and considerations needed to make the right decisions when selecting a distributor for your company and how to set up vibrant distribution networks for a wide range of products.

ICOMIA Distributors' Guide #1

The revised Distributors’ Guide has been condensed and made easier to read, with a newly added section on social media and online marketing. The document and the database have been created with feedback and input from leading industry manufacturers and distributors.

The job of a distributor

A manufacturer’s distributor is the face of the company in a particular country or territory. They represent your brand identity; they need to reflect the market position you see for your company and if the product has a service element, then their skills and capabilities will be seen as yours.

Making a poor decision on selecting a distributor could cost you at least a year to sever the relationship and then add the time required to find a new distributor.

International distribution does not just happen; it is a long-term plan that takes effort and persistence. It also requires patience to deal with some of the prolonged gaps that naturally occur during the process. It is an investment in both time and money to develop a mutual and trusting relationship that will endure over the years.

ICOMIA Distributors' Guide #2

What’s included in the ICOMIA Distributors Guide

What makes a good distributor?
Distributor facilities and services.
Distributor and your brand identity.
Information and technology transfer.
Sales & Marketing Strategy
Legal Issues.
Boats or equipment rules are the same
Starter-Guide Summary
Appendix: Social Media Guide.

This guide has been commissioned by ICOMIA in coordination with the ICOMIA Exporters’ Committee and authored by Barrow InternationalWith additional input from homeportmarine.comand newforest-creative.co.uk

Who is Barrow International?

Barrow International has been delivering cost-effective, specialised, high-impact marine marketing distribution results, nationally and internationally, for over 25 years. Directed by sales and marketing expert David Barrow, Barrow International has become the leading export business development agency in the commercial and leisure marine sector.

‘GLOBALISATION HAS CHANGED US INTO A COMPANY THAT SEARCHES THE WORLD, NOT JUST TO SELL OR TO SOURCE, BUT TO FIND INTELLECTUAL CAPITAL – THE WORLD’S BEST TALENTS AND GREATEST IDEAS.’

JACK WELCH, Former Chairman and CEO of General Electric.

About ICOMIA:

ICOMIA is the international trade association representing the recreational marine industry worldwide. Founded in 1966, ICOMIA brings together national marine industry associations from across the globe to foster cooperation, share knowledge, and support the sustainable growth of the sector. Its members represent the vast majority of the world’s recreational marine industry, making its data and insights especially authoritative.

If you have any questions about the ICOMIA Distributors Guide, please contact louise@icomia.com

For more ICOMIA data sheets and white paper downloads, follow this link.

ICOMIA Standard 33-84

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