Distributor onboarding checklist
A distributor onboarding checklist for manufacturers: agreement basics, price list, training, documents, first order, a joint plan and regular check-ins.
By the PromptLab team16 October 20265 min read
Signing a distributor is the start of the work, not the end. A new distributor knows your name but not your range, your price structure or who to call. If you leave them to work it out, the first order is late and the second never comes.
This checklist takes a manufacturer from the signed agreement to a regular rhythm of check-ins. Use it for each new distributor, and give each item an owner on your side. For the bigger picture, read how to sell through distributors. For the first thirty days with any new customer, see the new customer onboarding checklist.
Agree the basics in the agreement
Have your lawyer draft the contract. Your sales team's job is to make sure the commercial points are settled and written plainly.
Agreement basics
Set up the price list
Distributors live on their margin. A price list they cannot understand, or one that changes without warning, damages trust fast.
Price list and terms
For the mechanics of keeping lists current, read how to manage customer price lists.
Train them on the products
A distributor's reps sell what they understand. Give them what they need to explain your product to their own customers.
Product training
Hand over the documents
Distributors get asked for paperwork all the time. A missing certificate delays a sale on their side.
Documents
Win the first order and plan together
The first order sets the pattern. Make it easy, and make it happen quickly.
First order and joint plan
Keep the relationship going
Most distributor relationships fade through neglect, not conflict. A fixed rhythm prevents it.
Regular check-ins
The items people skip
- The credit limit. If it is vague, the first big order becomes an argument.
- The distributor's own reps. Training the owner alone means the people who sell never hear it.
- Who owns each customer. Settle it before two parties chase the same buyer.
- The first-order date. Without one, onboarding drifts into months of "soon".
- The monthly call. It is the first meeting to be cancelled and the most important to keep.
Frequently asked questions
What is distributor onboarding?
It is the process of getting a new distributor ready to sell your products: the agreement, price list, training, documents, first order and a regular review rhythm. The goal is a first order quickly and repeat orders after it.
How long should distributor onboarding take?
It depends on your products and the distributor's market. A common aim is to have training done and a first order placed within the first one to three months. Set your own target date for each distributor and review it.
What should a distributor agreement include?
Territory, products, term and renewal, pricing and payment terms, purchase expectations, resale rules, returns and complaints, and named contacts. Have a lawyer review the final contract.
How do I keep distributors engaged?
Hold regular calls, review open quotes and samples together, share product news early and respond fast to their requests. Our guide on how to sell through distributors covers the wider relationship.
Should every distributor get the same price list?
Not necessarily. Prices often differ by volume, region and role, which is why a price list per customer is useful. Keep the rules clear so you can explain every difference.