New market entry checklist
A new market entry checklist for manufacturers and distributors: demand, rules, pricing, channel, logistics and a first-90-days plan.
By the PromptLab team7 November 20264 min read
Entering a new country or region is cheap to start and expensive to get wrong. Companies that sell physical products meet the same problems again and again: a rule they missed, a price that doesn't work after freight, or a partner who doesn't sell. A checklist makes you answer these before the first shipment.
Use this list for a new country, a new region or a new customer segment. It does not replace advice from a trade adviser, customs broker or lawyer in the target market. For finding buyers, see how to find export customers, and for shipping, the export order checklist.
Check demand and competition
Start with whether anyone there will buy. Decide on the evidence you can find, not on a hunch.
Demand
Check rules and compliance
Rules decide whether you can sell at all. Check them early, because some take months.
Regulation
Set price, terms and logistics
A price that works at home may not work after freight, duty and a distributor's margin. Build the landed price first.
Pricing and logistics
Choose how you will sell
You can sell direct, through a distributor or agent, or through a mix. Match the route to your resources.
Channel
Plan the first 90 days
A launch plan with dates stops a market entry from drifting. Keep the first goal small and measurable.
First 90 days
The items people skip
- The landed price. Many teams quote ex-works and learn the buyer's real cost later.
- Registrations. Some products need approval before they can be sold, which takes time.
- Local support. A buyer will ask who answers a technical question in their time zone.
- A stop rule. Decide in advance what result means you pull back.
How PromptLab helps
Make a custom field on accounts for the market, and use a list for the target buyers in it. Track each buyer as a deal with a source, expected volume and next follow-up date. Quote from a customer price list for the market, store each account's preferred trade terms so they fill in its new sales orders, and track samples on the deal. WhatsApp and Telegram sit in the shared Inbox beside email, which is where many export buyers answer. See solutions for distributors.
Frequently asked questions
How do I research a new market?
Start with trade body reports, customs data and a handful of conversations with likely buyers. Check competitors' prices and the rules for your product before you spend on marketing.
Should I use a distributor or sell direct?
A distributor suits a market where you lack local staff, stock or relationships. Selling direct suits high-value, technical products or a few large buyers. Many companies start with a distributor and add direct accounts later.
How long does it take to enter a new market?
It depends on the product and the rules. Registrations and partner searches can take months, so set a 90-day plan for the first goals and review it.
What is a landed price?
It is the full cost of a product delivered to the buyer: your price plus freight, insurance, duties and local costs. Buyers compare landed prices, so work it out before you quote.
How do I know when to stop?
Decide before you start. Set a result for the first 90 days, such as qualified buyers and sample shipments, and a spending limit. If you miss both, adjust the plan or pull back.