Partner Profile Weighting Tool

This tool is courtesy of: www.nordicinnovation.org

This tool is designed to help you determine and weight important criteria against which you
will eveluate potential market partners. It is intended as a guide and should be tailored to
your specific business

Step 1: Identify evaluation criteria that is important to your business. Use the Core Criteria and Questions sheet to assist you.

Step 2: Give each criteria a weighting based on the following:

3 = Crucial ("must have")
2 = Important ("preferably)
1 = Favourable ("nice to have")

Step 3: Create a list of questions that you will use when interviewing partners to determine whether they meet your criteria.

Step 4: Transfer criteria to the Partner Evaluation Tool for ranking.

Disclaimer: This tool is only intended as a general guide. We recommend you seek independent professional advice on any matter related to the specific use
of the tool for your company.
 Partner Profile Weighting Tool

(1-3)
ORGANIZATION Weight
eg
- Quality of management (professional management)
- Quality of sales staff
- Quality of after sales service
- Company reputation
- Complementary products in existing portefolio (fit)
- Willingness to keep a stock of products
- Market coverage
- Should have a fair position in the market / with in relevant sector
- Familiar with import / proper import handling
- Not a manufacturer of similar products (risk of copying)
- Service organization

FINANCIAL BACKGROUND Weight

- Ability to finance market development / obtain funding
- Sufficient financial strength to develop the market
- Ability and willingness to invest in advertising
- Sound financial status according to credit reports

PRODUCT KNOWLEDGE Weight

eg.
- Sector / industry knowledge
- Product knowledge
- Ability to provide product advisory
- Ability to install products
- Product portfolio / "fit" (no competing products in existing portfolio)
- Technical skills

MARKETING RESOURCES Weight

- Prior experience with target segment / potential customers
- Ability to develop and sell branded product / high quality product (not price focused sales)
- Geographical coverage
- Marketing staff
- Dedicated marketing & sales staff
- Willingness to participate in exhibitions
- Membership of industry associations / relevant networks
- Ability to implement a marketing plan over 2-3 years
- Willingness to prioritize company X's products as part of total portfolio (economic dependency)
- Sales channels / sub-dealer network?

COMMITMENT Weight
Eg.
- Willingness to invest in sales training
- Willingness to guarantee minimum sales
- Willingness to build stock
- Willingness to allocate funds for advertising
- willingness to skip competing products
- Size of future joint business matters
- Interest in developing a long term cooperation / invest and build up the brand

COMMUNICATION, COOPERATION & SOFT VALUES Weight

Eg
- Relevant network within industry / sector
- Staff proficient in English (both oral and written)
- Prior experience with distributor sales
- Loyalty and trustworthiness

Ranking
3 = Crucial criteria ("Need to have")
2 = Important criteria (preferably)
1 = Favourable factor ("nice to have")