Idea
Distribution
How a product actually reaches people; a great product nobody hears about is a weak business.
2 stories, 3 summaries
What it means
Distribution is how your product actually gets to buyers. It covers the channels, partners and routes through which people find you, trust you and are able to buy. It can be shops, dealers, referrals, online listings, schools, doctors who recommend you, or your own sales team.
Many owners put years into making the product better and almost no time into how it reaches people. But a product that few people hear about is a weak business, however good it is. Often the difference between two similar companies is not the product. It is that one found a better road to the buyer.
Why it matters
Distribution decides how many people can say yes to you. If you rely on a single route, such as one big dealer or one platform, you are exposed. If someone else controls your route, they also control your margin.
- You reach more buyers without hiring in proportion.
- You become less dependent on one customer, one dealer or one platform.
- You can test new markets by trying a new route, not rebuilding the product.
How to use it
- Write down how your last 20 customers actually found you. Count each route.
- Mark which routes you control and which depend on someone else.
- Pick one route that works and find a way to do it twice as much, with a clear target.
- Pick one new route to test for 30 days, such as a partner, a dealer or a community.
- For each partner, make it simple for them to sell for you with a one-page brief
Common mistakes
- Assuming a good product will find its own way.
- Relying on one dealer, platform or big customer for most of your sales.
- Giving partners no support and then blaming them for weak results.
- Testing a new route for a week and giving up too soon.