When researching any authorized retailer opportunity, there are some important questions to ask. Is the company whose products you want to sell credible? What is the earning potential? Are there costs to enter the business? What kind of service and support can you expect from the company whose product or service you are selling? And, perhaps most importantly, does it fit with your business and your goals?

That's a great question. There are some important things to ask when researching any authorized dealership opportunity. For example, is the company whose products you want to sell credible? What is your earning potential? Is there an upfront investment? What kind of support do you get from the company whose product or service you are selling? And, does it fit with your business model?

Building a successful business doesn’t have to require an investment of tens of thousands of dollars on a franchise, developing a groundbreaking product, or implementing an unproven business model. Although they won’t be easy, the requirements for success in building an Authorized Dealership are time-tested and proven to work. You will need to invest the time to understand the right opportunity, plan for success, and fully commit yourself.

In this article, we will summarize and connect the last three articles in this four part series.

In the 1952 Olympics in Helsinki, a runner from Great Britain named Roger Banister didn’t win the gold medal he was favored to win. Even though he had set a new British record, his goal was to be in first place. Feeling like he had let down his family, friends and country, he was bent on restoring their faith in him.

Banister then made a decision. He was going to run the mile in under four minutes, something never before done. He spent the next two years training intensely, pushing himself harder than ever before. Finally, on May 6, 1954, Roger Bannister reached his goal and ran a mile in under four minutes, breaking through a barrier many experts thought impossible.

You’ve probably heard the old proverb, “he who fails to plan, plans to fail.” As seemingly simple as this concept is, it couldn’t be more accurate, especially when it comes to setting up and running a successful Authorized Dealership. If you want to sell a product or service on behalf of another company as an Authorized Dealer, it is critical to have a well-thought-out, written business plan.

In fact most, if not all, companies offering Authorized Dealership opportunities require a written business plan as a part of the approval process. To help you out, here are five fundamentals of writing a good business plan for an Authorized Dealership opportunity.