---
title: "8 Techniques for County-Level FMCG Distributors to Boost Sales"
description: "County-level distributors face challenges such as small market size, non-standard market practices, low consumption capacity, and neglect by major brands. To succeed, they must master eight key sales techniques, including selecting the right brand and product mix, controlling terminal retailers, managing pricing, and optimizing delivery strategies."
author: "吕洪江"
publisher: "New Distribution"
email: "zhaobo258@gmail.com"
telephone: "+8615854817671"
published: "2016-04-28"
language: "en"
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# 8 Techniques for County-Level FMCG Distributors to Boost Sales

> County-level distributors face challenges such as small market size, non-standard market practices, low consumption capacity, and neglect by major brands. To succeed, they must master eight key sales techniques, including selecting the right brand and product mix, controlling terminal retailers, managing pricing, and optimizing delivery strategies.

County-level distributors face the following conditions: first, the overall market size is small, and single-product sales are low; second, the market is non-standard because counties border rural areas, making control difficult; third, consumption capacity is weak—while southern counties are comparable to northern prefecture-level cities, some northern counties are very small and rely mainly on agricultural income; fourth, well-known brands and large companies have focused on prefecture-level and provincial capital markets in recent years, leaving small counties with little exposure to new marketing concepts and methods; fifth, the business environment is non-standard, making channel control difficult.

County-level distributors have the following characteristics: first, they are often non-standard themselves, relying mostly on wholesale distribution from prefecture-level markets; second, they have low quality—most are former wholesalers or distributors with outdated concepts and no modern marketing awareness, though some newly emerging young distributors are relatively better; third, they have limited resources, including capital, personnel, warehousing, and transportation; fourth, their management is poor, with little knowledge of modern market and business management, often remaining in primitive states; fifth, they lack marketing skills and awareness, relying mainly on customer relationships and habits; sixth, they are overly profit-driven, lacking the concept that brands bring wealth, and only seek quick returns.

As manufacturers increasingly need to expand into township markets, county-level distributors are stepping onto the important business stage. Therefore, they should seize the opportunity to quickly master sales skills and management experience to gain favor from manufacturers. Because county-level distributors will inevitably consolidate, with a few large distributors monopolizing the market, the quality of a county-level distributor can determine the fate of a product or even a brand. For county-level distributors, it is not necessary to engage in deep marketing theory or fine management; more important is the application of practical sales skills and full enthusiasm.

Based on years of marketing practice and repeated summarization, I believe county-level distributors must possess eight sales techniques to gain an edge in future market competition and remain invincible:

**County-Level Distributor Sales Technique 1: Choose the Right Brand and Product Mix**

At any time, among all sales elements, product remains the most important. For any distributor, it is impossible to grow strong without manufacturer support (except in very special cases). Therefore, choosing a good brand as a foundation is crucial. Every distributor faces two major dilemmas: first, distributing well-known or big brands ensures sales volume, but manufacturers have high requirements for capital and personnel, heavy sales tasks, and low profits; choosing small brands offers lower requirements and higher profits, but sales are not guaranteed and promotion is difficult.

In this situation, to grow, distributors should try to choose a well-known brand, even if it means enduring higher conditions, and then select some promising brands and products as supplements and preparation, focusing on promoting them. Generally, distributors who can jointly develop the market with manufacturers will gain their trust, earn respect from peers locally, help build their own brand, and bring substantial profits. However, it is crucial to ensure that chosen brands do not conflict; otherwise, it will backfire. No manufacturer wants its distributor to also distribute a main competitor's product. This will inevitably lead to manufacturer distrust, reduced investment, or preparation of alternative distributors, and the distributor's own operations will be contradictory without clear priorities. Unless a distributor has special means to monopolize the market, manufacturers generally do not choose such distributors. If a well-known brand is not an option, distributors should choose regional well-known brands or products with good quality even if the brand is average, and must be patient, enduring early losses or even risks.

A good brand or product mix is the most critical factor for success. How to combine best? Taking food as an example: when a distributor operates a well-known instant noodle brand, they should choose some less-known long-shelf-life purified water or other beverage products; if operating dairy products, they can choose bread, pastries, or other long-shelf-life products.

**County-Level Distributor Sales Technique 2: Terminal Retailers Are God, Control Second-Tier Wholesalers**

The typical county-level channel structure is: distributor — county or township wholesaler — retailer. Here, county and township wholesalers are also called "second-tier wholesalers." Their role is both lovable and hateful. On one hand, they are profit-driven and have large wholesale and retail sales; on the other hand, they disrupt the market by delivering randomly and cutting prices. Distributors are easily controlled by second-tier wholesalers and feel helpless. The best solution is to deliver directly to terminals, weakening the function of second-tier wholesalers. Do not rely too heavily on them, but acknowledge their role. In the early stages of market development, treat second-tier wholesalers as retailers with uniform supply prices. For those prone to price cutting or cross-region selling, supply at 2-5% higher. If they refuse to take goods, the product mix can be fully utilized by stopping supply altogether. Of course, for smaller distributors, this is a headache; they can only stop supply and endure temporarily. However, in many townships, second-tier wholesalers demand that you supply only them and not neighboring stores, which is a disguised way to control the market (though there may be cases of neighboring stores undercutting prices). Of course, you cannot supply only one store, as delivery costs would be too high. A simple solution is to change the delivery person. In summary, to improve market control, you must achieve high distribution coverage and reduce the influence of second-tier wholesalers.

**County-Level Distributor Sales Technique 3: Control Delivery Pricing**

As mentioned, one of the most important purposes of direct supply to terminal retailers is to control pricing. If a product enters the market without control and is subject to constant promotional price changes, once the promotion stops, the product will die immediately—not from consumers, but from the channel. Once a low price is positioned for consumers, it will inevitably lead to loss of profit for terminal retailers and second-tier wholesalers. Unless the product has extremely high brand loyalty, it will die. Therefore, controlling the price system is fundamental to extending product life and maintaining stable profits.

When a distributor receives a new product, they must first set the price. Generally, manufacturers only set a minimum wholesale price and suggest a retail price. So the best pricing strategy for distributors is "high price, high promotion." As the saying goes, "new products have no fixed price." Even if there are many similar products on the market, as long as there is a selling point, high pricing is not a problem. High pricing is key to ensuring successful product promotion. No product can succeed without promotion space, but the space is either in the hands of the manufacturer or the distributor. Only with sufficient profit can the interests of all channel members be guaranteed and their enthusiasm mobilized.

When delivering at high prices, distributors must include some corresponding policies, such as cumulative gifts or cash rebates. At the same time, they must understand the product's unique points and find reasons for the high price. Some terminals or wholesalers are willing to take goods at a direct discount, which must be refused. The initial price positioning of a new product in consumers' minds is very important. Otherwise, even a lower price will not make consumers feel it is a good deal.

**County-Level Distributor Sales Technique 4: Choose Good Delivery Personnel**

I have observed many distributors' delivery personnel, and my impression is that they are "wooden," which is related to the distributor's awareness. Delivery personnel are basically just drivers with no sales experience or skills, and most distributors do not value their role, paying only a few hundred yuan a month and frequently changing them, turning them into wooden figures. In fact, delivery personnel should act as salespeople for county-level distributors. Most county-level distributors are unwilling to hire salespeople, especially for township routes due to high costs. Therefore, training sales-oriented delivery personnel offers good "cost-effectiveness." If a good delivery person can sell one extra box to each retailer per day, with a profit of 1 yuan per box, and delivers to 30 stores a day, that's an extra 900 yuan per month, not to mention savings on vehicle, fuel, or repeat delivery costs.

**County-Level Distributor Sales Technique 5: Master the Best Delivery Timing**

Many distributors work hard delivering every day but often sell little. Why? Mainly because they fail to grasp the best delivery timing. As we know, the market is fully open, and other distributors also deliver similar products. If a competitor delivers first, retailers, considering capital pressure and sales risk, will be reluctant to keep more stock. So understand retailers' receiving psychology: first, the best delivery time is generally between 8 a.m. and 12 p.m., because retailers have already sold some stock from the previous day, and other suppliers have not yet replenished. Deliver to quality retailers in the morning; second, avoid delivering during retailers' meal times or busy sales periods, as they won't have time to communicate, affecting stock decisions; third, in the afternoon, visit or communicate with retailers who have issues or need development, as they are less busy and have more time. Of course, during holidays, any time is fine, but during holidays, pay more attention to retailers with poor relationships, as this helps develop blank markets and increase loyal retailers.

**County-Level Distributor Sales Technique 6: Must Push Stock to Retailers**

Pushing stock to retailers is a common practice among county-level distributors because it has several benefits: first, retailers basically pay in cash (except supermarkets), so there is no pressure on receivables, and it increases sales and cash flow; second, if retailers are willing to keep stock, it means they can sell it, as they know their own sales ability best; third, it occupies market share, tying up retailers' capital and warehouse space—if they stock more of your products, they will sell less of others; fourth, retailers generally do not return or exchange goods unless absolutely necessary, and they try to sell through by themselves because they know that cash purchases are not easily exchanged with distributors, and frequent exchanges would make distributors unhappy, indicating poor sales ability and reducing their bargaining power. Therefore, pushing stock to retailers is necessary, but it requires skill and good relationships. Do not push blindly; note the following: first, understand the retailer's sales ability to avoid large amounts of near-expiry products affecting cooperation; second, build good relationships and trust, which is the foundation for pushing stock; third, do not push too much for new or short-shelf-life products; fourth, find reasons for pushing, such as setting quantity-based rewards.

**County-Level Distributor Sales Technique 7: Promise Exchange of Goods**

No distributor likes to exchange goods for retailers because it increases delivery costs and makes resale difficult. However, given the current competitive situation, conditional exchange is an important means to win retailers' trust and build good relationships, and it is also a reason for pushing stock. Especially for short-shelf-life or new products, not offering exchange puts great psychological pressure on retailers. If one batch expires, they will refuse to stock the product again, making it hard to get their cooperation in promotion. Moreover, when large distributors do not offer exchange, it is a favorable service card for small and medium distributors, helping build trust quickly. In reality, after normal market operations, there will not be large exchange losses. Distributors can promise exchange but should avoid promising returns, as this may lead to malicious returns from some bad retailers and increased costs.

**County-Level Distributor Sales Technique 8: Occupy Prime Terminal Positions and Standardize Terminals**

Due to underdeveloped commercial environments in county markets, there are few decent supermarkets in a county, and even fewer in townships. Thus, terminals are chaotic and difficult to manage. In this situation, whoever standardizes terminals first will seize market opportunities. Therefore, terminal standardization and visualization are essential. The advantages of standardizing county-level terminals are: first, low cost—only simple promotional tools like POP, store signs, empty boxes, and price tags are needed, and terminal retailers not only do not charge high fees but are also grateful, killing two birds with one stone; second, it stimulates consumer purchases. For example, displaying prices clearly—generally, consumers prefer to make their own purchase decisions rather than be recommended, especially by merchants, which is why supermarkets thrive. In retail stores, clearly pricing one or two products will undoubtedly increase purchase likelihood. You can also use price tags to show original and special prices, with the special price being the actual retail price; third, unlike prefecture-level cities where placing products in the best position requires paying display fees, in county-level retail stores, you can get the best position with just a small favor to the retailer, but supervision must follow. Imagine if a county and its townships have 300 retail stores and you can do well in 150, it will create the impression that your products are everywhere. What reason would consumers have not to trust and buy?

In a word, if you fully master and apply the above sales techniques, it would be hard not to become a good FMCG distributor.

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