Tip: Click the blue text above to follow "FMCG Distributor Professional Consulting" for more marketing and distributor internal management insights.

First Strategy: Determine the Spring Festival Marketing Theme, Progressing Layer by Layer

The headquarters should set the Spring Festival marketing theme about 40-45 days before the festival, outlining the main line and key points, interlocking from start to guidance to depth to focus to conclusion, with twists and turns, and setting different themes and priorities for each segment. This perfectly combines foot traffic with product marketing. Once stores understand the promotional theme, they can stock accordingly based on their actual situation.

Key Point 1: Take the Lead in Creating a Spring Festival Marketing Atmosphere

During this phase (January 5-20), stores should build on the residual warmth from Christmas and New Year promotions. As soon as the New Year promotion ends, be the first in the town to set up festive decorations, hang large lanterns (procured by purchasing or provided by operations), and play New Year music (downloadable online or provided by operations). After New Year's Day, there is a small off-season with declining sales, so as the New Year drama ends, the Spring Festival drama can begin with drums and gongs.

However, it's still early for the full Spring Festival push. Focus on creating a buzz; it's okay to be slower on product promotions. Product promotions can focus on clearing Christmas and New Year promotional inventory, and also run other promotions (buy-one-get-one, discounts, flash sales) to warm up the store. This stage aims to get customers into the festive mindset and establish a low-price image to attract traffic, making them anticipate finding cheap New Year goods here.

Key Point 2: Focus on Home, Daily Chemical Cleaning, Clothing, and Wedding Supplies

At year-end, people summarize work, plan for the future, and have a habit of cleaning and renewing their homes. Social interactions increase, and some move into new homes before the festival. Chinese tradition favors double happiness, so many weddings are scheduled around holidays, especially before Spring Festival. The saying "Whether rich or poor, bring a wife home for the New Year" illustrates this. Thus, about a month and a half before the festival, clothing, home furnishings, bedding, cleaning supplies, and wedding items are in demand. Stores should focus promotions on these categories.

This is a brief spring for non-food promotions during the festival; afterward, most special display positions will be given to food, leaving only a few end caps for paper products.

Therefore, stocking priorities (around December 25-26) should focus on non-food items like general merchandise, clothing, knitwear, bedding, washing and paper products, and some wedding supplies.

Key Point 3: New Year Goods Launch, Led by Fresh Produce

About twenty days before the festival, people start buying New Year goods, typically beginning with fresh produce. Rice, flour, oil, fresh meat, cured products, bulk dried goods, aquatic products, and frozen items are the focus. Also, launch combined promotions like a hot pot festival. This is the critical moment.

Another key point: fruit and vegetable marketing. Since it's still early, people won't stock up on these perishables, but they are essential for the festival. So, manage the fruit and vegetable assortment carefully. The fresh produce department should introduce novel and exotic varieties to stores, featuring them prominently with limited quantities and no price concessions, creating the impression: "I must buy these unseen items here for the New Year!"

Additionally, by January 16, stock up on best-selling New Year foods (such as liquor, oil, instant drinks, health products, whole boxes of water/milk, and eight-treasure porridge) to prepare for the fourth theme.

Key Point 4: New Year Goods Main Event, Snacks Take the Stage

This should be introduced during the previous theme (fresh produce promotions) but not fully revealed initially. Sales heat up about twenty days before the festival. This theme should be divided into several time segments for gradual progression.

First, large bottled drinks, bulk candy, roasted nuts, preserved fruits, and biscuits take the lead.

This phase runs from twenty days before the festival to New Year's Eve. Pricing should be tiered: first highlight a few special low prices and a few high prices, then level out, then apply uniform discounts, and finally clear stock around the 29th. There's a minor festival (Xiaonian) that is key for price adjustments; after that, discounts continue until the lowest point.

Sales of these items heat up ten days before the festival, peaking after New Year's Eve until the eighth day. Liquor tends to sell earlier.

Next, Valentine's Day marketing.

Every festival season includes Valentine's Day, a short promotion period (less than two or three days) but boosting sales for special categories like chocolate, clothing, and candy. Seize this opportunity to promote leftover bulk goods from New Year's Eve, and if possible, offer exquisite handmade gift packaging.

Finally, the Lantern Festival on the 15th day of the first lunar month.

Frozen dumplings and tangyuan always sell out completely. So, stock up on frozen items about a week before the Lantern Festival, but don't overlook the sales peak on New Year's Eve and the second day of the new year (ensure first stock-up around the 27th or 28th of the twelfth lunar month).

Key Point 5: Welcome Spring Clearance (around the 11th to 20th of the first lunar month)

After the New Year, work resumes, consumer spending fatigue sets in, and wallets are lighter. A heavy clearance can re-engage customers.

This stage requires aggressive action; even shouting "50% off" for items like clothing and seasonal small appliances is acceptable. But remember, spring is coming, so prepare for seasonal goods. This is both the time for clearing winter inventory and launching spring products.

Second Strategy: Stocking and Returns

This strategy is the foundation of the first, closely linked. Generally, stores should start preparing New Year goods a month before the festival (headquarters should stock one and a half to two months ahead). Submit stocking plans to suppliers and purchasing (planning department) in advance, and arrange timely replenishment if insufficient.

Large-scale ordering of New Year goods should end by the 24th of the twelfth lunar month (January 27), but replenishment can be phased. Around New Year's Eve, urgent replenishment of gift items is possible; for particularly scarce items, contact purchasing (planning) to arrange delivery with fresh produce vehicles.

From the first to the seventh day of the new year, few suppliers will deliver, so ensure sufficient stock beforehand. Items with end-cap displays and promoters are exceptions.

Stock levels should reference the same period last year, aiming for two to three times last year's actual sales. If suppliers guarantee returns, you can stock more.

After the New Year, there will be large-scale returns, especially for non-staple foods, as early spring may bring damp weather causing mold. The sooner returns are processed, the better.

Third Strategy: Group Buying

Group buying for Spring Festival should be prepared before Christmas, with plans made in early January. At that time, allocate group buying tasks, clarify incentive measures, and promote.

For physical goods, set multiple themes and plans to match different customer needs.

Source: Sanchuang Mingdao Consulting

Daonong recently opened a public account focusing on how traditional enterprises can excel at WeChat marketing. If interested, you can follow it by searching the WeChat ID above or scanning the QR code below.