Click the image for details
The channel is the customer, and the terminal is the market. This is a tune that marketing professionals have sung frequently and loudly in recent years. Indeed, as a link in the sales channel, retail terminals face consumers directly, serving as a dragon gate through which products become consumer goods, and as the source of actual sales for manufacturers and distributors. To make their products leap over this dragon gate and generate actual sales, all manufacturers and distributors are competing to carry out various terminal tasks. However, in the actual work at the terminal, many terminal marketing personnel fail in their business due to misconceptions in their concepts.
- In terms of content, emphasize sales over market
Focusing solely on business tasks such as delivery and payment collection, with product sales volume as the only goal, while neglecting market development and maintenance, and the construction of the system network, and forgetting to help customers in the market circle grow stronger and develop together. In terminal marketing, is it about "building a network" or "achieving sales"? This is a difficult question, leading to a situation of "having sales but no market." In fact, sales and market should coexist; only with a stable market can there be long-term sales.
- In terms of targets, emphasize major customers over small shops
Failing to flexibly grasp the customer development principle of "grab the big, let go the small," leading to a focus only on the big. We can divide terminal customers into four categories: high sales high profit, high sales low profit, low sales high profit, and low sales low profit. What is a major customer (key terminal)? It is not measured by the overall sales volume and scale of the terminal, but by the proportion of business with us relative to its total business volume, and the profit brought by this business. Furthermore, small customers are also necessary to develop:
Small customers can develop into major customers;
Small customers can fill gaps in our terminal network;
Small customers do not necessarily mean small business or small profit.
In terms of carriers, emphasize major products over small products
Major products are those with higher retail prices (supply prices), which account for a large proportion of the sales performance of terminal sales personnel. This is especially evident in wholesale enterprises: wholesale enterprises operate a diversified product mix. If salespeople only focus on such products, they can easily become specialized salespeople for a single product, or even "hang themselves on one tree." Conversely, low-priced products are more popular, helping to form a fast-in-fast-out sales pattern, reducing backlog and inventory, and the risk of payment loss. Moreover, we cannot simply think that high-priced products are major products; rather, we should measure by the profit margin that operating the product can bring. Because the retail price (supply price) is not directly proportional to the profit margin.
- In terms of methods, emphasize incentives over management
We always piously treat every customer as a god, blindly complying with their various requirements such as bargaining and gift distribution, without any principle. While complying with customers, we must also do a good job of monitoring. That is, while "respecting customers like gods," we should also "guard against them like thieves." Prevent them from being unfaithful, using our policies to sell others' products, or even moving, closing down overnight. Policy incentives are like a storm, coming quickly and leaving quickly. Only thoughtful, timely, and comprehensive service and management can truly have a subtle influence.
- In terms of links, emphasize the middle over the two ends
Terminal work has three links: first, the products we supply to the terminal; second, the terminal with which we directly establish a buying and selling relationship; third, the consumers who establish a buying and selling relationship with the terminal. Some terminal sales personnel only grasp the middle (the terminal with which we directly establish a buying and selling relationship), but let go of the two ends (the products supplied to the terminal and the consumers who establish a buying and selling relationship with the terminal). This leads to an inability to fully understand the products and systematically introduce them to customers, nor to establish typical consumer files to facilitate after-sales service, win customer loyalty to the product (brand), and attract repeat customers.
It is precisely due to misconceptions in concepts that terminal work fails in business. Many distributor bosses, when checking terminal work, often sigh: "Ask three questions, know nothing." That is, the terminal does not know which manufacturer's (or distributor's) salesperson is doing business with them on which products.
1. Not knowing the company that makes the product: The terminal does not know the basic situation of the manufacturer (or distributor), such as business scope, scale and strength; what advantageous projects they have; what the cooperation model is, etc.
2. Not knowing the salesperson who handles the product: The terminal does not know the name of the salesperson they deal with; which company they come from; what products they handle; what their responsibilities are, and what conveniences they can bring, etc.
3. Not knowing what products the salesperson handles: They do not understand the basic information such as product specifications and prices; nor do they know the selling points and features, as well as deeper information such as sales policies.
Practice the basics to prevent and cure the disease
- Formulate three major strategies: achieve three locks
1. Product lock:
· Be familiar with the varieties the company operates and sells, to promptly discover shortages or stockouts at the terminal; · Be familiar with the specifications, prices, and features of each variety and its similar varieties, and correctly introduce them to customers.
2. Personnel lock:
· Lock in terminal sales staff; build deep relationships with them so they are "happy to sell" our products; · Lock in manufacturer (or distributor) salespeople; form a manufacturer-distributor alliance to solve various problems in terminal marketing;
3. Customer lock:
· Carefully observe every relevant customer entering the terminal and seize sales opportunities; · Establish terminal files, track service, win word-of-mouth, and strive for repeat orders; · Attract, maintain, and consolidate direct customers with quality service.
- Use three major tactics: promote the spirit of three diligence
1. Diligent in speech: Communicate more with people you come into contact with, introduce and promote products, yourself, and the company; explain more to others to eliminate doubts and misunderstandings;
2. Diligent in legs: Visit more stores each day, and visit each store more often;
3. Diligent in ears: Collect more market feedback information; adjust strategies promptly to adapt to terminal customer requirements;
- Fight three major battles: achieve three goals
1. Promote your company:
· Basic company information: geographical location, founding time, business scope, scale; · Advantageous projects: product variety, price situation (compared with competitors or peers, whether lower or higher), service situation (can eliminate the other party's worries); · Cooperation model: whether the terminal comes to purchase on its own or the salesperson delivers; whether it is cash or consignment; · Welcome the other party to visit the company;
2. Promote the products you operate (preferably with samples and promotional materials):
· Basic product information; · Selling points and features: compared with similar varieties, where is the core concept of the product? · Sales policy: distribution area, anti-dumping and price control strength; · Promotional policy: advertising, terminal promotion (cost, gifts, premiums) methods; · Supply price: what are the cash settlement price and consignment price respectively;
3. Promote yourself (different from a job interview self-introduction):
· What is your name: break it down, explain it word by word, associate it with a famous place to help the other party remember; · Which company you come from: state the full company name, avoid abbreviations to prevent misunderstanding; · What varieties you handle: introduce a few well-known or exclusive agency varieties to attract the other party; · What are your responsibilities: what business services can you provide, and what conveniences can you bring; · What support and cooperation you hope the other party will provide, such as checking sales volume, flow, and selling price.
-END-