Distribution channels are customers, and terminals are the market. This is a tune that marketers have been singing frequently and loudly in recent years. Indeed, as a link in the sales channel, retail terminals face consumers directly, serving as a dragon gate for products to become consumer goods and the source of actual sales for manufacturers. To make their products leap over this dragon gate and generate actual sales, manufacturers compete in terminal work. However, in actual terminal work, many terminal marketers fail in their business due to misconceptions. 1 In content, emphasizing sales over market Simply focusing on business tasks such as delivery and payment collection, with product sales as the sole goal; forgetting market development and maintenance, and the construction of system networks; forgetting to help customers in the market circle grow stronger and develop together. Terminal marketing: is it about "building networks" or "making sales"? This is a puzzle, leading to a situation of "sales without market." In fact, sales and market should coexist; only with a stable market can there be long-term sales. 2 In target, emphasizing big customers over small shops Failing to flexibly apply the customer development principle of "grasp the big, release 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, low sales low profit. What is a big customer (key terminal)? It is not measured by the overall sales volume and scale of the terminal; rather, it is measured by the proportion of our business to its total business volume, and the profit brought by this performance. Furthermore, small customers are also necessary to develop:

  1. Small customers can develop into big customers;
  2. Small customers can fill gaps in our terminal network;
  3. Small customers do not necessarily mean small business or small profit. 3 In carrier, emphasizing big products over small products Big products are those with higher retail (supply) prices, which account for a large proportion of terminal salespeople's performance. This is especially obvious for wholesale enterprises: the variety of products they operate is diversified. If salespeople only pick such products, they easily become dedicated salespeople for a single product, or even "hang themselves on one tree." On the contrary, low-priced products are more popular, helping to form a fast-in-fast-out sales pattern, reducing backlog, inventory, and the risk of payment loss. Moreover, we cannot simply think that high-priced products are big products; rather, we should measure by the profit rate brought by operating that product. Because the retail (supply) price is not directly proportional to the profit rate. 4 In method, emphasizing incentives over management We always piously treat every customer as a god, blindly complying with their various requirements such as bargaining, gift distribution, etc., without any principle. While complying with customers, we must also do a good job of monitoring. That is, while "respecting customers as gods," we should also "guard against them as thieves." Prevent them from being unfaithful, using our policies to sell others' products; or even moving, closing down, or going bankrupt overnight. Policy incentives are like storms, coming quickly and leaving quickly. Only thoughtful, timely, and all-round service and management can truly have a subtle influence. 5 In link, emphasizing the middle over the two ends Terminal work has three links: first, the products we supply to terminals; second, the terminals with which we directly establish buying and selling relationships; third, the consumers who establish buying and selling relationships with terminals. Some terminal salespeople only grasp the middle (terminals with which we directly establish buying and selling relationships), but let go of the two ends (products supplied to terminals and consumers who establish buying and selling relationships with terminals). This leads to both an inability to fully understand products and systematically recommend them to customers, and an inability to establish typical consumer profile files, facilitate after-sales service, win customer loyalty to the product (brand), and attract repeat customers. It is precisely due to misconceptions 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 salesperson from which manufacturer (merchant) is doing business with them on which products. First, not knowing the company operating the products: The terminal does not know the basic situation of the manufacturer (or distributor), such as business scope, scale, and strength; what advantageous projects there are; what the cooperation model is, etc. Second, not knowing the salesperson doing the products: The terminal does not know the name of the salesperson doing business with them; which company they come from; what products they handle; what their responsibilities are, and what conveniences they can bring, etc. Third, not knowing what products the salesperson handles: Not understanding the basic information such as product specifications and prices; not knowing the selling points and features, nor deep information such as sales policies. First, practice basic skills to prevent and cure the disease 1. Product lock-in
  • Be familiar with the varieties the company operates and sells, to promptly discover out-of-stock or stock-out situations at terminals;
  • Be familiar with the specifications, prices, and features of each variety and its similar varieties, and correctly recommend them to customers. 2. Personnel lock-in
  • Lock in terminal sales staff; build deep relationships with them so they are "happy to sell" our products;
  • Lock in manufacturer (merchant) salespeople; form alliances to negotiate and solve various problems in terminal marketing; 3. Customer lock-in
  • 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. Second, use three major tactics: carry forward the spirit of three diligence 1. Diligent in mouth: Communicate more with people you come into contact with, introduce and recommend 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 in time to adapt to terminal customer requirements; Third, fight three major battles: achieve three major 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 (whether it can eliminate the other party's worries);
  • Cooperation model: whether the terminal comes to pick up goods or the business is responsible for delivery; whether it is cash or consignment;
  • Welcome the other party to visit the company; 2. Promote the products you operate (preferably bring samples and promotional materials)
  • Basic product information;
  • Selling points and features: compared with similar products, where is the core concept of the product?
  • Sales policy: distribution area, anti-dumping and price control efforts;
  • Promotional policy: advertising, terminal promotion (costs, gifts, giveaways) methods;
  • Supply price: what are the cash settlement price and consignment price respectively. 3. Promote yourself
  • What is your name: break it down, explain it word by word, associate it with a famous place for easy memory;
  • Which company you come from: state the full company name, avoid abbreviations to prevent misunderstanding;
  • What products you handle: introduce a few well-known or exclusive agency products to attract the other party;
  • What are your responsibilities: what business services can you provide, what conveniences can you bring;
  • What support and cooperation you hope the other party will provide, such as checking sales volume, flow, selling price, etc. -END-