On the surface, sales seems like a respectable job: we travel far and wide, gain experience, earn a decent income, and feel a sense of superiority when back at the office. The company emphasizes a market-oriented approach, but we know that salespeople bear more pressure than others. Performance reviews combine our usual behavior, and for those with low sales achievement rates, excessive expenses, poor customer cooperation, difficulty implementing company policies, chaotic market order, failure to push new products, poor promotions, frequent returns/stockouts, slow expense reporting, lack of trust from leaders, customer dissatisfaction, colleagues not taking you seriously, subordinates not respecting you, and internal services always "going by the book"... What I just described may be the most embarrassing image of a regional manager—indeed, it's exhausting! Every regional manager has some of these problems, don't we? Here are the "Eight Don'ts" for regional managers, or eight taboos, to reflect on our work style and create a better working environment. Let's encourage each other!
1. Don't discuss company issues in front of customers Regional managers work hard outdoors all day: carrying a small bag, braving sun and rain, trekking through unfamiliar terrain, and when lights come on at dusk, we still need to find a small inn that fits our meal and lodging standards. Headquarters staff "talk without feeling the pain," marketing plans don't fit regional realities, we have to fill out seven or eight forms a week, and the expense reimbursement system is harsh and complicated... On the other hand, regional problems never get solved: orders are hard to fulfill, either not delivered or wrong items; quality issues never get resolved; the reimbursement process for distributor-advanced market expenses is complex and demotivating... As frontline staff, our reported issues are often ignored, not replied to, or improved. So you get angry. Coincidentally, the distributor also complains to you, sharing your view. Finally, you've found a kindred spirit, so you switch sides, talk at length, and discuss company issues in front of the customer. Look at such people: they take the company's salary, use the company's travel expenses, and for a moment of venting, they turn against the company. Such people deserve only one word: "demote"! We understand the hardships of salespeople. On the customer side, we say "sales starts from objections"; at headquarters, no company's market operations run smoothly. If everything went smoothly, what would they need you for? You're all veterans; you should have seen through this. Does discussing company issues in front of customers resolve their complaints? It only makes them more disappointed! Losing distributor recognition, harming company interests, and ruining your professional "loyalty" image. If it's truly unsuitable, you can leave, but as long as you're with the company, you should be responsible for it. Do you agree? Despite the above problems, these are "internal contradictions." Regional managers must understand and tolerate them from a higher perspective. For example, if your order fulfillment rate is low, have you considered the company's product structure? You always want large cuts; where would pork legs and shoulder meat go? In any case, never discuss issues in front of customers. I can only offer one sentence for comfort: "Reasonable treatment is training; unreasonable treatment is tempering."
2. Don't become too close with distributors As "frontier governors" of the company, regional staff are stationed away from home and company, so loneliness is inevitable. Over 80% of our phone bills are long-distance calls—that's normal. However, some regional managers lack ambition and play mahjong or cards with distributors and their staff, thinking they've built good relationships. But in reality, when we visit regions, distributors complain: "Your regional manager plays computer games during work hours and mahjong with my staff after work. How can he focus on the market? He's not my employee, so I can't manage him. He plays mahjong at night, has no energy during the day, and leaves early. I never get a chance to discuss issues with him. Moreover, it ruins the company atmosphere. People think, 'If headquarters staff are like that... we invest so much...'" And so the complaints begin. Some say this is good customer relations? That's nonsense. What we mean by customer relations is professional rapport. From the manufacturer's perspective, we're stationed in local markets like the Communist Party's special commissioners to local armed forces. We use our wisdom to make the "dozen people and seven or eight rifles" serve the party's great cause. Similarly, we use our "market expertise" to align the distributor's people, vehicles, goods, capital, and networks with the manufacturer's market strategy. That's our role. From the distributor's perspective, professional rapport means helping the distributor do market work and make money. In business, only when your distributor profits will a closer relationship form. The fundamental bond between us and distributors is interest. You need to help them combat parallel imports, create promotion plans, maintain outlets and terminal performance, guide them in dealing with key accounts, break down sales targets, and monitor expense reimbursements. If you can't help them make money, do you expect them to stock up, cooperate with market investments, or put on a show for leadership inspections? Dream on! Familiar places have no scenery; distance creates beauty. Keeping a certain distance from distributors is necessary. As headquarters-appointed staff, you must put in twelve times the effort of the distributor's salespeople and set a positive example for the team. The distributor's impression of the company is often based on us. Can such behavior give them confidence in the company?
3. Don't make blind promises to distributors When leaders pressure us for sales, what's the first reaction of most salespeople? Talk to the distributor and see if they can stock up. Have you ever done this? Drawing a pie for the distributor to satisfy their hunger, making blind promises. Why do we make promises? To prompt the distributor to pay for goods or increase advertising investment—basically to use them, not with good intentions. But this isn't a long-term solution; it's a typical transactional relationship. This year's task is to solidify distributors and achieve predictable sales growth. Now we're focusing on the accuracy of sales forecasts. With such transactional relationships, your forecasts will never be accurate! How to complete sales tasks? Why not think of the right way? Are there blank areas, new channels, new products, or promotional activities? Why aren't you willing to invest effort in the market?
4. Don't be swayed by small gains Human nature is inherently evil, though Confucius disagreed. Modern management starts from this angle, hence rules and regulations. Systems list possible mistakes and warn you! So human nature is "evil." Every salesperson has some selfish thoughts, like over-reporting travel expenses or eating and drinking on the company. Some regional managers don't focus on the market but scheme over expense reports. These are minor. Bigger issues are marketing corruption: intercepting promotional items, defrauding display fees, entry fees, personnel costs, colluding with distributors for parallel imports, opening accounts in relatives' names to monopolize company policies, etc. Believe me, trouble isn't absent; it's just not time yet. We've heard too many cases of marketing personnel falling. Such people will eventually reap what they sow. Another aspect of small gains is entertainment consumption. Regional managers inevitably socialize. In central China, there's a saying: "Drinking style is work style, drinking capacity is courage, and the bottle is competence." In such an environment, staying aloof is impossible; "water too clear has no fish." But we must stay clear-headed in interpersonal interactions. Give and take; ensure you don't owe favors. "He who takes is soft; he who eats is soft." If you owe someone a favor today, you'll find it hard to uphold company principles tomorrow. You'll betray company interests and eventually be dragged down.
5. Don't be undisciplined Regional managers often operate in a "no-man's land": headquarters is too far to manage, and distributors find it inconvenient to manage because "he's not my employee." So regional managers have relatively free working hours and content. A person's true nature shows when alone. That's why I've always believed that among all sales abilities, self-motivation is especially important! Let's not talk big; from our own perspective, regional managers are at a career crossroads. With channel focus shifting downward and reducing management layers, our positions are shrinking. Haven't you noticed that provincial manager positions have been cut? So for us, it's either up or out. Two years from now, the people around you won't be the same. So I want to tell a story: dig your own well. Overcome undisciplined habits, accumulate knowledge, and prepare for future needs.
6. Don't fail to communicate proactively and timely Communication is something we learn early, even in the womb. A seven- or eight-month fetus kicks the belly, right? We use music for prenatal education, believing communication is possible; otherwise, why listen to Mozart? But in work, communication is a big issue. Your walls say: "98% of misunderstandings come from communication." Some regional managers are like kites with broken strings, free and unfettered. Besides mandatory reports, they often go ten days or half a month without communicating with relevant supervisors or departments. This leads to poor information and emotional flow, and the company loses confidence in them. You must let leaders know exactly what you're doing so they can trust you. Like with children, only when you know where they're playing, with whom, and what they're doing can you feel at ease. Leaders are the same with us. We must proactively and timely communicate to ensure leaders understand us, so they can give us autonomy.
7. Don't be arrogant about achievements Marketing personnel are the company's heroes; you're the profit center. With a market-oriented approach, salespeople work hard and achieve much. So some act superior to service departments. Some regional managers, thinking they sweat and bleed on the front lines, either speak harshly to HR, planning, customer service, or technical support, or shift blame, causing poor support from these departments. You'll find that your products are the first to be out of stock, your expenses are the hardest to reimburse. Can you outdo the service departments? Are you foolish?
8. Don't misreport the situation As frontline soldiers in the market, regional managers must report market conditions truthfully and timely. Some regional managers only report good news, not bad. Every report shows a promising situation, but in reality, they lose repeatedly, and sales decline. Hence the saying: "When making statements, bold words; when reporting, sweet words; when summarizing, nonsense." Everyone finds such people laughable. Misreporting serves personal interests, like deliberately lowering competitor prices or exaggerating their market investment to force the company to lower prices or increase investment. Business is like war; information determines success. Imagine if General Chen personally discovers your reports are false and it affects his decisions—what would be the consequences? I recall a classic line from "A World Without Thieves": "I can responsibly tell you, Uncle Li is angry." What's the next line? "The consequences are severe!" Long press the QR code below, follow, and reply with number 1 to browse related articles by category.