In baijiu marketing, products seem unsellable without promotion. If there's no promotion, channels or terminals won't proactively stock up; if there's no promotion, channels or terminals won't push your products; if there's no promotion, channel and terminal loyalty decreases; if there's no promotion, market share is quickly seized by competitors. These phenomena force companies to work hard on sales promotions to expand market share and increase sales performance. Below are 21 channel promotion tactics seen in the market, shared for your reference.

1. Buy Product, Get Product This is a basic promotion method, such as buy 10 get 1 free, buy 8 get 1 free, or buy 5 get 1 free. Generally, the weaker the product's pull, the stronger the promotion. This type of promotion is typically used by manufacturers for products that are not bestsellers but are being pushed, as a way to load inventory and increase terminal orders. In practice, terminal order volume often becomes a key performance indicator for the manufacturer's product promotion. This method is simple and can easily lead to price discounting. If terminal sell-through is slow, it can result in low-price dumping, disrupting the price system and shortening the product lifecycle. The prerequisite for using this method is: strong promotional support to ensure terminal distribution speed, strict control over terminals, and limiting the number of sets per outlet based on the promotion schedule to avoid killing the product.

2. Product Bundling Product bundling typically pairs a bestseller with a slow mover, or a bestseller with a new product. The main purpose is to ensure that the slow mover or new product is accepted by outlets without affecting bestseller sales, reducing the difficulty of distribution, and encouraging terminals to promote the new or slow-moving product. This works only if the bestseller has high consumer self-selection and strong brand influence locally; otherwise, terminals won't accept slow-moving or new products, adding to their inventory or sales pressure.

3. Product Portfolio Promotion Product portfolio promotion combines market demand with company objectives. For example, in a market where mainstream consumer price points for baijiu are 30, 60, and 80 yuan, a company may have a strong 30-yuan product with high demand, but wants to upgrade its price band and brand without significantly impacting sales. The company might set the 30-yuan SKU to account for about 50% of distribution, 60-yuan for 30%, and 80-yuan for 20%. The 30-yuan product doesn't generate much margin but drives volume and competes with rivals; the 60-yuan and 80-yuan products are the real focus of promotion.

4. Physical Gifts Frequent product promotions can bore terminals, so manufacturers sometimes change tactics while maintaining channel promotion space. For example, buy 2 cases of new product and get a quilt, or one-time purchase of 10 cases gets a mobile phone, or cumulative sales reaching a certain amount earns a tricycle. In practice, gifts like rice and cooking oil, which are close to daily life and easy to liquidate, are more readily accepted by terminals and yield good results. However, terminals may factor the gift's value into price calculations, leading to lower product prices.

5. Cash Rebate Cash rebates are the most attractive promotion for terminals. For example, a one-time purchase of 5 cases might include a direct 100 yuan cash rebate on the invoice. This promotion should not be used on bundled products, as it could lead some terminals to lower retail prices, affecting further sales. Promotions aim to maximize sales volume and ultimately profit. This method should be used as an immediate competitive tactic, not frequently, to avoid terminals becoming bored with other promotions—since nothing beats cash—and to prevent setting obstacles for future promotions.

6. Cash + Physical Reward When a product isn't selling well, physical rewards alone may not excite terminals, and cash rewards alone may seem like a price cut, lowering retail prices. Considering both, many companies use a combination of cash and physical rewards, often with a justification for the cash portion. For example, a one-time purchase of 20 cases at 240 yuan per case might include 1,200 yuan for promotional staff wages or rent support, plus 4 cases of the product as a bonus, to stimulate terminal enthusiasm.

7. Box Return Rebate To boost sales, some manufacturers offer cash for returning empty boxes, incentivizing terminals to push products. This is especially useful when a product is popular but terminal margins are thin, to prevent a drop in enthusiasm. Or during new product launches, when profit margins aren't competitive, box return rebates increase terminal profits and encourage push. As the product gains consumer acceptance, the rebate is gradually reduced.

8. Display Reward To showcase products and increase purchase opportunities, competing for display space has become a key battleground. This often involves securing prime shelf positions and more facings. If terminals comply with the manufacturer's display requirements, they receive monthly display rewards of 300–800 yuan (cash or physical, with cash preferred). Terminal staff conduct spot checks; violations may result in losing that month's reward. Some manufacturers link display rewards to sales, setting dual targets for display and sales with tiered rewards. For example, a basic display fee of 300 yuan per month, plus an additional 200 yuan if sales targets are met within a specified period, with higher rewards for exceeding targets. Some companies incorporate display fees into sales policies during new product launches to solve distribution and display challenges. For example, a one-time purchase of 10,000 yuan might return 6,000 yuan in cash as an annual display fee, paid monthly, with the first month's fee settled at the time of purchase.

9. Visual Merchandising Support Many companies invest in terminal branding and promotion to enhance brand awareness and communicate promotional messages. This includes store signs/facades (usually for well-presented, high-volume baijiu outlets), wine cabinets, shelf edges, in-store KT boards, POP, light boxes, posters, lanterns, price tags, and in-store/out-of-store case stacking. They may buy annual or seasonal visual merchandising, rewarding terminals that meet company standards with a certain amount of money.

10. Dedicated Promoters Dedicated promoters are placed in terminal stores to directly introduce and promote products to target consumers and build the brand. Key points include designing professional scripts and product selling points, brand promotion scripts, and training promoters in sales skills and adaptability. This is common in restaurants; distribution outlets may have promoters based on customer needs or strategic considerations.

11. Key Account Support In the competitive baijiu market, many companies offer support to high-volume distributors, such as promotional staff, rent, utilities, and wages, based on cooperation standards. Support levels vary according to sales task tiers and completion rates, to fully motivate terminals' sales enthusiasm and cooperation.

12. Volume-Based Rewards Terminals within a region have different sales capabilities, leading to significant differences in results. To increase profits for top customers, motivate their push and sales enthusiasm, and stimulate others to improve, companies use standard policy support, tiered rewards for meeting volume targets, and fuzzy rewards for overachievement. This helps maintain terminal enthusiasm and compliance. In today's push for maximum sales, such standardized operations are often implemented by strong regional brands.

13. Cumulative Sales Rewards To maintain strong sales momentum and ease the pressure of one-time purchases, companies set cumulative sales reward systems over a period. For example, if cumulative sales reach a certain amount, customers receive a percentage reward, credited to their next purchase or given as equivalent product. Those who don't reach the target get nothing; those who exceed it get higher percentage rewards.

14. Task Completion Rate Rewards This incentive is based on sales task completion, encouraging terminals to actively sell the company's products. It's a price subsidy for achieving target quantities within a specified time. This is typically agreed upon in advance: First, a sales period is set; second, the quantity to be sold is specified; third, reward levels for different scenarios are defined. The faster and more you sell, the bigger the reward; otherwise, rewards are smaller or nonexistent.

15. Sales Ranking Rewards Sales ranking rewards come in two forms: periodic sales competition rankings and annual sales rankings. In periodic competitions, rewards are given based on ranking, such as within a month, the top three customers receive: first place a high-end smartphone, second a washing machine, third a microwave. Annual rankings reward top customers with additional perks beyond contract terms, such as luxury travel, premium appliances, or cash. For major contributors, manufacturers may even provide delivery vehicles for free use, with the manufacturer retaining ownership and the customer having usage rights. This "horse race" system turns customer relationships into a battle for honor, achieving the manufacturer's marketing goals. However, top-performing customers must be managed carefully to prevent them from becoming too demanding or pressuring the manufacturer.

16. Rebate Combination Rewards To control customers, prevent sales risks and cross-region dumping, and ensure compliance with agreements, manufacturers use a combination of rebates: explicit, implicit, process-based, category-based, and overall volume rebates. Explicit rebates are clearly defined reward policies; implicit rebates are vague on rewards but clear on work requirements. Process rebates reward various details of the sales process, such as distribution rate, market share, reasonable inventory levels, payment collection rate, adherence to pricing policies, and cooperation with new product launches and promotions. These can all be tied to rebate policies. Category-based rebates incentivize channels to push specific product categories. For example, if channels prefer bestsellers, other products may underperform without incentives. For instance, a distillery's rebate policy might be: 2% rebate for fully adhering to pricing policies; 3% for exceeding sales targets; 2% for no cross-region dumping; 3% for actively cooperating with marketing and promotions; 2% for achieving distribution targets; and so on. With such policies, distributors understand that genuine cooperation yields maximum profit. When redeeming rebates, companies often use physical goods rather than cash. Physical rebates include daily necessities, overseas trips, computers, vehicles, or training that help improve channel performance.

17. Seasonal Rewards Seasonal incentives encourage distributors or key accounts to stock up during off-seasons, helping manufacturers capture market share or sales and prevent competitors from gaining an edge. Beyond regular promotions, manufacturers offer off-season storage rewards, with amounts varying by season. Off-season rewards are larger and decrease as peak season approaches, motivating distributors to stock up during slow periods.

18. Payment Speed Rewards Key accounts often order large volumes and sell well but may delay payments. To encourage prompt payment, manufacturers may introduce policies at certain points: the faster the payment, the bigger the reward. For example, cash payment within 10 days of the transaction earns a 3% reward; payments after 10 days incur interest in addition to normal settlement. This encourages terminals to pay promptly. In the home appliance industry, many companies offer high rewards and interest rates above bank rates for advance payments to ease cash flow.

19. Payment Method Rewards Payment method rewards include deferred payment, installment payments, or payment against next order. Customers can take goods first with a credit line, paying later or in installments, or paying for the next batch while the current is outstanding. This accommodates cash flow difficulties and attracts more distributors and key accounts to stock and sell.

20. Customer Title Rewards For distributors or terminals with strong sales and large volumes, to enhance loyalty and honor, companies provide not only material rewards but also visible honors, such as titles like "Sales Champion of the Year," "Market Development Champion of the Year," or "Market Growth Champion of the Year." Customers need both material and spiritual rewards. Such plaques recognize their sales performance and also motivate others. Leveraging customers' competitive nature can be an effective incentive.

21. Platform Upgrade Rewards Many manufacturers seek deeper cooperation with downstream customers by offering equity, fostering a sense of ownership and forming integrated alliances; or by promoting second-tier distributors to regional distributors; or expanding small regional distributors to cross-regional ones. For example, Gree allows distributors to take equity or controlling stakes in joint sales companies, making them partners and forming a manufacturer-distributor alliance. Similarly, Hengshui Laobaigan offers core terminals a certain amount of shares, establishes children's education funds, and forms a joint sales system, deeply binding downstream customers.

These are the 21 channel promotion tactics for the liquor industry. Different market environments, product lifecycles, price points, and management capabilities may require different approaches. Please match your situation and choose the appropriate channel promotion method based on your own circumstances.

Note: This article is excerpted from "Ten Steps to Successfully Operate a Baijiu Regional Market" by Zhu Zhiming. In addition to this book, we have selected 6 must-read books for liquor marketers. This series is available at the Weishang Bookstore. For details, click the "Read Original" link at the bottom of the article to visit the Weishang Bookstore.

-END- The best learning platform for FMCG distributors in China Focusing on providing professional, practical, and actionable tutorials for companies and distributors Committed to helping Chinese FMCG distributors grow rapidly The most professional and practical knowledge base in the FMCG industry Reply with the red number below to get corresponding content Reply with number 1 to view the complete knowledge base | 001 Excellent Article Selection | 002 Distributor Market Operations | 003 Terminal Visit Management | 004 Sales Supervisor Skills | 005 Sales Improvement Techniques | 006 Channel Expansion | 007 Managing Distributors | 008 Distributor Development | 009 Distributor Internal Operations Management | 010 Team Management | 011 Efficient Distribution Techniques | 012 Sales Manager's 18 Skills | 013 KA Operation Methods and Strategies | 014 First Lesson for New Salespeople | 015 Internet, Brand | 016 Distributor B2B Transformation | [Long press QR code to follow]