Manager Yuan took on a mid-to-low-end beer agency in the first half of the year. As a small distributor of mid-to-low-end alcoholic products, he knew that while the restaurant channel is the mainstream sales channel for beer, competition there is chaotic and disorderly:

  1. Most hotels require credit supply, and many have poor reputations, posing high risks;
  2. Vicious competition in hotel sales: entry fees, exclusive sales fees, bottle-opening fees, promotion fees, public relations fees, etc., are layered on, causing product prices to far exceed their actual value.
  3. Low profit returns.
  4. High sales costs. If his products went through retail stores, supermarkets, shopping malls, and hotels, the costs would be too high. In Manager Yuan's words, he was a small operator who couldn't afford losses, so he had to find another path. After research, he set his sights on the ubiquitous food stalls and roadside stands in the city. In Nanjing, these are found on streets like Confucius Temple, Shanxi Road, Jiefang Road, and Nanhu Road, where food stalls and roadside stands are most concentrated, with the most people and traffic. Though unremarkable in appearance, they represent local snack culture, forming distinctive snack streets. Here, "food stalls" refer to rows of tables set up on sidewalks or alleys, where customers eat in open-air or semi-open-air settings. They offer a wide variety of foods—seafood, Jiangsu, Hunan, Sichuan cuisine, congee, noodles, etc.—mostly at low prices. Some operate only at night until late. People from all walks of life come here because there's no hierarchy or strict rules; a few friends can gather over a few bottles of beer and chat, making it a huge market for beer consumption. After locking onto this channel, Manager Yuan first selected several larger food stalls on Shanxi Road for a market test, planning to expand if successful. He developed targeted strategies and negotiated with them one by one. There's a famous saying in business: no permanent friends, no permanent enemies, only permanent interests. Relying solely on material incentives or small gifts and emotional investment would be too weak. So Manager Yuan conducted "integrated" public relations with the food stall owners, combining material and spiritual strategies: First, deliver goods to their door every day Although these stalls have many tables and customers, they still purchase alcoholic products themselves, without supply contracts with upstream suppliers, and even pick up goods from their own wholesale departments. Because these owners lack proper inventory forecasting, they often run out of stock, losing business when customers can't drink to their satisfaction. Manager Yuan would deliver beer to the stalls before they opened, settling accounts when they closed late at night, saving owners the hassle of sourcing beer themselves. Second, spread rebates into daily operations Most companies currently reward restaurant owners on an annual basis, based on total sales, with bonuses or goods. Many fail to honor year-end rebate promises promptly and fully, eroding trust, and food stall owners lose interest. Manager Yuan calculated the year-end rebate ratio and scientifically distributed it into daily rewards. For stalls with good management, reputation, and finances, he advanced a certain proportion based on surveys and forecasts, providing goods like free freezers for the stalls, then incorporating them into rewards left with the owners. Third, deliver benefits within the time frame owners trust most These small stall owners are generally not as shrewd as big hotel owners, nor do they demand entry fees from suppliers. As a result, they are often deceived by salespeople from other breweries, who promise rebates based on volume, but because the owners settle accounts nightly without keeping records, they fail to claim their benefits. Manager Yuan, however, delivered benefits within the time frame owners trust most: every Thursday, he would honor the agreed rewards with the owners, making them feel he was highly trustworthy. Fourth, help owners with moderate promotions Manager Yuan said that based on forecast ratios, he would moderately help stall owners plan promotions, such as giving one bottle of beer for purchases over 30 yuan or two bottles for over 50 yuan. This not only attracted customers and boosted the owners' sales but also increased his own beer sales. This method is far better than promotional items like bottle openers, lighters, glasses, or electronic watches, and it requires less investment with quicker results. Fifth, general service training He provided free training for the stall owners' waitstaff, covering basic etiquette like pouring tea and beer, maintaining appropriate distance when speaking to customers, and proper tray-carrying techniques, creating a cohesive dining atmosphere. He also gave them magazines and newspapers on restaurant management and sales. Sometimes, he even shared his cooking knowledge, teaching them how to prepare specialty dishes like lion's head meatballs, steamed pork in bamboo tubes, three-cup soft-shell turtle, stir-fried preserved meat with artemisia, three-cup dog meat, stuffed winter melon rings, home-style crispy rice, and five-ingredient dragon-phoenix soup. This not only improved relations with the owners but also subtly enhanced the waitstaff's ability to promote his beer—teaching them to fish. Sixth, building an emotional network Manager Yuan had a habit of creating personal files for stall owners and their immediate family or closest associates, learning their preferences, including birthdays and major life events. Based on financial calculations, he would send appropriate "care" and "gifts"; for major holidays, he would make courtesy visits in his personal or family name. He emphasized that in these emotional investments, one must prioritize, focusing on what matters most to the owner. Special care should be taken not to invest emotions in relatives the owner dislikes. Source: Fast Moving Consumer Goods Reply with the following keywords to query and read related professional articles: Sales Supervisor, Second-tier Management, Regional Manager, Distributor Management, New Channels, City Manager, Competition, 2015, Manufacturer-Dealer Game, Product Stagnation, Terminal Visit Management, Route Management, Deep Distribution, Internal Management, Sales Skills, Profit Improvement, Recruitment, Distribution, Daily Management, Team Motivation, Trade Promotion, Sales Misconceptions, New Product Launch, Township Market, New Product Pricing, Sales Target Achievement, Closing, Market Inspection, Baijiu, Beer, Sales Increase, Agency Products, Cross-region Sales, KA, Terminal Visualization, New Market, Market Operation, Learning, Book Recommendations, Inventory Management, Sales Novice, Consumer Promotion, Execution, Old Products, Expired Product Handling, Model Market, Franchise Recruitment, New Media, Distributor Development, Performance Appraisal, Assessment, Annual Planning, Shopping Guide, Morning Meeting, Display, Transformation, Stock Pressure, Festivals, Distributor Cost Control, Channel Operation, Marketing Theory and Laws, Brand Truth, Order Meeting, Team Management, Training, Debriefing, Work Report.