Manufacturer salespeople are the bridge and bond between manufacturers and distributors. If this bridge and bond function well, cooperation between the two sides will be very pleasant; if not, conflicts will increase and even intensify, causing great harm to the market. Therefore, as a manufacturer's salesperson, you must understand distributors before you can talk about building good relationships with them, and only then can you do well in the market and manage it effectively.
First, when salespeople arrive in the market, they should first get a full understanding of the market before going to the distributor. Don't go straight to the distributor's place as soon as you get off the car; before you even sit down, the distributor raises one or two market issues that stump you, and you don't know how to respond. In fact, manufacturers and distributors have the same goal: to do well in the market, strengthen the brand, and maximize profits. Therefore, whether you are a salesperson for a weak brand or a strong brand, you should go to the market every day. The more thoroughly you understand the market and the more issues you know, the easier communication with distributors will be. Distributors themselves also pay attention to the market every day; on one hand, they go to the market to understand it themselves; on the other hand, they get feedback from their sales staff. Whether goods sell well or not is the distributor's biggest concern. So if a manufacturer's salesperson understands the market better and more deeply than the distributor, it goes without saying that such a salesperson can build good relationships with distributors, and distributors are very willing to deal with such salespeople. Conversely, distributors will feel antipathy from the bottom of their hearts. Distributors dislike these types of manufacturer salespeople the most:
Usually invisible, but when the end of the month comes for payment, they appear, urging payment more urgently than anyone else.
Rarely go to the market, don't care about the market, and occasionally go to the distributor to freeload. If they can luckily complete the monthly task, it's a victory.
Often go to the market but don't understand it, only know a little superficial knowledge, and only give blind commands, completely off the mark, unable to solve practical problems.
Put on airs of a leader, speak in a bureaucratic tone, treat the distributor as their subordinate, and after two visits, the distributor becomes disgusted.
Therefore, it is particularly important for salespeople to work steadily in the market and be honest in their dealings, especially in front of distributors.
Second, on the basis of understanding the market, salespeople should learn to discover problems and be good at solving them after discovering them. The market is changing rapidly, and various problems arise every day. This requires our salespeople to have the ability to discover and solve market problems. For example, why have sales declined? What is the reason for the decline? You need to analyze the reasons, find the problems, and then prescribe the right remedy. Another example: why haven't sales increased for a long time? Is it due to competitors, inappropriate promotions, or low distribution rate? If some aspects are not done well, you should assist the distributor to adjust and correct them as soon as possible. If manufacturer salespeople can all do this with dedication, what problems between manufacturers and distributors would be difficult to solve? Distributors are most afraid of encountering such salespeople:
When encountering resistance or discovering market problems, instead of thinking of ways for the distributor and solving their difficulties, they only find fault and complain that the distributor didn't do this or that well, attributing all problems to the distributor, as if the manufacturer has no responsibility at all.
Recklessly promise the distributor, asking them to do this activity or that activity. The distributor spends a lot of money, but the manufacturer doesn't know about it at all, or knows but the promotion application report hasn't been approved. The distributor does the promotion but can't get reimbursed, and in the end, the salesperson just leaves.
Avoid and evade problems, pretend to be confused about market problems, delay resolution for a long time, or simply lack the ability to solve problems, leading to escalating conflicts between manufacturers and distributors that remain unresolved.
Indifferent to the market expenses advanced by the distributor, or unclear about the company's expense reimbursement process. They only care about sales and payment collection, and in the end, the distributor's expenses are deducted or not reimbursed, causing undue losses to the distributor, and the salesperson can't stay in that market either.
Therefore, an excellent salesperson is not only an executor of the manufacturer's policies but also a consultant to the distributor. If a salesperson can provide advice and correct market guidance to the distributor, why wouldn't the distributor cooperate?
Third, salespeople should act as both coach and player. For example, if distribution is not moving, you should lead by example and do it yourself; if supermarkets are hard to negotiate, take the distributor's sales staff to negotiate together; if display is not up to standard, make a standard for others to learn from; if secondary wholesalers are not opened, assist the distributor's sales staff to open them together. In this way, the distributor will be grateful from the bottom of their heart, thinking that you are truly helping them. Then you won't have to worry about payment at the end of the month. Distributors are most unwilling to see this type of salesperson:
They talk eloquently but don't do anything themselves, only talk without practice.
They engage in armchair strategy, doing unrealistic things, thinking that filling out a few forms and writing a few market plans can solve all market problems.
They say the distributor's sales staff lack ability, but in fact, their own ability is just so-so.
Therefore, whether a salesperson is capable or not, the distributor can tell after a few conversations and by observing their attitude toward work. Distributors deal with many manufacturer salespeople, and they have a scale in their hearts.
So, an excellent salesperson can make a market flourish, which is related to their ability to understand distributors.
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