During a tea break at my public course "Ten Practical Skills Training for Marketing Personnel," a marketing staff member from a liquor company shared his current dilemma: the company requires strengthening off-season market development efforts and performance. Although the company provides substantial policy support, it is difficult to operate. He asked if I had any good solutions. I gave him several suggestions in ten minutes, which are now organized for reference. Sales have off-seasons, but marketing never does; impressive peak-season sales are often built during the off-season. Therefore, emphasizing and strengthening off-season market operations can lay a solid foundation for doubling peak-season performance. However, during the consumption off-season, terminal demand is weak, channel members are less motivated, and the difficulty of off-season distribution is imaginable. Today's market competition is no longer about big fish eating small fish, but fast fish eating slow fish; whoever seizes the off-season market opportunity becomes the winner in the peak season. To help more marketers master effective off-season distribution skills, I have compiled the questions raised by students here for exchange with colleagues:
1. How to scientifically select and efficiently use distribution vehicles
1.1 Selection of distribution vehicles
A. Source selection:
Manufacturer-provided: Although the number of manufacturer-provided vehicles is limited, for new customers and new markets, manufacturer-provided vehicles for distribution help boost the confidence of the general distributor in the early stages of market development. Also, because it is the manufacturer's vehicles and personnel doing the distribution, it enhances trust among downstream customers and increases their willingness to accept goods. Moreover, manufacturer-provided vehicles often have prominent advertising paint, which can enhance brand image during distribution. There are two usage modes for manufacturer-provided vehicles: one is short-term distribution, where the manufacturer provides vehicles to assist the general distributor in intensive distribution to secondary distributors and key terminals (with concentrated time, area, target, and brand); the other is long-term distribution, where the manufacturer signs a sales target agreement with the distributor or requires a risk deposit, and the manufacturer provides vehicles (with brand image paint) for the distributor's use. The distributor bears the daily maintenance costs, and the vehicles are used exclusively or primarily for distributing the manufacturer's products.
Case: When I was the vice president of sales for a liquor company, to further enhance channel competitiveness in the province, I purchased over 40 medium buses with unified brand image paint. Among them, 20 were used as mobile short-term distribution vehicles, allocated by the company's sales department based on temporary applications from various markets to support new products in new markets and new customers. The other 20 were used for special distribution support to 20 large general distributors with annual sales below 2 million yuan inside and outside the province. After signing agreements, the vehicles were used by the general distributors for distribution to downstream customers, which played a positive role in enhancing channel loyalty and competitiveness.
Customer-provided: The ideal distribution tool for manufacturers is customer-provided vehicles, but customers may have issues such as limited vehicles, non-exclusive use, and cost responsibilities. These issues must be effectively resolved to stimulate customers' willingness to provide vehicles.
Case: When I was the vice president of sales for a liquor company, to quickly distribute products before the peak season and achieve the goal of "occupying warehouses, funds, energy, and terminals" for distributors, I planned a distribution operation codenamed "Hurricane." With limited manufacturer-provided vehicles, fully utilizing customer vehicles became the key to the operation's success. We did the following key work:
On one hand, we achieved two concentrations: area concentration and product concentration. The company selected market areas with a certain market foundation and customer relationships as priorities, focusing on promoting new products.
On the other hand, we made two preparations: distribution plan preparation and distribution team preparation. We scientifically designed and detailed the distribution goals, timeline, target markets, products, and customer benefits in the plan, while selecting professionally trained business personnel with strong professional capabilities as distribution team members.
Furthermore, we achieved two depths: depth of customer communication and depth of product distribution. Before distribution, we conducted in-depth communication with customers, visualizing the feasibility of distribution goals and the benefits of achieving them, so that customers saw not just colorful products but colorful banknotes, fully stimulating their interest and enhancing their trust in the manufacturer and confidence in the brand's prospects. We also made it clear to distributors that this was an action where the manufacturer provides personnel and the customer provides vehicles to help the distributor distribute, not the distributor helping the manufacturer. We assigned distribution sales targets to specific people and vehicles, allowing distributors to see the daily value brought by their vehicles, thus making them willing to provide vehicles for distribution.
Finally, we achieved two strictness: strict process management and strict performance assessment. Each branch manager strictly managed the distribution teams in their regions, holding evening and morning meetings. Every day at 7 PM, a summary meeting was held, and at 7:30 AM, a morning meeting. Regional managers and supervisors went to the market at any time to track and supervise, solving problems promptly. Sales plans for distribution personnel were broken down into daily plans, and daily performance was assessed and evaluated, putting business personnel under high pressure and high incentives, fully developing everyone's potential.
B. Vehicle type selection
For general distributors distributing to township secondary distributors and key terminals, or to urban markets with more than 50 terminals, medium-sized box trucks and medium buses (capable of loading about 400 boxes) can be chosen to reduce and save repeated loading times, time, and costs.
Mini vans or single-row pickups (1-1.5 tons, capable of loading 60-100 boxes) are suitable for urban distributors, especially secondary distributors, to distribute to target terminals within their area, or for secondary distributors to distribute to small retail terminals in villages.
For county and township market distributors, tricycles and electric vehicles can be used for daily replenishment to save costs, but they should be used sparingly during concentrated distribution operations because they affect efficiency and reduce image and influence.
2. How to efficiently use distribution vehicles
A. Pre-distribution preparation:
Before distribution, it is essential to check vehicle documents and perform maintenance. Handle road maintenance fees, management fees, and routine maintenance in advance to ensure complete documents, guaranteed usage time, good running condition, sufficient fuel, and driver familiarity with routes, to avoid vehicle inspections, detentions, damage, or unfamiliar routes during distribution, which could affect efficiency and possibly miss distribution or sales opportunities.
B. Distribution process management:
Ensure distribution has direction (where to go, plan routes), targets (who to distribute to, know the target distributors and terminals clearly, not act blindly; it is necessary to have clear orders from target customers before distribution), products (how much to distribute, what products, price and profit design for each channel link, promotional items, and publicity materials ready), time (how long to distribute a truckload, how many hours per day), and personnel (who goes, professionalism especially product knowledge, communication and negotiation skills, dedication, strong endurance, confidence, and resilience).
C. Other items readiness:
Distribution forms. For example, "Daily Distribution Report," "Promotional Item Redemption Form," "Customer Order" and other related receipts and forms. Having these ready ensures smooth and orderly distribution, making the day's distribution planned, step-by-step, and efficient.
Promotional items. That is, promotional items or gifts necessary for distribution. For example, promotional items given with products during distribution, prizes promised to downstream distributors, etc. Only with thorough preparation can distribution personnel go out with confidence and achieve better market performance.
2. How to efficiently choose distribution route maps?
2.1 Two purposes of preparing distribution route maps
Make distribution more economical. With a route map, route arrangements can be more reasonable and scientific, saving distribution time and costs, thereby reducing distribution costs.
No "missed fish" in distribution. After designing and planning the route map, all sales outlets should be filled in. This way, distribution is clear at a glance, and it is less likely to miss outlets, avoiding route repetition or rework. With a reasonable route map, distributors can plan the sales area as a whole, so they can strategize and distribute thousands of miles without leaving home.
2.2 What are the linear and point principles for designing distribution route maps?
Linear principle: That is, if it can be arranged on one route, do not split or branch off. The advantage is that you can distribute along a straight line and proceed methodically.
Point principle: That is, if it cannot be distributed on one line, according to the number of sales outlets in a certain area, based on the principle of proximity, gather or "circle" nearby outlets together for distribution. This way, with the point as the center and an appropriate distance as the radius, distribution can save time and costs, advancing step by step.
3. How to distribute to secondary distributors, retail stores, catering terminals, and supermarket terminals? Please explain the precautions during distribution.
3.1 How to distribute to secondary distributors: In class, I mentioned the reverse distribution method (first distributing to terminals) as an effective method for secondary distributors. Note that the terminal profit for products must be attractive, and the goods distributed to terminals must sell quickly, so terminals have the motivation to replenish, and secondary distributors are willing to accept goods. In addition, there is the conventional method of distributing directly to secondary distributors. It is important to have the first-level distributor coordinate as much as possible, using the relationship between the first-level distributor and secondary distributors. The professional image of manufacturer personnel should be emphasized to give secondary distributors trust. At the same time, the product profit system should be attractive to secondary distributors, and support should be provided to help them distribute to terminals to alleviate their concerns.
3.2 How to distribute to retail stores: If distributing new products, it is best to use the method of leveraging best-selling old products, that is, using the terminal's recognition of best-selling old products to bundle sales when stocking. The profit space of the distributed products should attract terminals, and consumer pull promotional policies should be attractive, so terminals believe the products will sell smoothly once in the store.
3.3 How to distribute to catering outlets: Find the right person (find the person with purchasing authority, perhaps the owner, front manager, or purchasing manager), say the right words (professional communication and negotiation skills to gain trust in the salesperson and the company brand, and stimulate satisfaction of organizational and personal interests), and do the right things (distribute high-profit products to catering owners, provide relevant promotional policies, and convenient delivery).
3.4 How to distribute to supermarket terminals: For small supermarket terminals, direct distribution is possible, that is, bring products and communicate with the supermarket person in charge. For medium and hyper supermarkets, first send highly professional marketing personnel with samples and relevant materials to negotiate with the purchasing person in charge. However, such negotiations often require patience and persistence, and distribution can only proceed after agreeing on entry conditions.
For more marketing topics, welcome to communicate with the author (WeChat 707265114).
At the request of many distributor friends, the fourth B-end e-commerce inspection class of this public platform will visit Nanjing and Hangzhou from August 15-18 to inspect two platforms: Qianmi Network and Alibaba Retail Link. Distributor friends interested in transformation can join us for on-site inspection:
Activity process:
Time: August 15-18
15th: Check in at designated hotel in Nanjing; 16th: On-site inspection of Qianmi Network, then high-speed rail to Hangzhou in the afternoon; 17th: Participate in the "FMCG Distributor B2B Transformation Exchange Summit"; 18th: On-site inspection of Alibaba Retail Link in Hangzhou;
Distributor friends interested in transformation are welcome to join us to learn and inspect on-site:
Organization format
1. Company visit 2. Actual market case visit 3. On-site explanation 4. One-on-one communication
Participating distributor friends only need to pay a registration fee of 200 yuan.
Other expenses are self-covered.
Note: This inspection is limited to distributors only.
Interested distributor friends can register by long-pressing the QR code below.
When adding, please note: "Fourth Phase Registration".
Non-participants, please do not disturb
Group photos from previous inspections:
Group photo of the 3rd B-end e-commerce inspection, from top to bottom: Yunbao Shangmeng, Weijie City Distribution, Wanshang Yizhan.
Group photo of the 2nd B-end e-commerce inspection, from top to bottom: Jinhuobao, Caiba, Yishang.
Group photo of the 1st B-end e-commerce inspection, from top to bottom: Piduoduo, Beiquan, Yishang.
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