Introduction Conquering others is difficult because you must surpass them significantly; if you are not as good as them, trying to conquer them is overestimating yourself and daydreaming. If distributors can understand this, and the company acts accordingly, I believe distributors will truly trust the company. Let us first consider this question: Why manage distributors? Distributors are the bridge between manufacturers and terminals, functioning as a link that connects the two, directly serving the manufacturer. The level of this group has a huge impact on the manufacturer and downstream customers. For the company, managing distributors is essentially helping the company and helping the terminals. What is the fundamental purpose of managing distributors? The fundamental purpose of managing distributors is to help them. If management deviates from this purpose, distributors will not accept or agree to any management imposed by the company. If this main line can be made clear to distributors and they see hope, they will be convinced. Helping distributors is to enhance their own "core competitiveness" so that they can do better in future development. What is the ultimate goal of managing distributors? Managing distributors is to create a positive influence among end users, enabling manufacturers and distributors to form unique value under a win-win premise. When we can clarify the fundamental and ultimate purposes of managing distributors to them, and the company acts accordingly, I believe distributors will truly trust the company. Besides "convincing by virtue," there are many other ways to "win people over" For example, "convincing by ability" and "convincing by force." What qualifies you to manage distributors? You want to manage others, but on what basis? True management requires both good "laws" and good "methods." Of course, some say "convincing by virtue" is the best. We have mentioned "convincing by virtue," but there are many other ways to win people over, such as "convincing by ability," using your talents; and "convincing by force," leveraging the company's strength, experts' strength, and your own strength. These are all forms of force. Leveraging the company's strength includes the team, brand, and the behavior and thoughts of managers; leveraging experts' strength is about professionalism and the extension of professional standards; using your own strength means hard work, diligence, thinking, and practice. Some may say, distributors are not subordinates of the manufacturer, so why should the company manage them? "It's hard enough to manage subordinates; distributors are not subordinates, they don't eat your food, drink your drinks, or take your money, and you still want to manage them—isn't that harder?" "Nowadays, employees with salaries, bonuses, and various benefits are hard to manage, so if they don't eat, drink, or take from you, and you even have to beg them to sell your goods, how can you manage them?" This question arises again. Second, distributors are not subordinates of salespeople, not subordinates of the manufacturer, nor subordinates of our salespeople, nor customers. This complicates the issue. So on what basis do you manage them? How many salespeople can compare with distributors? They fall far short; they are simply not as good as distributors. So how can you manage them? Third, who manages distributors? If we let our salespeople act as customer advisors, I ask: Are you a match for the distributor? In the industry, many salespeople have no other skills; they just go through the motions of visiting, or "eat and drink," engaging in so-called "relationship building," without knowing the distributor's "pain points," or even if they know, they have no solutions. How many salespeople can compare with distributors? They fall far short; they are simply not as good as distributors. So how can you manage them? If the manufacturer manages them, it still has to go through salespeople. If managing through customer advisors or salespeople doesn't work, wouldn't managing through the manufacturer be even worse? If the company's management is not particularly standardized, then "what to manage" becomes even more important. Some manufacturers' salespeople don't even know which distributors they have, making management even less likely and more problematic. The method of "conquering" is difficult for ordinary people to implement Because you need real competence. So how should we manage distributors? Through persuasion, conquest, or coercion? Which one? Yes, through conquest. To conquer a person, do you need great ability? Of course, you need great ability. Persuasion may not always work; even if you persuade temporarily, the persuader may not have real competence. Coercion will not last; we know the Yuan Dynasty, when the Mongols subjugated various countries, relied on coercion, but after Kublai Khan's death, the Yuan Dynasty gradually declined. Persuasion and coercion are not the best methods; the best method is conquest. Conquest means winning heartfelt admiration, which is the best method. But note, "conquest" is difficult for ordinary people to implement because you need real competence. Conquering others is difficult because you must surpass them significantly; if you are not as good as them, trying to conquer them is overestimating yourself and daydreaming. Everyone says "conquest" is more effective. Then I ask: Can you do it, and on what basis? -END-