The customer's purchase process is a continuous process of thinking and comparing. Terminal interception is the means and methods of integrating all terminal advertising, promotions, products, channels, and other resources to influence customers' purchase intentions. In simple terms, it is "guide, compete, surround, and urge," which means guiding customers' thinking, competing for customers from competitors, using more product information to surround and induce customers psychologically, and using various means to "urge" customers to close deals quickly.

"Winning at the terminal" has long been a consensus among many manufacturers and distributors. How to skillfully implement interception to win at the terminal? Brands have shown their unique skills, providing one brilliant answer after another. Based on market experience, I have conducted a preliminary comparison and analysis of terminal promotional activities for multiple home appliance brands and summarized the "Nine Strategies for Terminal Interception" for readers' reference, and welcome different opinions.

  1. High-altitude Interception

We often see many product promotional advertisements in the media, highlighting quality and price discounts. This is high-altitude interception, which uses media such as TV and newspapers to release terminal promotional advertisements in corresponding regions, transmitting promotional information to more consumers first. On one hand, high-altitude interception fully leverages the first-impression effect, providing consumption guidance and brand infusion before consumers reach the terminal, while also avoiding the intense competition and information clutter at the terminal that can confuse consumers. It makes it easier and clearer for consumers to remember the brand's information. High-altitude interception also uses the media's radiation to attract a wider target consumer group, like "casting a big net to catch big fish."

A single force often cannot win as easily as a coordinated land, sea, and air operation. If the terminal is combined with effective high-altitude interception, it will surely be "a step ahead and more advantageous" than competitors. To implement high-altitude interception well, first consider sales costs, then the effectiveness of high-altitude advertising planning, and finally the coordination with the terminal. For example, placing newspaper ad samples at terminal counters connects the terminal and the counter, achieving a dual reinforcement effect. Alternatively, note on the newspaper ad "Bring this ad sample to the XX counter to receive a gift or participate in an activity," which cleverly integrates high-altitude interception with the terminal.

  1. Source Interception

Source interception involves product promotion and sales interception in the target consumer group's living or working areas. Some marketing experts call this a further extension of the terminal, while others call it the "post-terminal." Because it is more direct, clearer, faster, and more targeted, it is commonly used in healthcare products, home appliances, and home furnishing products, with noticeable results.

Common methods include: (1) Community service activities. Providing door-to-door repair and maintenance guidance for the brand's home appliance products in residential areas, enhancing reputation through quality service and attracting repeat customers. (2) Community promotional demonstrations or cultural entertainment activities. For example, medical products may hold Sunday free clinics. A notable example is Joyoung Soymilk Maker frequently conducting promotional demonstrations in large residential areas, making five-bean soy milk, summer-relief soy milk, and brain-boosting soy milk, often attracting many middle-aged and elderly consumers, sometimes achieving considerable direct sales on-site. (3) Product billboards in residential areas. You may notice many, such as a "Red Bull" sign at the gate, followed by a home renovation banner, and various advertisements on stairwell walls. (4) Promotional DM and advertisements, some inserted in door cracks, some sent via newspapers to workplaces, and some distributed by hand at entrances. Although many cities have strengthened management and prohibited promotional activities in communities, they persist like "wild grass that cannot be burned out," and methods are becoming more advanced. With effort, community promotions can be successful.

  1. Front-line Interception

Front-line interception refers to the promotional guidance and persuasion activities from the mall entrance to the counter. This process is when consumers enter the store and is a critical stage for influencing purchase intentions, making front-line interception indispensable. It is mainly reflected in image billboards at the mall entrance, entrance promotional activities, in-mall guide signs, and billboards. You often see many product billboards at mall entrances or on storefronts, sometimes with huge banners, and even steps covered with manufacturer advertisements. These billboards provide strong visual impact to potential consumers, but costs are high. On weekends and major holidays, many mall entrances are bustling with activities, as brands compete to hold promotional events, including performances, product introductions, or quiz contests. Inside the mall, there are many promotional guide signs, such as on shopping carts, hanging flags, cashier counters, guide signs, and public advertising spaces, wherever they do not affect the image. These effectively guide and influence consumers' product choices. Every space from the mall entrance to the interior is "prime real estate," important and expensive, requiring tailored advertising activities based on the brand's budget and product characteristics to strengthen front-line interception.

  1. Joint Interception

In the fiercely competitive terminal, being isolated or surrounded is extremely dangerous. Joint interception involves allying with brands that have related interests to conduct synchronized joint promotions, forming a united front to enhance terminal competitiveness. This method is aggressive, sometimes conducted openly and sometimes covertly. There are three common forms: First, joint promotions with non-competing but related brands. For example, Smith water heaters and Aupu Bath Heaters organized a "first joint promotion by two major professional bathroom appliance brands" in November 2003. Since water heaters and bath heaters are related purchases and have the same consumer group, consumers buying Aupu bath heaters would prioritize Smith water heaters, and vice versa. This also creates a bigger event, attracts more attention, and improves success rates. Second, joint promotions with brands of the same category but different price points. For instance, a high-priced A brand and a mid-priced B brand can cooperate. When customers are not interested in A due to high price after repeated explanations, the salesperson can introduce B, and vice versa. Both benefit and improve together. Third, joint promotions with competing brands of the same category and price point. Sometimes it involves bribing competitors' salespeople to "harm others for self-benefit," and sometimes it manifests as joint activities that create a clustering effect.

  1. Personnel Interception

Personnel interception is a basic interception method, which strengthens consumers' purchase intentions through careful observation and persuasion by salespeople. Manufacturers and retailers should emphasize salesperson training, including product knowledge, sales skills, and communication techniques, and establish reasonable incentive systems, maintain regular communication, and ensure salespeople's good psychological state. Salespeople should learn skills like "observing all directions and listening to all sides." For example, when customers enter the mall and approach similar product counters, observe their reactions from a distance, understand their psychology and reactions to similar products, and act accordingly. When customers approach your counter, find ways to keep them as long as possible, as more time increases the chance of success. For instance, if they have children, give small gifts like balloons; if they have elderly, provide a stool to sit on to gain favor. When introducing products, pay attention to their reactions and use appropriate sales talk. Many manufacturers and retailers have systematic techniques; the key is training salespeople to use them skillfully.

  1. Product Interception

How to fully demonstrate product functions and features to customers in a short time and attract them to learn more? This requires developing interception techniques based on product characteristics. For home appliances, it mainly involves vivid display and multi-faceted demonstration. Vivid display refers to the clever arrangement of products on display stands with POP decorations to fully show the product's image, functions, and selling points. Vivid display should consider the coordination between popular models (competitive and attractive) and main push models, and can also design themed displays based on promotional themes. For example, around May Day, displays can be packaged around weddings. Currently, lifestyle proposal displays are popular, fully showcasing fashionable living needs.

An American advertising saying goes, "The key to selling steak is selling the sizzle." This emphasizes the importance of product demonstration. Common principles for multi-faceted demonstration include "if it can move, move it; if it can be experienced, let them experience it; if it can speak, let it speak." For example, Yadu humidifiers continuously spray mist like a fairyland on the demonstration counter; Joyoung Soymilk Makers often have freshly made fragrant soy milk on the counter for customers to taste; Sunpu electric water heaters, to show advanced craftsmanship, cut a hole in the body to let consumers see the internal structure clearly; Ariston electric water heaters have a small opening in the body to place a TV, allowing customers to watch comprehensive operation demonstrations while listening to the salesperson, and the TV also attracts more consumers to stop and inquire.

  1. POP Interception

"Clothes make the man." Terminal POP arrangement can significantly promote product sales. Terminal POP should be visible: at eye level, posters, table cards, light boxes, water signs, and TV promotional videos; looking up, banners and hanging flags; looking down, product displays. It should be touchable: information racks, display racks, display stands, samples, etc.; audible: salesperson recommendations, store staff introductions, TV promotional videos, etc.; and portable: shopping bags, leaflets, brochures, self-printed newspapers, promotional gifts, etc. The production and arrangement of these POP should be novel and eye-catching, coordinated with products and display cabinets, and differentiated from competitors. Regular maintenance is also important, replacing damaged items promptly and updating content based on sales needs. In addition to regular POP production and arrangement, plan themed POP displays for promotions, such as holiday stack sales, off-season product clearance, and new product launch festivals. These activities require a large number of themed POP to decorate and create a strong image and momentum, contrasting sharply with competitors, thereby better reflecting the interception role of POP.

  1. Leverage Interception

The importance a retail store places on a brand is a key aspect of brand sales push and directly impacts product sales. Therefore, it is important to strengthen relationships with stores, gain tangible or intangible support, and ensure the product is truly promoted at the terminal. Sales representatives and salespeople should communicate and build relationships with store personnel, including managers, supervisors, promotion team leaders, and even security guards, handymen, cleaners, and drivers. None should be ignored, as "when entering a temple, burn incense; when seeing gods, worship them." Sometimes a word from them can save a lot of effort in sales. Through relationship building, you can also obtain more favorable stocking policies and cheaper advertising spaces, providing a good interpersonal environment for terminal promotions. To strengthen leverage interception, pay attention to the manufacturer's promotional activities, ensure they are implemented at the terminal, and participate in the store's holiday promotions, such as sponsoring DM ads, special offers, gifts, or lucky draws, or jointly conduct win-win promotions. For example, a Gome branch once held a "Gome Haier Home Appliance Festival," where Haier leveraged Gome's momentum to conduct promotions aggressively. These activities are excellent opportunities for image display, product promotion, suppressing competitors, and achieving effective interception.

  1. Popularity Interception

If the counter is often crowded and lively, more customers will be attracted and influenced, increasing foot traffic and closing rates. How to create such a good atmosphere to achieve popularity interception? In addition to vivid product displays and demonstrations and full use of POP, on one hand, salespeople should find ways to attract customers to stay at the counter as long as possible, not just pass by. If you can retain people, popularity will be good. On the other hand, plan small activities to adjust the atmosphere, such as dart throwing for prizes, spinning wheels, playing blockbuster movies for TV and audio products, and quiz contests. Some products, to boost popularity at key stores during major holidays, adopt a "human sea" tactic, with not only "shills" but also mobile salespeople transferred, so there are several salespeople for the product in one store. You can also plan novel product demonstrations, such as using microwave ovens to pop popcorn, computer game competitions at computer counters, and induction cooker cooking contests. Providing extra services is also a good way to increase popularity, such as free drinking water in summer or an automatic shoe polisher at the counter for free shoe shining.

The above are nine terminal interception tactics summarized from actual terminal sales. The first, second, and third are auxiliary sales strategies used before the terminal, while the fourth to ninth are direct terminal promotional tactics. Among these nine, some focus on advertising planning, some on promotional activities, and some on relationship building or terminal demonstrations. How to apply the Nine Strategies for Terminal Interception? First, do not use individual methods in isolation; integrate them, fully utilizing various advertising, promotional, personnel, and distributor resources to "achieve the right time, place, and people." Terminal interception is a manifestation of deep distribution, and its essence is a battle of terminal details. Therefore, these tasks must be done deeply, precisely, and meticulously, including in-depth preliminary investigation, comprehensive analysis, and a complete execution feedback system. Also, avoid rigid application; tailor flexible and creative terminal promotional tactics based on market competition and your own situation to maximize interception effectiveness.

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