Pursue perfection, dominate marketing: Amid the strong call for "winning at the terminal" in today's marketing, we constantly see laws and training materials for sales assistants emerging online and in print (such as AIDMA, FABE, MAN, and the author's own MONEY principle), but there are few laws or materials directly targeting sales representatives, aside from marketing theories like 4P, 4C, and SWOT analysis. In fact, 4P, 4C, and SWOT analysis reflect more of the strategic layout and planning of senior leadership for the entire enterprise (we can compare this to "planning strategies in the command tent"), and in a sense, they offer little practical guidance for sales reps to "win battles a thousand miles away." After all, "strategy" is about command, while "tactics" are about execution; at the sales rep level, what is needed most is how to execute effectively and efficiently. In light of this, the author, through practical training of sales reps and personal experience as a sales rep, combined with extensive interviews and detailed communication with many sales reps, has summarized a set of PERFECT principles for sales reps to reference and execute. Now, let me share them with you (for ease of understanding, the English word meanings are annotated with quotation marks):

  1. P—Preparation—Make thorough "preparations": As the saying goes, "Preparedness ensures success." In actual marketing work, many sales reps fail hastily due to insufficient preparation. In fact, many people do not know how to prepare, but rather what to prepare for. Here, we can simply divide preparation into three categories: a. Initial preparation: When you first visit a client, you should first pay attention to your image, such as clothing coordination, neat hairstyle, and a full spirit. Also, check if you have brought business cards, necessary documents, advertising pages, drawings, and other materials. On the first meeting, you must give the client a steady and capable impression, and never be unkempt, sloppy, or casual, telling dirty jokes or talking about gambling and women, which immediately gives a feeling of a "slick salesperson" who cannot be trusted. b. Daily preparation: In the daily construction of customer networks and maintenance of customer relationships, sales reps should proactively prepare for store layout, point-of-sale maintenance, sales assistant management, inventory management, design of promotional activities, and flexible application of sales policies. Also, maintain timely communication with company leaders. If you are a sales rep for second- or third-tier markets, you should ensure you visit all customers at least every half month, depending on the size of the area. We must not take daily preparation lightly; it is the core of a sales rep's work, and through it, we can fully enhance our market analysis and control capabilities. At the same time, it is a key measure to distinguish excellent sales reps from "slick salespeople." Through extensive data surveys, it is not difficult to find that all excellent sales reps have laid a solid foundation in the above daily preparations. c. Contingency preparation: Generally, we often lack proper preparation for unexpected events, which precisely confirms our insufficient attention to daily preparation. For example, a competitor's hot-selling product suddenly starts a significant price reduction from one day, a mall suddenly moves our product to an unfavorable position, or negative reports about our company or product suddenly appear in local mainstream media. At such times, we must first remain calm, then follow the clues, carefully analyze the causes and hidden intentions behind the events, and then take corresponding measures to resolve them. Therefore, handling unexpected events fully tests a sales rep's daily preparation and exercises their adaptability. Only with good daily preparation can unexpected events be handled in an orderly manner.
  2. E—Efficiency—Improve work "efficiency": At a sales rep training seminar, the author described the daily life of sales reps in one sentence: "The busyness of work and life, and the loneliness deep in the soul." The first half of this sentence indicates that a considerable number of sales reps are in a state of "busyness" (complex and busy) in their daily work, but if asked about their efficiency, it is often hard to praise. The main reason is that they do not grasp the essentials of daily work. Perhaps influenced by the operational methods of "supply and marketing sales reps" in the planned economy era, even today, a considerable number of sales reps still rely on "personal charm" in business operations, lacking the necessary institutionalization and systematization. That is, because sales reps are mostly distributed in regional markets, far from the company headquarters, the company lacks systematic management and assessment for them (usually only performance assessment, with no requirements for attendance, time management, customer structure planning, and management), causing many to handle daily marketing affairs solely based on their accumulated experience and habits. A "regular army" eventually becomes a "guerrilla force" or "bandit army" without discipline. This is the fundamental reason why many sales reps cannot improve their efficiency. The second half of the author's sentence indicates the difficulty of sales reps striving for progress. Generally, when a sales rep is assigned to a regional market, it is like a prisoner being "exiled" to the frontier, and their working environment is often harsh. Usually, one person rents a room locally, sets up a bed, a table, and a telephone, and that is the office. Better ones may have more resources, with more tables, telephones, and computers, forming an office or branch. It is imaginable that in such an office environment, improving efficiency is objectively difficult. If a sales rep lacks ambition, after the "busy" work during the day, they indulge in a life of pleasure at night, leaving endless loneliness deep in their souls.
  3. R—Request—Clarify customer "needs": What do customers need? This is the first question we must understand. However, in actual work, many sales reps fail to fully grasp the priorities of customer needs. As a result, even though they "soak" with customers every day, they still cannot grasp the essentials. So, what do customers need? In business, the primary need of customers is one word—"profit"—and everything else is secondary. Always remember that all relationships and interactions customers have with you are directly aimed at this purpose. Understanding this, it is clear that the duty of a sales rep is: under certain resource conditions, help customers maximize profits, not simply "get along" by eating, drinking, and indulging in vices. In this sense, sales reps should be consultants to customers, possessing a higher level of knowledge and market analysis and control capabilities than customers. Only then will savvy customers willingly accept your advice and follow your command. Unfortunately, many sales reps intentionally or unintentionally "misinterpret" the true meaning of customer needs, narrowly and distortedly going with customers to drink, sing karaoke, dance, go to saunas, play mahjong, bullfighting, hire prostitutes... creating a mess, and thinking this is bringing the manufacturer and customer closer. Little do they know that this greatly demeans the image of the sales rep and the manufacturer in the eyes of customers. Customers will naturally think that the manufacturer's sales reps are of low quality, with poor professional skills and heavy bad habits, and almost all customers with proper business awareness will find this contemptible. (Even for individual customers with "such hobbies," sales reps should use their own image and ability to influence and reform them, at least making them feel that listening to you is right, so they are willing to accept your suggestions and arrangements in market operations.)
  4. F—Following—Timely "follow-up": When it comes to follow-up work, many sales reps first think of customer payments. Especially at the end of each month, this feeling is particularly strong. In fact, while following up on payments is important, there are many other things that need follow-up, such as the arrival of booth space and samples during initial cooperation, replenishment of goods during cooperation, customer inventory status, holiday promotional arrangements and gift arrival, and the onboarding and scheduling of sales assistants. Almost all matters related to business operations in the regional market require timely follow-up by sales reps, and the effect of follow-up is directly reflected in work performance. Here is a dramatic and counterintuitive point: when the above practical business tasks are followed up properly, customer payments do not require so much effort to "follow up" (chasing customers every day, step by step), because as long as the marketing channel is unobstructed, customer payments will "come without being chased."
  5. E—Effect—Pursue the best "effect": In daily business work, generally, promotional activities are held during holidays. They may be special prices, gifts, lucky draws, cash rebates, etc., in various forms. However, through visits, the author found that not every promotional activity held by every manufacturer is successful. It can even be said that among the many promotional activities, only a very small number are successful and achieve good results. Just like among the new TV dramas produced in China each year, less than 20% are profitable. Why? The fundamental reason is that the organizers of promotional activities (usually one of the promotion representatives, sales reps, and distributors, but for the latter two, sales reps are the dominant force) do not conduct rigorous and scientific analysis and forecasting of the entire activity. This reflects more of an irresponsible attitude of "emphasizing form and going through the motions." Therefore, with the goal of "pursuing the best effect," before holding a promotional activity, sales reps should strictly count the sales data of our products in the target mall for at least the past six months (except for "support" promotions for newly opened malls), truly grasp the mall's foot traffic and target customer groups, and carefully analyze the types and price points of our best-selling products. Then, carefully formulate a rigorous promotional plan: if it is a buy-and-gift promotion, set the price of the gift based on the expected increase in sales; if it is a price reduction promotion, set the discount rate based on the expected increase in sales, etc. Only then will your promotional activities be effective and immediate, and the hard-earned money will not be wasted.
  6. C—Communication—Maintain comprehensive "communication": "Communication" is the last C in the contemporary 4C marketing theory. The author uses it here precisely to illustrate the importance of maintaining comprehensive communication. And here, the key point of "communication" lies in the word "comprehensive." How to achieve comprehensive communication? There are three main targets: a. Company leaders: Generally, company leaders have more foresight and insight than sales reps, especially the direct supervisor of sales reps (usually the branch manager), who is worth learning from in terms of overall grasp of the regional market and flexible application of marketing policies. Therefore, to do well in the regional market, sales reps must first maintain good communication with company leaders, so they can stay consistent with the company's overall marketing progress. At the same time, we do not advocate sales reps being "mouthpieces," lacking their own opinions, panicking at the slightest market change, and constantly asking leaders "what should we do." Also, unless it is urgent or the direct supervisor cannot solve it, we generally do not advocate "bypassing reporting," otherwise, there may be a rift in your "later communication" with your direct supervisor. The correct approach should be: for every problem in the regional market, first try to solve it yourself; if you truly cannot solve it, then make the greatest effort to propose a feasible solution, indicating what resources and personnel assistance are needed. Finally, analyze the effect and intensity of the solution. It is best to provide multiple feasible solutions. In this way, on the one hand, you show the leader that you have a calm and composed opinion; on the other hand, you make the leader feel that with you as a capable general, things can be "settled" and he can rest easy. b. Distributors: In fact, the process of timely follow-up with customers is the process of communication with customers. Here, especially for key distributors, we should always maintain follow-up and communication. As the saying goes, "listen to the overtones," during communication, sales reps should carefully sense their annual sales plans and sales tendencies, infer their main push intensity from between the lines, and then adopt corresponding strategies. Also, during communication, gradually enhance the relationship between the manufacturer and the distributor, accurately grasp the customer's shipment situation, and help them plan, thereby striving for large payments and good display positions. Of course, when necessary, the company's limited advertising and promotional resources should be used to "dredge" the relationship. c. Sales assistants: While managing the sales assistants (or promotion staff) in the region, sales reps should also communicate with them in a timely manner. This is because at least 70% of terminal sales information comes from sales assistants. With good communication with sales assistants, you can know the sales dynamics of retail terminals (including store dynamics and competitor dynamics) at the first time. Moreover, at the retail terminal, the difference between proactive and passive sales assistants is like night and day. Proactive sales assistants work diligently every day, keep the booth clean, arrange samples, advertising pages, and POP neatly, often make constructive improvements, actively promote to customers, and actively inquire about store and competitor dynamics to report to sales reps; while passive sales assistants often do "face work," put in effort but not heart, neglect store maintenance, and only mechanically greet passing customers without any constructive action. Therefore, an excellent sales rep should fully communicate with sales assistants, discover their "heart knots" in time, and strive to ignite their proactivity. Hence, the author says: with the "centripetal force" of sales assistants, sales reps have succeeded half the battle in terminal sales. In addition to the above three main communication targets, other parties such as advertising agencies and local consumer associations also need our communication. At least when encountering some troubles, they can come out to help "settle" things. Of course, these involve a lot of public relations, and the author will not elaborate here.
  7. T—Threat—Beware of competitor "threats": Ren Zhengfei, in "The Winter of Huawei," elaborated on the sense of urgency that enterprises should have in their development, which is not alarmist. The author applies this to terminal marketing: always be wary of competitor threats, and never hope that the regression of competitors will set off your progress! Looking around, competitors are constantly threatening us. A. In production, competitors are launching more competitive products; B. In distribution channels, competitors are using more favorable policies to snatch our key customers; C. At retail terminals, competitors are conducting deeper marketing with more lethal force and using higher compensation to lure away our sales assistants; D. In promotion and publicity, competitors are using more tempting advertising and promotional methods to seduce customers who originally belonged to us; E. In after-sales service, competitors are striving to implement more humanized services to strengthen sales... All these require sales reps to maintain a high sense of urgency at all times. While achieving sales performance, be good at summarizing, actively strive for progress, dare to explore the competitive market situation, and take decisive countermeasures. Also, think about this question: besides doing business, what else can you do? After the "business youth," what can you still do? Therefore, the author suggests that sales rep friends strengthen their learning, using the time previously spent on pleasure at night for market analysis and summarizing operational experience. Always maintain a learning and enterprising attitude (the author, when doing business for one year, spent over 10,000 yuan of his own money to buy a laptop), and try not to acquire the bad habits of "slick salespeople." Otherwise, perhaps your own competitors around you have already trampled you underfoot! Reply with the following keywords to categorize 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, Forcing Orders, Market Visit 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, Investment Promotion, New Media, Distributor Development, Performance Assessment, Assessment, Annual Planning, Sales Assistant, Morning Meeting, Display, Transformation, Stock Pressure, Holidays, Distributor Cost Control, Channel Operation, Marketing Theory and Laws, Brand Truth, Order Meeting, Team Management, Training, Work Report, Work Report.