--- title: "Six Weapons for FMCG Sell-Through" description: "Many companies face the puzzle of a new product that successfully recruits distributors and gets stocked, but then stalls at the terminal. This article presents six terminal promotion tactics—free samples, market activation, personnel promotion, sweepstakes, price discounts, and premiums—as effective weapons to drive sell-through and secure market share." author: "张文雄" publisher: "New Distribution" email: "zhaobo258@gmail.com" telephone: "+8615854817671" published: "2014-09-12" language: "en" canonical: "https://xinjignxiao.com/en/articles/six-weapons-for-fmcg-sell-through-f7069963/" markdown: "https://xinjignxiao.com/en/articles/six-weapons-for-fmcg-sell-through-f7069963.md" original_source: "https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/n8NOD0Cziq26BRNS-shEbg" translation: "https://xinjignxiao.com/zh/articles/%E5%BF%AB%E6%B6%88%E5%93%81%E5%8A%A8%E9%94%80%E7%9A%84%E5%85%AD%E7%A7%8D%E6%AD%A6%E5%99%A8-f7069963.md" attribution: "New Distribution — https://xinjignxiao.com/en/articles/six-weapons-for-fmcg-sell-through-f7069963/" usage_policy: "https://xinjignxiao.com/ai-policy.txt" --- # Six Weapons for FMCG Sell-Through > Many companies face the puzzle of a new product that successfully recruits distributors and gets stocked, but then stalls at the terminal. This article presents six terminal promotion tactics—free samples, market activation, personnel promotion, sweepstakes, price discounts, and premiums—as effective weapons to drive sell-through and secure market share. **Click the blue text above to follow “FMCG Distributor Professional Consulting” for more marketing and distributor internal management insights.** Many companies face a common puzzle: after a new product successfully recruits distributors and gets stocked, they expect smooth sales and profits, but suddenly find that the product is not moving at the terminal! Sales staff become dejected, the terminal loses confidence, and after a month, distributors start demanding returns... Why does a new product stall at the terminal? How can you make it sell through? The terminal is like a battlefield. Terminal sell-through is like ground troops using various ground weapons to defeat the enemy. During a new product launch, besides high-altitude advertising ("aerial bombing"), the six ground-level terminal promotion tactics are sharp weapons for close combat. Based on my work experience, I will discuss methods to drive terminal sell-through for new products at launch, presenting the "six weapons" commonly used in the consumer goods industry to boost new product sell-through: **Weapon 1: Free Samples (Trial/Test/Tasting)** Free samples are one of the most effective weapons for rapid sell-through after a new product enters the market. They create high trial rates and remarkable brand conversion rates, making it highly likely that trial users become actual buyers. Many products have succeeded through free sample distribution, such as P&G's Whisper and Rejoice, Master Kong instant noodles and green tea, and Pepsi-Cola. We all have experienced trying a product and becoming loyal consumers. During the introduction phase, when consumers lack product knowledge, offering free samples for experience is an excellent method. If your product quality is genuinely good and accepted by consumers, this "experience marketing" can generate a large proportion of buyers. Free samples have a positive effect on accelerating product introduction and terminal sell-through during launch, with almost no negative effects. However, the cost to the manufacturer is relatively high. Free sample promotions are widely used in various consumer goods industries, especially FMCG. Even many durable consumer goods now use trial, test drive, or test ride methods to accelerate product introduction. It should be noted that when distributing samples or conducting trials, especially for products with significant taste differences, you must consider targeting: selectively distribute different products to different consumers. For example, instant noodles with strong flavor differences should be treated differently in spicy-eating regions versus non-spicy regions. Comment: Free samples are like the "bow and arrow" of ground troops. A skilled archer can hit the enemy accurately and kill with precision in battle. But this weapon requires many consumables; whether you can eliminate more enemies depends on whether you have enough "arrows"—that is, the sample cost you need to pay. **Weapon 2: Market Activation (Visual Merchandising)** Good display is a means to maintain image and boost sales for mature products. It is equally important for new products. At the initial launch of a new product, no matter how good the advertising or how aggressive the campaign, if there is no terminal visibility, how can consumers buy? Coca-Cola's consistent "3A" marketing strategy—"Available, Affordable, Acceptable"—emphasizes that "Available" is the most basic. It stresses distribution coverage and display quality. Undoubtedly, good display is paramount. This is even more evident for FMCG because 70% of purchase decisions occur at the point of sale. Market activation makes products visible and available, increases product visibility, expands consumer contact, and enhances brand image. This is why many well-known brands like Master Kong, Gillette, Coca-Cola, and Pepsi-Cola come to mind when you think of terminal displays. How to achieve market activation? Traditional shelf display is just the first step. Outstanding display involves not only securing better shelf space and positions that are convenient for target customers to reach, but also expanding display through end caps, floor displays, and other formats. Furthermore, use display aids and materials such as dedicated display racks, POP, side panels, display boards, and roll-up banners to enhance the atmosphere. But is that enough? Not necessarily. How to measure outstanding display? It means—besides making it easier for consumers to see and access—you must do better than competitors! Comment: Market activation is like the "machine gun" of ground troops. It stands guard at key positions during battle, waiting for the enemy. Once used, it can inflict heavy casualties before the enemy reacts. Of course, as a heavy weapon in ground combat, its cost is also relatively high! **Weapon 3: Personnel Promotion** When discussing personnel promotion, we must mention Slek. In 2000, Slek, with high-intensity personnel investment, deployed numerous promotion girls in various large and small retail outlets, and through terminal interception, managed to capture 20% market share from P&G's four major brands—Head & Shoulders, Pantene, Rejoice, and Sassoon—becoming the third-largest shampoo brand in major cities nationwide! Today, manufacturers increasingly value the terminal. FMCG often use promotion personnel to intercept and capture consumers from other brands at the terminal, while durable goods focus more on product function demonstrations and explanations. Excellent promotion personnel play a crucial role. Unilever once tested that in hypermarkets, arranging promotion personnel for guided shopping increased sales by about 30% or more compared to when no promotion staff were present. Arranging promotion personnel at the terminal is very helpful for new product promotion, especially when product functions require professional explanation, where verbal communication is particularly effective. For some impulsive consumer goods (like beer), products with guided promotion personnel clearly sell better than other brands. Comment: Personnel promotion is like carrying a "sword and dagger"—it plays an important role in close combat. **Weapon 4: Sweepstakes** Sweepstakes can directly boost sales, whether for new or mature products. As long as the prizes are attractive, they can draw crowds and attract many potential customers who come for the "grand prize" but had not planned to buy. Sweepstakes exploit people's luck-seeking and thrill-seeking psychology of "winning big with a small stake," using the chance to win cash or goods to strengthen the desire to purchase. Human nature is gambling-prone, as the "lottery fever" proves. In supermarkets, you often see crowds thronging around manufacturers' sweepstakes events. In fact, because sweepstakes rely mainly on personal luck and do not require knowledge or talent, many people participate. Compared to contests or competitive games, they are easier to join. When holding a sweepstakes, prize design is particularly critical as it directly affects participation. Generally, dazzling product ads combined with exciting "sweepstakes" make consumers pay more attention to the product, stimulating new and old consumers to try or repurchase. Therefore, when setting up a sweepstakes, you should set a few but very attractive grand prizes. Additionally, to reduce the disappointment of not winning the grand prize, you should also set many small prizes. Comment: Sweepstakes are like setting a "trap (or snare)" for the enemy. To lure the enemy, use attractive bait to hook them! **Weapon 5: Price Discounts** Price is very sensitive to consumers, especially for FMCG. A marketing expert once said, "There is no brand loyalty that cannot be swayed by a penny." For new products, appropriate price discounts can lower the purchase threshold and stimulate potential consumers to try the new product. We often see women, tempted by "big discounts," buying a pile of things they did not originally intend to buy, or even things they do not need. Driven by the benefits of discounts, savings, and offers, many people act impulsively, change their original purchase plans, and become "victims" of the price weapon! "Seeking bargains" is a common consumer psychology. In fact, consumers do not really care about buying cheap; they care more about the "sense of achievement" from getting a good deal. This psychology is the same as the feeling after bargaining and completing a transaction. Therefore, when implementing price discounts, you must clearly demonstrate the savings, giving people the feeling of "getting a bargain." For example, compare with other products of the same specification or performance (such as different flavors of the same product) to create a sense of benefit. Otherwise, if consumers do not know the original value and cannot compare the savings, you might be "selling at a loss" without consumers even noticing—how can they feel a sense of achievement? Why would they buy? Note that price is a "double-edged sword." Discounts must be used flexibly and wisely. Overusing "price discounts" will greatly increase consumers' price sensitivity, and long-term reliance on discounts is tantamount to suicide! Comment: Price discounts are more like a "double-edged sword." Used well, they can make the enemy die with one strike, but if not handled properly, they may hurt yourself. **Weapon 6: Premiums (Gifts)** When it comes to premiums, one cannot help but think of the exquisite little red cups given by Nescafé, the various kitchen utensils from Carrefour, and the exquisite toys attached to Cheetos snacks. Good premiums are indeed irresistibly attractive to consumers and are an excellent means to attract new consumers. For example, in Kodak film's launch promotion, the "free disposable camera" premium played a significant role. In the "customer delivered value" theory, promotional premiums are actually an extra gift and concession to consumers. They satisfy consumers' psychology of "getting extra value." Of course, good premiums do much more; some consumers will buy products they had not considered just to get the premium. In premium operations, you must make consumers feel the value of the premium; otherwise, it loses its appeal, and "even free might not be wanted." To remind consumers of your brand's presence, the premium must also be relevant to the product being sold, as with the Nescafé little red cups mentioned earlier, which work very well. Additionally, if the premium has reuse value, it can influence consumers long-term. For newly launched products, developing unique and excellent premiums is great. Also, co-promoting with well-known brands and using their products as premiums can enhance the perceived quality of the new product. Comment: Premium promotion is like a "pistol"—the key is precision, not volume. A good marksman can hit the enemy with one shot, and a good premium can similarly attract consumers to open their wallets! Terminal sell-through is the key to ultimately securing market share. Of course, there are more ways to accelerate product flow at the terminal. The "six weapons" listed above are just some of the more common ones. After a new product launch, manufacturers must comprehensively consider and apply them based on their own product and competitive environment. I hope these six weapons help you succeed in ground combat and ultimately achieve overall victory! -------------------------------------- **Like this article? Feel free to click the top-right corner to share it to your Moments.** About us: WeChat Name: FMCG Distributor Professional Consulting Management Account Intro: 20 years of FMCG distributor operation and management experience, professionally focused on distributor internal management: We understand distributors better than manufacturers, and we understand internal management better than distributors. 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