Warm Tip: Click the ↑ above for 'FMCG Distributor Professional Consulting' to learn more about marketing and distributor internal management. Combine the wisdom of the many to be wise, the abilities of the many to be capable, and the wealth of the many to be wealthy. True excellence begins in industry and commerce; other things can be praised as creations of nature. Exerting all efforts, moving mountains is possible, filling seas is possible, driving wind and electricity, controlling water and fire is also possible. In my youth, I loved reading martial arts novels, especially the works of Mr. Jin Yong. I was deeply immersed in the chivalrous world of 'Flying snow, shooting white deer in the sky; laughing at the book, the divine hero leans on the blue mandarin duck.' The Six Meridians Divine Sword is a family heirloom from Dali, Yunnan. Winning without a move is the highest realm of martial arts. The Six Meridians Divine Sword captures the essence of the Nine Swords of Dugu, seemingly present yet absent, with a killing strike that resembles our understanding of marketing: 'Marketing has no fixed moves; it is a divine stroke from the Bodhi tree.' When the smoke of a marketing battle dissipates, we sip fine tea and recall the flames of war in the swirling mist. Is it not as the Buddha said: 'Often brush the divine appearance of the mind, and the mind will know itself in meditation.' Coming from the martial arts world, can our distributors grasp the essence of the 'Six Meridians Divine Sword' and diligently cultivate their own qualities to enhance overall competitiveness? Simply put, it is about doing well in the 'Six One Projects.' Learning and training are not just the responsibility of manufacturers; distributors have grown into a vast group that needs its own unique culture and strategic needs. To build core competitiveness, the first priority for distributors is to practice internal skills—forging the 'Six Meridians Divine Sword': market network, marketing team, marketing model, management system, loyal customers, and quality products. On this basis, distributors can use strategies of alliance and vertical integration to form a tripod with upstream manufacturers and downstream terminal chain stores. What do distributors generally use to attract customers? First, credibility; second, service; third, support; fourth, sincerity; fifth, management. To achieve all this, one must cultivate and possess sufficiently solid basic skills to play the role of a supplier well. So, what basic skills should distributors have?

  1. Learn the business philosophy of the agency brand The source of cooperation is common interest, and the foundation of cooperation is common philosophy. To attract the attention of manufacturers and distributors, common interest and common philosophy must be placed first. Work hard for a common goal.
  2. Learn to create and nurture markets What is a market? The market is the child of the distributor. If distributors want to remain invincible in business battles, they must be good at creating and nurturing markets. Currently, market competition is fierce, and people increasingly recognize the importance of occupying the market. Only by occupying the market can they have consumers, and only then can enterprises survive and develop. However, in occupying the market, some business operators often follow behind 'famous brands' or rely on a few traditional products. These operators only focus on the immediate market and lack innovation. Therefore, they can only passively follow the market. Even if they temporarily keep up with the market, it is a flash in the pan and short-lived. Some operators with strategic vision focus on occupying today's market but also pay more attention to occupying tomorrow's market, continuously creating new markets and cultivating new consumer demands. Thus, they can always stay ahead of the market, guide new consumption trends, naturally win consumers, do lively business, and gain rolling wealth. Creating a new market is more important than occupying the market because the market is constantly developing, and consumer demands are constantly changing. Today's 'famous brand' may be tomorrow's laggard; today's hot-selling product may be ignored tomorrow; today's non-existent product may be pursued by consumers tomorrow. Therefore, under market economy conditions, our business operators should be good at continuously expanding deep-level consumption areas and cultivating and creating new markets with continuity. This is also a strategic issue for the survival, development, and prosperity of enterprises.
  3. Learn to drill into market 'gaps' The market is like cloth, always with gaps; enterprises are like needles, always able to insert into 'gaps' that others find hard to discover. This is because commodity circulation is vast, customs and traditions differ greatly, and market demands vary widely. Surplus and shortage, smooth and stagnant, manifest differently in different times and regions. Products unpopular in cities may be favored in rural areas; products overstocked domestically may sell well abroad. As long as we are keen and observant, we can always find market 'gaps.' Looking around, there are always people who dismiss market gaps, or are confused by the surface of the market, or are guided by yesterday's market, keen on 'following others' horse tracks to drive a cart.' They produce whatever is hot in the market, resulting in products that are 'afterthoughts' and are 'sent to the cold palace' as soon as they are put into production. Today, we develop the economy with a market orientation, which is more reflected in drilling into market gaps. By keenly capturing contemporary new technologies and new market demands, and launching new products to meet these demands first, can we complete the 'amazing leap.' Once an enterprise targets a market 'gap,' it will not 'follow the crowd' but focus on producing products that are in demand but not yet manufactured; it will not 'follow the trend' but develop products that have potential demand even if not currently demanded; it will not 'wait and see' but adapt to changes, take the initiative, and make the business strategy spin like a top on the stage of market competition. It is precisely because of unique insight that American Amal resolutely gave up gold panning and switched to digging channels to sell drinking water, becoming a wealthy American; Greek Onassis deliberately chose industries others did not want to do, eventually becoming a shipping tycoon. Drilling into 'gaps' is not as easy as 'eating tofu.' If you are careless and sit around discussing, you will inevitably encounter 'gaps' without recognizing them. Every operator should have business strategies in mind, be attentive everywhere, and be good at observing market changes. The market is a natural 'equalizer.' Whoever can drill into gaps and fill 'empty spots' can open the door to the market and receive its generous rewards.
  4. Learn to find markets from differences Economist Armand Hammer proposed a market rule: The greater the differences in customs, traditions, habits, lifestyles, and social systems between countries and regions, the greater the potential market. Many shrewd merchants have grasped this point, acted keenly, aimed at 'differences,' and thus carved out a wise and effective business path. In contrast, many enterprises with poor performance today focus solely on jumping on anything 'hot,' filling gaps, or cost reduction, without carefully exploring market demand differences. They go through great trouble and detours, only to gain less than they lose. As everyone knows, market demand is multi-level and multi-faceted. No matter how many enterprises there are, they cannot fill the market gaps; no matter how advanced the technology, it may not perfect the market's shortcomings; no matter how rich the products, they cannot encompass the public's needs. Only by being good at capturing consumption trends and market information, and by looking further and brighter, can we make a difference in finding 'differences.' Using this way of thinking to consider problems, we will surely be adept and lead all the way on the journey of market competition.
  5. Aim at the First Law If you want to be second in the market, your strategy should target the market leader. There is weakness in strength. For any powerful leading company, the second-place company has opportunities to break it down and turn its strengths into weaknesses. Just as wrestlers use their opponent's force, companies should also try to turn competitors' strengths into weaknesses. If you want to firmly hold the second position in the market and compete with the leader, you should study the leader to understand where its strength lies and how you can turn its strength into weakness. You must discover the leader's basic characteristics and provide users with the opposite. In other words, do not try to be better; try to be different. This is how the competition between newcomers and established players works. When observing the consumer group of a product, you will find that it seems to consist of two types of people. One type is willing to buy the leading product, while the other is not. The latter is the target for the second-place distributor. By appearing as the opposite of the leader, you can win over the business of all other distributors except the leader. If the elderly like to drink Coca-Cola and the young drink Pepsi, then who would drink Future Cola? You might think that many potential second-place distributors are imitating the leader; do not think that way. You must stand opposite the leader with an attitude of 'it's me or no one.' However, this does not mean you can simply attack the opponent. The First Law is a double-edged sword; your attack on the opponent must also be quickly accepted by consumers. Marketing is quite like a struggle for legitimacy. Those distributors who seize the position of famous brands often rely on their dominant position to accuse competitors of being illegal counterfeiters. A good second-place distributor must never be timid. When you give up competing with the leader, you become weak not only to the leader but also to all other competitors in the industry. --------------------------------------

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