The foodservice channel is a window for brand display and direct consumption, and one of the main channels for baijiu brand promotion. For high-end products, the foodservice channel mainly undertakes the basic functions of brand atmosphere creation and taste introduction; for mid-to-low-end baijiu brands with fast circulation, it is an important sales window directly facing consumers. In detail, A and B class restaurants are the main venues for high-end baijiu consumption. Among them, the store manager and owner are the core elements for high-end products to gain sales momentum in the foodservice channel. Strategies such as tasting events, VIP customer consumption, wedding and banquet events, manager commissions, brand advisor setups, and red tourism programs can be used to turn the store into a partner for group-buying promotion and a maintenance client for group purchases. By doing good public relations with the store's management, you can obtain stable, high-quality VIP customer resources. C and D class restaurants are the main venues for mid-to-low-end baijiu consumption. These stores are numerous and widely covered, with a low rate of customers bringing their own alcohol. Mid-to-low-end baijiu products can quickly gain market popularity through high store coverage and fast, flexible promotional activities. The difficulty in operating mid-to-low-end products in the foodservice channel lies in:

  1. Mastering the frequency of promotional activities, and adjusting the intensity of bottle cap fees according to market changes (introduction, growth, maturity, decline);
  2. The foodservice channel has many management links, and the execution and implementation of marketing plans for each link is the key to success. The development and maintenance of the foodservice channel is a long-term battle. Specific operations include the following key points: 1. Understand the basics of the foodservice channel
  3. Establish profiles of all restaurants suitable for the operation of each product series.
  4. Select 60% of the stores as the annual key operation targets for the foodservice channel.
  5. Divide the development of target stores into 3-4 time periods.
  6. Find out the total entry cost for all target stores (basically accurate).
  7. Find out the various effective customer relations and promotional activities of competing products in target stores.
  8. Budget all resources (customer relations and promotions) needed to turn target stores into effective selling stores.
  9. Determine the required promotional staff and undercover promoters.
  10. Combine with the company's module resources to formulate an annual foodservice execution plan. 2. Build a capable team
  11. Establish a long-term team with joint participation of manufacturer and distributor personnel.
  12. Clarify regional division of labor (no more than 20 stores per person).
  13. Manufacturer staff do not participate in collecting cash and delivering goods.
  14. Foodservice channel staff should mainly be local experienced people (mainly men).
  15. The distributor team should have a person with strong social and networking skills to lead.
  16. The team should have clear, simple, and feasible reward and punishment systems (completed by the city manager and distributor before operation).
  17. The overall income level of the team should be competitive locally.
  18. Maintain team vitality—survival of the fittest, eliminate the stale and absorb the fresh.
  19. Set achievable goals for the team and individuals, and fulfill them promptly. 3. Conventional store entry methods and transaction conditions A. Conventional store entry methods
  20. Customer relations-based entry: Stores where the distributor's customer relations can extend, with little or no cost, are the first choice.
  21. Mixed stores where the distributor operates other items: The manufacturer bears part of the cost.
  22. Combined product entry: Bear part of the cost (led by the manufacturer's office).
  23. Selected target stores: Negotiate entry separately. B. Negotiation and preparation
  24. Find out the actual decision-maker of the restaurant.
  25. Before negotiation, find out the actual price for entry.
  26. Find out the restaurant's integrity and customer base.
  27. Customer relations first, negotiation later. Avoid unprepared negotiations. C. Agreement and transaction conditions
  28. Good payment collection: 1 month is the standard payment period, with rolling settlement. Over 2 months will cause big problems. For small and medium restaurants, do not accumulate large amounts; good payment collection is more important than any other transaction condition.
  29. Product display and clear pricing: Place bottles prominently at the bar. In the hotel's self-service supermarket, display in a prominent position, and if possible, stack boxes.
  30. For larger stores with good business, try to have on-site promotional staff.
  31. Allow 3-4 stage promotional activities per year, and cooperate highly.
  32. Provide accurate sales figures and inventory status. 4. Selection and transaction conditions for core exclusive venues In core operating cities, mid-range products must have exclusive venues as support points. A. Quantity requirements
  33. Provincial capital cities: no less than 10-20 stores.
  34. Prefecture-level cities and top 100 counties: no less than 3-5 stores.
  35. County-level markets: no less than 1-2 stores. B. Exclusive venue restaurants must meet several rigid conditions
  36. High customer traffic and good business.
  37. High credibility and timely payment.
  38. Good customer relations with the restaurant, basically controllable by the distributor.
  39. Cooperate with our various activities.
  40. Preferably can guarantee sales volume. C. Forms of exclusive venues
  41. Exclusive product entry: Sign an agreement to limit entry of targeted products and also limit competitor on-site promotions. After entry, have a relaxed promotion environment and set a model. Target sales for such restaurants are 20-40 boxes/month, with annual sales no less than 250 boxes. Fee standards vary greatly by region, but the principle is to control exclusive venue costs at about 40% (factory price).
  42. Exclusive promotion: Sign an agreement to allow some targeted products to enter, but not allow competitor promotions. The cost for such restaurants is much lower than the previous type. Monthly sales for such restaurants should not be less than 10-20 boxes, with exclusive venue costs controlled at about 30% (factory price). D. Image packaging for exclusive venues In the exclusive venue agreement, stipulate that image decoration is allowed inside and outside the restaurant, such as brand-named private rooms. Hanging paintings in rooms, elevator paintings, seat covers, etc., and equip with corresponding materials like ashtrays, wine pourers, drink menus, etc. E. Grasp the operation steps
  43. Order: First do exclusive venues and core stores, then general stores;
  44. Operation steps for exclusive venues and core stores: detailed investigation → exclusive venue negotiation → customer relations activities → image decoration, promotional materials → free small bottle tasting activities → regular promotion → sales-boosting activities (consumer promotions, waiter reward activities, activities for store owners) → payment collection and long-term maintenance. 5. Effective customer relations communication Who does customer relations: In operating the foodservice channel, customer relations are the foundation of all work including sales, promotion, and payment collection. Customer relations are the joint work of both parties. But the distributor should play a greater role; if relying on the manufacturer's reputation first, the cost will be higher. A. Restaurant owner
  45. Tangible benefits: rebates, interior and exterior decoration, waiter uniforms, joint promotions to attract business, empty bottle exchange for wine, etc.;
  46. Friendship: The distributor's friendship with the restaurant owner, providing some tasting wine to the owner's friends or regular customers (similar to small tasting events).
  47. Constraint relationship: The distributor's network may have people who can influence the restaurant owner, but this method should only be used during entry negotiations. After entry, still conduct business normally; otherwise, the owner may become more rebellious.
  48. Face: Foodservice channel colleagues or key distributor leaders should frequently visit the restaurant owner or dine at the restaurant, give gifts, and establish a familiar or recognized relationship. B. Lobby (marketing) manager, head waiter
  49. Tangible benefits: A one-time customer relations gift or cash of 1500-2000 yuan every six months, not linked to sales volume.
  50. Friendship and networking: Periodically (twice a year) give wine or gifts. C. Key waiters, order takers
  51. Tangible benefits: Monthly salary subsidy: about 200-300 yuan, tied to a certain monthly basic sales volume, cumulative bottle cap rewards, etc.
  52. Care: Give wine to their parents once or twice a year, and hold small networking gatherings. D. Customer relations for logistics support
  53. Finance: Mainly rely on the distributor. Determine the customer relations method based on the financial personnel's identity. If not the owner's confidant (relative), use some gifts and small cash; if a relative, use small gifts and meals to build rapport.
  54. Front desk (bar), warehouse: Rely on diligence and practical small gifts. Do not use excessive customer relations efforts in the above two areas. Tips:
  55. The above lists various customer relations links, but in practice, you cannot cover everything. The key is to find the breakthrough point and focus.
  56. For more important customer relations targets, brand specialists or key distributor personnel should participate to prevent wasted effort due to personnel turnover.
  57. The distributor's customer relations activities should dominate. 6. Selection and implementation of promotional activities A. Regular promotions after entering the store
  58. Use 100ml small bottles, choose 7-15 days, and give one small bottle to each table in the private room for tasting (after guests are seated, have a simple recommendation and emphasize the price).
  59. Key promotions: After the tasting activity ends for a period, use limited-time buy wine get XX gifts. The gifts should be exquisite, practical, or well-known, such as high-end cigarette holders or popular local cigarettes, or famous cigarettes. After this wave, consider putting prize coupons in the wine box to reduce promotion costs.
  60. Targeted promotions: For frequent customers, if they are familiar with the waiter or lobby manager, give a whole bottle (unpackaged) for free tasting. B. Promotions to boost sales
  61. For the store owner or key person in charge ★ Also can use: within 1 month, exchange several empty bottles for one bottle of our product. ★ After entering the store, if all parties cooperate well and there is a certain base sales volume (monthly sales of 30 bottles or more), you can use 1-2 months where exceeding last month's sales results in full exemption. This stimulates the owner to fully encourage waiters to promote. ★ Cumulative rewards: Within a certain period, if the store reaches a certain number of opened bottles, reward an Apple phone or computer. ★ Travel rewards.
  62. For store owners and consumers: Joint promotions for wedding and banquet policies, holidays, store anniversaries, etc. If consumption at the restaurant reaches a certain amount, give one bottle of wine for free.
  63. Promotions to use cautiously: Buy wine get food, buy wine get the same product. These have low perceived value and poor taste, and are promotions for the sake of promotion. Tips
  64. When formulating promotional activities in a city, always consider effectiveness and sustainability, and align with the brand positioning. Do not set policies just to use up the budget!
  65. The specific forms of promotional activities can be innovative in different regions; otherwise, when consumers feel no novelty, the effect will be greatly reduced.
  66. After a promotion plan is determined, the people involved in execution need to understand it clearly, then execute. Brand specialists should conduct spot checks at restaurants and evaluate results. If effective, promote widely; if not, find the reasons and adjust promptly. 7. Promotion publicity and in-store publicity A. Promotion publicity
  67. All consumer promotions in restaurants need to be publicized using X-stands or other forms. Promotions without notification are wasteful.
  68. Placement points for promotional materials: stairwells, elevator entrances, and other places consumers must pass.
  69. Production requirements: Highlight one key element; do not use multiple descriptions or add extra sentences. B. Image publicity Mainly for specialty stores with good business, you can do large-area image painting inside the store, or along the windows. For some B-class stores, consider seat covers for image publicity. Always make a small sample to check the effect before mass production. 8. Use and management of promotional items
  70. Several practical gifts Wine pourers, ashtrays, ballpoint pens, lighters, 100ml small bottles, high-end cigarette holders, etc. Except for lighters, all are made at the company headquarters, and each business area applies uniformly.
  71. Management of promotional items The responsible person is the brand specialist. They should establish files for use, and establish usage procedures and verification forms to prevent loss at all stages. For lost items, the brand specialist should bear part of the economic responsibility. 9. Main work and related points for promoters A. Main work Promoters mainly build good relationships with in-store waiters and lobby managers; secondly, they directly sell or carry out various promotional activities, maintain product and promotional material displays, grasp real-time inventory information, and feedback competitor dynamics. B. Stabilize long-term promoters An excellent promoter is half a salesperson. Excellent promoters are discovered by salespeople during store visits through more contact; then create a good working atmosphere and more human care. Relatively stable and good income is the premise. The presence and quality of promoters depend on the frequency of salesperson visits and communication skills. Frequent loss and turnover of promotional staff indicates big problems in the team. C. Targeted training Professional training (promotion skills, product knowledge, and selling points) is one part. This part should be summarized in a few simple, easy-to-remember sentences that everyone can memorize. Additionally, it is important to train skills in dealing with people and the degree of dedication to work. D. Selection of undercover promoters For some restaurants that do not allow promoters, or where the restaurant is large and one promoter cannot cover it, you can choose undercover promoters in the restaurant. Undercover promoters must have worked in the restaurant for a relatively long time, have good overall qualities, and maintain confidentiality. E. Use of undercover promoters
  72. Monthly subsidy: 200-300 yuan, plus normal bottle cap fee income.
  73. The monthly subsidy should be tied to a certain basic sales volume. If the basic sales volume is not reached, only the bottle cap fee is given; if reached, both are given. Business colleagues should take time to train undercover promoters on Langjiu knowledge. 10. Determine detailed goals and timetable
  74. Determine achievable monthly work goals Work content | Work goals Shipment volume | Number of stores entered | Number of bottles opened | Promotional activities | Personnel recruitment | Distributor establishment | Promotional material production | Others |
  75. Break down goals Break down to individuals: Break down the above specific goals to each person, each time period, with clear division of labor and time requirements.
  76. Develop executable plans: After determining specific goals, jointly discuss and formulate executable monthly detailed plans. Be sure to solicit merchant opinions. After the plan is formed (after company approval), spend time having the specific executors present the plan to stimulate everyone's enthusiasm and ensure everyone knows it.
  77. Promotion and inspection: The city manager should conduct on-site inspections of the promoted plans and goals at least once a week to ensure progress and quality, and promptly find solutions to problems. Brand specialists should work in the foodservice channel at least 2 days per week. 11. Effective meetings
  78. Morning meeting: Use every morning (must be completed before 9:30) to check the previous day's work and arrange the specific work for the day.
  79. Weekly meeting: Use weekends or evenings to address the progress of last week's work deployment and goal achievement. The theme should be clear, and brand specialists should prepare in advance. The meeting should have results and clear instructions.
  80. Monthly meeting: Review last month's various work indicators and achievements, discuss this month's specific work content and methods, determine the promotion schedule, specific responsible persons, and achievement indicators. Suitable for dinners and boosting team morale. At the request of many distributor friends, the third B-end e-commerce inspection class of this public platform will visit Wanshang Yizhan, Yunbao Shangmeng, and Weijie Chengpei from July 9-12. Distributor friends interested in transformation can join us for on-site inspections. : Organization form
  81. Company visits
  82. Actual market case visits
  83. On-site explanations
  84. One-on-one communication Participating distributor friends only need to pay a registration fee of 200 yuan. Time: July 9-12, 2016. Location: Changsha, Xiamen. Interested distributor friends can register by long-pressing the QR code below. When adding friends, please reply "Third Registration". Past inspection enterprise cases: Yishang Logistics Model Inspection (Second B-end e-commerce inspection group Yishang Logistics) Caiba Model Inspection Jinhuobao Model Inspection Beiquan Model On-site Inspection Piduoduo Model On-site Inspection -END- The best FMCG distributor learning platform in China Focusing on providing professional, practical, and applicable tutorials for enterprises and distributors Committed to helping Chinese FMCG distributors grow rapidly The most professional and practical knowledge base in the FMCG industry Reply with the red number below to get the corresponding content Reply with number 1 to view the complete knowledge base | 001 Excellent article selection | 002 Distributor market operation | 003 Terminal visit management | 004 Sales supervisor skills | 005 Sales improvement techniques | 006 Channel expansion | 007 Managing distributors | 008 Distributor development | 009 Distributor internal operations management | 010 Team management | 011 Efficient distribution techniques | 012 Sales manager's eighteen skills | 013 KA operation methods and strategies | 014 First lesson for new salespeople | 015 Internet, brand | 016 Distributor B2B transformation | [Long press QR code to follow]