With the rapid development of the internet, internet giants have set their sights on our FMCG industry. Some are directly building terminal delivery platforms, while others are opening their own retail stores. This weakens our advantages, eventually leaving us with no stores to supply, no brands to represent, and even turning our carefully cultivated businesses into history. Some distributors in big cities have realized this and are either gradually transforming or building core advantages for survival. However, most distributors are still at a loss when facing this transformation, and some are even stuck in confusion and complaint. What should most of us do? How can we find our own blue ocean?

In fact, the primary issue we face is survival. First, ensure our survival, then find our own advantages in the process of surviving, and deliberately build our core competitiveness. I believe that no matter how the future changes, there should be a place for you. So how can we survive? Below are nine types of distributors that are about to be or have already been eliminated, along with survival suggestions, hoping they will be helpful to you.

1. Those relying on old customers. There are still many such distributors, but their days are tough now. Because the number of old customers is decreasing, or sales volumes are shrinking, resulting in lower sales and profits. Survival suggestions: 1. Help your old customers improve their business situation (because your old customers are also facing many survival issues; if their pot has less, your bowl will inevitably have less). 2. Develop more new customers and cultivate them into old customers.

2. Those waiting for business to come. These are what we often call "sitting merchants." There are still many such distributors in second- and third-tier cities, most of whom started with a stall in a good location. But now business is declining day by day; besides waiting, they only complain. Survival suggestions: 1. Compile the customer data from the past three months, visit these customers to chat (bring a small gift), and you will find the problems in your business and how to proceed next. 2. Use spare time to have idle staff develop terminal stores and deliver goods (focus more on suburban or township markets).

3. Those working behind closed doors. These distributors are mostly self-righteous, unwilling to listen to others' opinions, and reluctant to go to the market frontline. They always think everything is fine, but when data is analyzed, they are speechless, not knowing whether they are making a profit or a loss. Can such distributors make money? Survival suggestions: 1. Go to the market frontline more often, chat with salespeople or terminal store owners. 2. Visit other markets to learn from peers in other places.

4. Those relying on manufacturer support. These distributors always try to win over the manufacturer's regional sales staff to extract expenses, but now it's increasingly difficult to get such expenses, so they resort to various tricks, only to end up losing more than they gain. Survival suggestions: 1. Spend the energy and time used to cozy up to manufacturers on terminals; you will truly gain something. 2. If you want to ask the manufacturer for expenses, first do something yourself.

5. Those unwilling to learn. There are few such distributors now; those who were like this before were forced to switch industries or study hard. Survival suggestions: 1. Regularly reflect on your business and list your shortcomings. 2. Learn from industry leaders.

6. Those unable to keep up with market changes. Some distributors are always a step behind in judging future trends, causing their companies to miss strategic opportunities and lose many chances. Survival suggestions: 1. Pay more attention to international news and national policies. 2. Pay more attention to and engage with the young consumer group around you. 3. Once you identify problems, immediately start solving them.

7. Those who always think their employees or customers are inadequate. These distributors often complain that their employees are ineffective, incapable, or hard to retain, or that customers don't sell hard enough. If so, it's certain that you or your management mechanism have problems. Survival suggestions: 1. Reflect on yourself or your company's management mechanism. 2. Ask more "why," "on what basis," "what," "do what," and "how to do it."

8. Those who want to reach the sky in one step. There are not a few such distributors. They think that by taking on a certain brand or hiring a certain number of people, they can accomplish great things overnight. In the end, they lose both the bait and the fish. Survival suggestions: 1. First set a big goal, along with the costs, time, and manpower needed to achieve it. 2. Break down this big goal into countless small goals, and implement them down to the nearest day and who will complete them. Remember, only by adding up countless small goals can you "reach the sky."

9. Those content with the status quo. These distributors lack motivation, have no goals, and no sense of crisis. Survival suggestions: 1. Delegate authority and position to those who are energetic and driven. 2. Give up the business altogether and go home to enjoy a comfortable life.

Of course, there are many other types of distributor groups, but no matter which type you belong to, to remain invincible now or in the future, what you must do is learn, reflect, and innovate. Remember, in the future, it's not about one person conquering the world, but about a team building a platform, integrating all resources on that platform. Only then can you have a chance to win!

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