In 2015, the market was sluggish and sales performance was poor, making unmet sales targets a major headache for many companies. How can salespeople achieve their H2 sales targets?

First, here are two questions to help you develop your regional market development strategy:

  1. Take out a regional map and identify the key markets, central markets, typical markets, and "nail" markets in your area.
  2. Based on strategies such as "casting a wide net," "focusing on key breakthroughs," and "gradual encroachment," formulate a market strategy suitable for your region.

Increasing Customer Quantity

Next, remember that sales performance is determined by the quantity and quality of customers. Regarding whether to increase customer quantity, by how much, and how, consider these three questions:

  1. What was your regional product sales volume last year? How many terminal outlets are there in your region? What is the average sales per outlet?
  2. What is your regional sales target this year? If the quality of terminal outlets remains the same as last year (i.e., average sales per outlet), how many new outlets do you need to add to meet this year's target?
  3. To complete your H2 sales tasks, how many new customers do you plan to develop? When and how will you develop them? What is the breakdown of sales tasks? What policy support do you need?

Developing New Customers

Next, for developing new customers, practice these ten questions:

  1. How do you find the boss? How do you typically approach and ask?
  2. How do you maintain a smile when meeting a distributor?
  3. How do you show surprise when meeting the boss?
  4. How do you compliment the distributor using live animals, unusual items, or common objects in the distributor's office?
  5. How do you introduce yourself humorously so the distributor remembers you?
  6. How do you assess the distributor: (1) Are they interested in doing business? (2) Do they have the capability? (3) How likely are they to succeed? (4) Can they make it work?
  7. How do you say goodbye to create an opportunity for a follow-up visit?
  8. How do you handle brand-oriented distributors? For example, if you say your product is profitable, they say they've never heard of your brand; if you say your product is cheaper than Brand X, they say locals only buy Brand X.
  9. How do you handle product-oriented distributors? For example, they ask to see samples or brochures.
  10. How do you handle price-oriented distributors? For example, they say your prices are too high, the local market is poor, or the market won't accept it.

Improving Customer Quality

Improving customer quality essentially involves pushing inventory and selling through. In other words, first "make the distributor's belly big" (push inventory), then "make the distributor's belly small" (sell through). Push inventory by any means, and distribute with all your might. In short, both hands must be firm!

Pushing Inventory – Making the Distributor's Belly Big

Regarding how to "make the distributor's belly big," here are five questions:

  1. Rank customers from high to low based on last year's sales, then rank them again based on last year's H1 sales. Compare the two rankings: what changes occurred? Why? How will you improve in H2?
  2. To complete August sales tasks, if you focus on pushing inventory to existing customers, list which existing customers you will push inventory to, how much each, their current inventory, available funds, maximum purchase capacity, and when they will start purchasing.
  3. If a customer refuses to push inventory and won't pay, consider the following reasons:
    1. Customer has excessive inventory and product backlog, unwilling to pay for more.
    2. Customer has lost confidence in continuing cooperation, using lack of money as an excuse.
    3. The product's selling season has passed, so they don't want to tie up funds.
    4. Product profit margins are low, so they are reluctant to invest.
    5. Too many unresolved issues, and without timely solutions, they won't pay.
    6. Funds are tied up by other products, preventing payment.
    7. They hope to get better credit terms, payment periods, or support policies by delaying payment.
    8. Malicious delay or deliberate obstruction.
    9. Poor management leading to cash flow issues.
    10. Intent to defraud and take the goods without paying.
    11. Temporary cash flow difficulties.
    12. Lack of financial strength.
  4. Why do salespeople sometimes fail to collect payments? Write down 10 methods you use to secure payments from regional customers.
  5. To ensure August payment collection targets, suppose the marketing VP gives you 3% of market expenses for distributor payments. How would you effectively use this 3% to maximize payment collection?

Promotions – Making the Distributor's Belly Small

Regarding how to "make the distributor's belly small," here are three questions:

  1. In a sluggish economy, how do you convince distributors to add staff and vehicles to proactively expand terminal service and sales coverage?
  2. How do you design promotional activities that suit local consumption habits to stimulate purchases?
  3. How do you improve the sales skills of sales reps and in-store promoters to quickly "kill" the channel, getting people into stores and products out?

After completing these exercises, most salespeople will identify their next phase's work focus and direction, and develop a clear sales approach.

This article has been slightly abridged.

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