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1. Reasons for Terminal Non-Movement (1) How many terminal outlets are in the market? What is the distribution plan? How much has been completed? What is the terminal inventory? (2) Which channel is selling poorly? What are the reasons for poor sales? (3) Is there a standard for terminal merchandising? How is it being executed? (4) Is the product placed in the best display position? Is it better than competitors? Is our product being covered by competitors? (5) Do key terminal personnel know our pricing policy? (6) Are the leading stores and core streets in the local key areas controlled by our company? Is the store image up to standard? Is promotion in place? Have advantageous areas been established? (7) Is there a standard sales pitch for the product? Can it resonate with local consumers? Do store owners and staff master it? (8) How is the terminal relationship (guanxi)?
By answering the above questions, you can identify some reasons for terminal non-movement.
2. Simple Actions to Achieve Terminal Sell-Through Recently, it has been found that products in various industries more or less face terminal sell-through issues. Besides terminal self-inspection, improvements should also be made from the product perspective. Sometimes all terminal work is done well, but sell-through still has problems, which clearly indicates issues with the product itself. For example, the product's selling point lacks persuasive power, or the product is too imitative, causing consumers to switch to established brands.
Typically, the following aspects can be improved to achieve terminal sell-through. (1) Improve the Product's Purchase Reason Go deep into the terminal and study whether the product's purchase reason is attractive to buyers. If it's hard to convince customers, refine the sales pitch based on the original selling points. The pitch should be simple, and discover points that move buyers at the terminal. Refine the pitch to no more than three sentences, then teach this simple pitch to terminal staff. In other words, the product's selling point may be hard to articulate, but the terminal sales pitch must be something salespeople can say, and terminal promoters and store owners can say it effectively.
(2) Focus on 20% of Stores to Generate Performance This is also the focus principle. By concentrating efforts on 20% of stores, you build confidence in other stores, create a hot-selling atmosphere, and thereby achieve sell-through in the entire region.
(3) Use of Merchandising Materials Basic work is key to terminal sell-through. Place the product in the best display position, for example, at a height of 1.5 meters, which is best for visibility and convenience; also create stack displays to foster a hot-selling atmosphere. Also make good use of posters, POP, display stands, banners, etc., to dominate the terminal's high ground with overwhelming advantage.
(4) Build Strong Terminal Relationships Think about it: who influences sales at the terminal? Obviously, it's the store owners and staff. Since they play a key role, we need to make them familiar with our product and willing to recommend it. People are willing to recommend things they know well, so refining the terminal sales pitch is crucial. First, it should be easy to remember and say; second, it should have distinctive features so they can promote it without effort. This completes the first step. Additionally, treat them differently. For staff, give small favors each visit; for owners, besides small favors to show you are savvy, constantly remind them of the profit benefits of selling our product.
Article reprinted from: Baijiu Distributor College: bjjxsxy This article is excerpted from Liu Wenxin's book "Marketing Common Sense That Boosts Sales Every Time" published by Borisen Publishing.
