Author丨Meng Yun
Recently, Lee Kum Kee held a national channel partner conference in Guangzhou, with the theme of "Winning the Terminal, Winning with Lee Kum Kee", highlighting Lee Kum Kee's determination to elevate terminal operations to a strategic level. Judging from the content shared by the business leaders at the conference, I deeply felt Lee Kum Kee's confidence in winning the terminal.
The author was fortunate to meet a dealer from Henan "Xinxiang Zhihua Changwang Trading Co., Ltd. (later referred to as Zhihua Commerce)", and came to Xinxiang to interview the general manager of the dealer, Mr. Ma, and chatted with him about their "market development" in Xinxiang City.
Manufacturers combine swords, and the development momentum is like a bamboo
"Lee Kum Kee has truly achieved 'what you can see and buy' in Xinxiang City, allowing consumers who love Lee Kum Kee to buy condiments to their heart's content, which is the pride of our trading company and the true embodiment of Lee Kum Kee's brand power."
When Mr. Ma talked about Lee Kum Kee's performance in Xinxiang Market, his face was full of happy smiles, and he enthusiastically introduced to the author: Zhihua Trading and Lee Kum Kee officially cooperated in 2008, and now they have been cooperating for 16 years. Back then, Lee Kum Kee was not like it is now in the Xinxiang market, where it could be seen everywhere and could be bought everywhere. It's a well-known brand that many consumers have heard of, but haven't used.
Through chatting and communicating with industry peers, we learned about the reputation of Lee Kum Kee's product quality and the corporate values of "Si Li Ji Ren", and we felt that Lee Kum Kee was a trustworthy brand. Therefore, even though we were faced with the uncertainty of Lee Kum Kee's development in the Xinxiang market and the concern about whether Lee Kum Kee could succeed as an agent, we still firmly chose to become Lee Kum Kee's distributor.
We started with less than 500,000 Lee Kum Kee sales a year at that time, and now we have sold more than 10 million people, and we have maintained a rapid growth trend every year.
Do the right and hard things,
A spark can eventually start a prairie fire!
Speaking of the origin of the cooperation between Zhihua Trading and Lee Kum Kee and the changes and growth history of the Xinxiang market over the years, Mr. Ma has a deep feeling. While admiring the ultra-rapid development of Lee Kum Kee in Xinxiang Market, the author can't help but ask curiously:
"What is the reason for Zhihua Trading to increase Lee Kum Kee's sales in Xinxiang from less than 500,000 to more than 10 million?"
Mr. Ma said with a smile: In the final analysis, in fact, it is to do one thing right, that is, to do a good job of the terminal. At present, the number of terminals covered by Zhihua Commerce and Trade exceeds 1,000, and these terminals are also active terminals, and the proportion of monthly active terminals is not less than 90%.
It is precisely by changing the number of terminals covered from less to more, from urban areas to suburban counties, penetrating deeply into towns and villages, and from products entering stores to active sales, that Chi Wah Trading has gradually increased the sales of Lee Kum Kee products in terminals and has become one of the most willing condiment brands for consumers to choose in terminals.
Of course, to do a good job in the terminal, it does not mean that it is enough to rely on the efforts of Zhihua Commerce and Trade, but through the joint efforts of Lee Kum Kee and giving full play to their respective advantages, the terminal chassis can be truly solidified, and the brand business will grow year by year to have a stable foundation.
The more popular practice in the condiment industry back then was to go through circulation, that is, to put the products in the wholesale market. Even now, some dealers still do this. This method had a certain effect in that year, which was more worry-free and labor-saving, but the disadvantage was that the sales volume was relatively virtual and not practical enough. It is also easy to be bargained in the wholesale market, in the end the goods are out a lot, but there is no profit, Zhihua Commerce and Trade was also doing business according to this "sitting business" model, this kind of "losing money and making money" troubles have also plagued Zhihua Commerce for a long time.
Fortunately, Lee Kum Kee's sales staff gave us a way out of the predicament, that is, to make terminals, and the dealers directly serve the terminals. In this way, the dealer will firmly grasp the rice bowl of eating, and the dealer's shipment is not only the face (local market influence), but also the inside (profit).
Under the guidance and leadership of Lee Kum Kee's sales staff, Chi Wah Trading began to truly work on the terminal: we were equipped with full-time salesmen and delivery vehicles to visit the terminals, and we also introduced a terminal data management system.
Lee Kum Kee's local sales team provided a series of guidance and empowerment by helping us to divide the responsibility field and plan the route, teach the salesman to visit the terminal, and design an activity plan that meets the needs of the terminal. At the same time, Zhihua Commerce and Trade gives full play to its own advantages such as customer contacts, timely delivery, and capital advance capabilities.
Lee Kum Kee's extensive product line and high quality meet the needs of all kinds of consumers. The coverage of Lee Kum Kee products in Xinxiang City has become one of the favorite condiments of local consumers.
It's good to enjoy the shade with your back against a big tree
Becoming a king day by day
Speaking of this, Mr. Ma excitedly told the author: "Lee Kum Kee not only helped Chi Wah Commerce and Trade transform from a 'sitting businessman' in circulation and wholesale to a 'businessman' in intensive cultivation terminals. At present, Lee Kum Kee has increased investment in brand communication, marketing activities, and various forms of terminal investment, helping dealers to better expand the market and operate terminals in an all-round and three-dimensional way, and help dealers truly become the controllers of the local market. ”
The author also learned from Lee Kum Kee that Lee Kum Kee will not only help the dealers it has cooperated with to efficiently expand and operate terminals in the next few years; Lee Kum Kee will also promote the "Thousand Cities Development" plan, and will be equipped with sufficient ammunition for a large number of blank counties with great potential, and looks forward to more excellent dealer partners joining in to create a better "Weilai" business together with Lee Kum Kee in the seasoning industry.
The terminal is king, and "taste" can be expected
Based on years of observation of the condiment industry, the author has also interviewed the dealers of many brands, and found that in order for dealers to survive in the regional market, all of them are to calm down and do the terminal in a down-to-earth manner, so as to realize the deep cultivation of the terminal.
Those dealers who are highly active in the market and whose business is growing against the trend have further shifted the strategy of terminal expansion from simple intensive cultivation to in-depth operation.
The terminal is directly facing the consumer and is the window of the brand to the consumer. Those dealers who ignore the terminal and are unwilling to invest energy have long been eliminated by the torrent of the market, or are on the road to being eliminated. Understand the market, understand the consumer, and firmly grasp the terminal dealers, so as to achieve sustainable business growth.
Dealers should intensively cultivate the terminal, and even operate the terminal, which is inseparable from the brand's attention and vigorous investment in the terminal.
At the Lee Kum Kee Dealer Conference, the author also learned that Lee Kum Kee said that it would unswervingly continue to invest in the terminal and make greater efforts to stimulate terminal consumption, and the brand increase will continue.
I also believe that Lee Kum Kee will work with dealer partners to compose a more exciting "Weilai" in the next few years.