Don't Ignore New Group-buying Customers in Low Season

 

The importance of group-buying customers need not be highlighted any more, but upgrading them with strong purchasing power to brand distributor is not that common, which is considered to be a new exploration in wine industry in the downturn.

 

So how to find such customers and ensure long-term cooperation with such customers?

 

First order of group purchase even more than some traditional distributors

 

An Australian wine importer in Sichuan has recently turned two construction companies' group-purchasing customers into distributors. Mr. Lai, general manager of the company, told WBO that there are many subcontractors or branches under the construction company, which have stable demand for reception alcohol drinks.

 

"President of this construction company usually likes to drink, and through our long-term contact with him, the boss became very receptive to our wine. First of all, he thinks it is much better than VCE wines in taste, and the price is not much higher, which also lower than the retail price, with very good cost performance. Based on this, we developed the construction company into our distributors gradually, which added a portion of the profits to the wines and sold them to its subsidiaries. The price is still lower than the market, everyone is very happy in the chain”, Mr. Lai said.

 

Help new group buyers in training and promotion

 

With the reputation of its parent company in real estates, medicine and other industries, the Winery Group Bordeaux Vineam has developed a number of new distributors in recent years. Hou Quan, general manager of the company in China, told WBO: We have the characteristics of the integration of wineries, production and marketing, which attracted many new group buying customers. They are quick to start, and have deep loyalty. 

 

But they met problems on operation and promotion in China market. After all, the new group buying customers are almost empty in wine knowledge and wine sales skills. This requires that the brand has sufficient market control ability, otherwise it is very easy to be the first and also the last deal.

 

 "We have invested a lot of energy in team building and talent training for distributors. Our team will train new distributors as well, not only in wine culture, but also in wine marketing, as subtle as how to hold tastings and how to manage customers." Hou said.

 

Hou also pointed out that to build the value of the wine products, people should feel honorable when drinking this wine. Therefore, Bordeaux Vineam cooperate with many partners such as entertainment and big events to enhance exposure. Besides, when Hou looks for customers, he will evaluate whether the partner has time and energy . This is also crucial to the further development from both sides.

 

To draw a clear line with the former distribution system and ensure long-term cooperation

 

Nowadays, wine industry has a low entry threshold, fragmented channels and fierce competition. 

 

Maintaining a sustainable relationship with new group-buying customers became more important. Zhang Taiping, market observer in wine industry, thinks that brands owner or importers must protect the former distribution system. For example, it is a big mistake to cover a particular consumer group through the relationship of others, and should never compete through bad means.

 

"In doing this, we consciously avoid having direct contact with customers of new developed distributors. In the formulation of internal rules, it is strictly forbidden for salesmen to cross special channels of distributors to contact their customers directly , we should take this as a principle of internal and external dissemination. 

 

In addition, in helping new group buying customers to promote and maintain, we also establish a standard to ensure the interests of a particular channel”, Zhang Taiping introduced to WBO.

 

Transaction price should be lower than group purchase price and parallel to agent price

 

In addition, when the former group-buying customers become distributors, the price must be strictly in accordance with the distributor's price.

 

Lai pointed out that when your customer becomes a distributor, you must give him the price the regional distributor should have. 

 

After all, under new circumstances, he is not drinking it himself, but selling it. He distributes in accordance with the previous group purchase price, so that the client is profitable and more energetic. A reasonable price system makes the further cooperation last long.