Thread Content
Many companies have invested substantial resources in development, and during this process they each employed their own unique strategies. As one of those participants, I would like to share here the tactics used to develop the third-party market, along with my insights gained from that experience: 1. Customer referrals – Utilize existing customers to introduce new ones. Over the years, every customer builds a network of peers, within which they generally have some form of connections; at the very least, they know the contact information and basic business details of many of their peers. If you find the right existing customer to recommend new clients, their reputation and influence can bring you many advantages. Your existing loyal customers are a gold mine; it depends on how effectively you exploit them. The methods and approaches for acquiring clients are actually quite simple: material incentives and emotional investment, with emotional investment being even more important. A great businessman in Japan once said that the cheapest yet most effective way to acquire clients is through emotional investment; it is the only method that requires the least effort but yields the greatest returns. II. Direct development of large customer endpoints: Due to channel policies, pricing, or various other factors, or in order to effectively control customers, it is possible to choose larger end-client organizations to work with directly, rather than relying passively on intermediate channel partners for management and control. When developing end customers directly, it is essential to choose large ones for business operations. Small and medium-sized customers, due to their limited consumption volumes and scattered distribution, require a lot of time to work with. Larger end customers, on the other hand, have higher consumption levels; they can serve as role models, and they also help strengthen control over the end markets. III. Salespeople and invoice issuers driving sales through incentives In the case of over-the-counter drugs, with the exception of a few products that have a brand identity associated with specific distribution channels, many such drugs lack such a brand identity; as a result, consumers at the point of purchase show no loyalty to any particular brand. The likelihood and frequency of switching brands are quite high. Among the factors that influence this switching behavior, salespeople or invoice issuers from pharmaceutical companies play a crucial role. A single word from these salespeople or invoice issuers can easily persuade customers to switch the drugs they use, making them key figures and essential links in the process of drug sales. In the compensation systems of ordinary pharmaceutical companies, the overall income of invoice clerks or salespeople is quite low; these employees receive modest base salaries along with very low sales commissions. As a result, they place great importance on the additional commissions provided by the manufacturers, which become their main source of income. This is also a practice adopted by many manufacturers these days. In terms of practical application, to ensure that cash-based sales are truly effective, the following requirements must be met: First, continuity is essential; it cannot be available one day and then suddenly disappear the next. If the company’s policies do not guarantee continuity, then the invoicing staff and sales representatives need to be informed in advance that this is a temporary measure ； Secondly, a detailed calculation must be carried out regarding the method of provision; it is necessary to understand the policies of other similar manufacturers – whether rebates are given based on the sales percentage, a fixed amount is taken per unit sold, gifts are provided, or when the payments will be made. Different methods lead to vastly different results even when using the same tactical approaches. IV. Securing administrative support from senior management: Although many pharmaceutical companies sell a wide range of products, they approach each product differently. Though there is no clear concept of category management, many companies provide preferential support in terms of company policies and directives to certain manufacturers; products that receive such priority support from pharmaceutical companies tend to achieve even better sales results. To achieve such an outcome, it is necessary to effectively engage the top executives of pharmaceutical companies, so that they approve and accept it and take concrete actions to provide support and promotion. V. Customer Appreciation Events: Customer appreciation events are currently one of the most commonly used methods in the development and utilization of third-party platforms. These events have become homogeneous and repetitive, but they remain an effective strategy in many regions. It’s similar to advertising – if advertising is carried out for a long time and then stopped suddenly, it can create significant obstacles to consumers’ willingness to make purchases. Thank-you events shouldn’t be held too frequently, but they are necessary; at the very least, they help maintain the advertising impact by keeping your face visible, so that end customers know you understand them. VI. Taking advantage of promotional opportunities: Pharmaceutical companies hold many large-scale promotional events of their own every year, and many manufacturers also organize various types of activities. These are all opportunities that we can take advantage of; by making effective use of them, we can achieve great results. Whether they are events organized by pharmaceutical companies or those held by other manufacturers, they all represent effective opportunities to promote and sell products, serving as a very cost-effective way to do so. As a market developer, one needs to have a keen sense for opportunity, constantly keeping an eye on such ride-sharing opportunities, studying them thoroughly, and figuring out how to make effective use of them in order to take advantage of various ride-sharing options. VII. Utilization of industry supervision systems: Both the medical system and pharmacy systems have designated regulatory bodies. The health supervision systems and pharmaceutical oversight systems in various regions exert a significant influence on the local pharmaceutical market, and the recommendation of key figures serves as a powerful driving force for sales. By effectively leveraging the capabilities of the local industry regulatory systems, building good relationships with key figures, and making use of various promotional and sales opportunities to get them to speak up and provide insights regarding the areas under their jurisdiction, sales can be achieved smoothly. VIII. Inviting high-level interactions: Effective high-level interactions are a very effective way to establish, consolidate, and strengthen the bilateral partnership, just as it is with the establishment of diplomatic relations between two countries. As a company, it should arrange special visits by its senior management to customers with whom it has a good partnership or those who hold great potential. This not only demonstrates the sincerity in the partnership and the company’s commitment to those customers, but also allows senior management to discuss major cooperation plans and policies directly, thereby **accelerating** the sales process. At the right time, invite customers to visit the company, where a special reception is arranged for them. As the saying goes, it’s better to see things with one’s own eyes; by visiting the company, customers can appreciate its physical infrastructure. A grand reception not only demonstrates loyalty to the customers but also reflects the company’s strength, and it has a much stronger impact than any number of discussions with sales representatives. It is important to emphasize that the eight methods mentioned above are the main tactical approaches for developing the third-party terminal market. However, none of these methods operates in isolation; when entering this market, it is necessary to use them in a flexible and varied manner, depending on the specific conditions of the regional market as well as the resources available to the company. One method can be used as the primary approach, combined with several others, or various methods can be integrated organically together. The key to effective application lies in having a clear strategy in mind.