识不足则多虑,威不足则多怒,信不足则多言。
最近在论坛回帖时发现,有些外贸人连一些基本的商业知识和规则都没有弄明白,抓不住重点,反正在其他一些事上纠结半天。详见下面的例子:
最近发开发信,收到了一个客户的回复,但不明白客户提出问题的具体意思。
客户类型:化妆品原料分销商,自己也生产和在全世界分销植物性化妆品原料。
客户国家: 法国
分销区域:法国,比荷卢。
我们产品:化妆品原料
邮件来回如下:
(1). 2014-10-27 10:29 第一封开发信
Dear Ms. Claudine COUMANNE,
Glad to know your company distributes cosmetic ingredients on the French and Benelux markets.
This is Michael from XXX Chemistry Company, we are a professional manufacturer focused on xanthan gum products,which is naturally derived polymer that provides excellent thickening properties for shampoo and body wash products.
In European market, we are working with some distributors and importers, most of our end-customers are cosmetic manufacturers.
Hope to find a way to cooperate with you, if any interest, please let me know. Thanks.
(2). 2014-10-27 17:21 收到客户回复
Dear Michael,
Thank you for your mail. Please note that we only work under a exclusivity agreement.
(3). 2014-10-28 09:03 回复客户
Dear Claudine,
Thanks for your quick response.
Regarding the Exclusivity Agreement, our solution is we use a brand new trademark and new package.
How do you think about this?
实际我们在欧洲还没有经销商,但想如果直接答应客户可以做独家经销,岂不是显得我们既没有经验,又没有实力? 又想如果是告诉客户我们有经销商,客户反过来问是谁,我们又不好回答。所以折中一下,答复他们针对这种要求,我们可以另用新的商标和包装,这样不就解决了市场冲突的问题了嘛。
(4). 2014-10-28 16:24 收到客户回复如下
Dear Michael,
This shows that you don't understand the business in Europe.
Consequently, we are not interested in working with you.
所以,现在问题来啦,客户说的我们不理解欧洲市场的问题,到底是说的我们什么问题呢?他们是从哪里发现的我们不专业的呢?
这个例子里面,很显然,这个外贸业务员缺乏对商业知识和规则的认识
“Please note that we only work under a exclusivity agreement.” 客户着重表达的这句,只做独家分销商。
“实际我们在欧洲还没有经销商,但想如果直接答应客户可以做独家经销,岂不是显得我们既没有经验,又没有实力? 又想如果是告诉客户我们有经销商,客户反过来问是谁,我们又不好回答。所以折中一下,答复他们针对这种要求,我们可以另用新的商标和包装,这样不就解决了市场冲突的问题了嘛。” ——
对于是否应该答应客户做独家经销的问题上,想得太多,没有必要。和国外客户打交道不够,典型的中国式思维。中国人喜欢拐弯抹角,绕来绕去。国外客户不喜欢绕弯子,喜欢直接。这种情况下,如果我们在欧洲还没有经销商,我会乐意去多了解这个公司,表现出现有可以合作的可能性。
有些人可能会说那如果接受这个经销商那么这个市场别的客户就做不了,会不会是种损失?做生意,如果你光看着那些稳赚到口袋的钱,不去大胆尝试一下新的可能,那么也失去很多乐趣和机会。
当然,我们不能自己挖洞自己往里跳。对于独家分销的协议,一年年的签,而且要谈一个合适的目标销售额。达不到预期的要求,协议自动中止(这类的独家分销或代理协议都有自动中止的条款)
简单来说:首先,我一定不会傻到回复客户我们来用新的商标和包装来解决市场冲突的问题。这种回答,相当于跟客户说:跟你供货我用新商标新包装,这个市场其他客户我用老商标和包装来供应。
客户眉头一皱:想得倒美啊。能尊重商业规则吗?
你得懂一点基本的商业规则,比如分销。如果你在某个市场上有分销商,但是他属于 non-exclusive,只要没有特地声明是 exclusive 的分销商,都属于这种,那么你是可以保留自己向该地区销售的权利的。你还可以指定别人在该区域分销你的产品。也就是说,non-exclusive distributor 是不受到竞争性保护的。只有 exclusive 独家分销,这才是排他性的,绝对竞争性保护的。有了这个,任何人,包括你厂家在内,都不能往这个区域销售,哪怕是被动型销售。
什么是被动性销售?就是比方说目标市场上有其他客户在网上找到了我的网站,发了询盘给我,我报价,最后一来二去成交了。并不是我去主动销售给这个目标市场其他客户,但这种被动销售的情况都不允许。
所以客户说要 exclusivity agreement,你来个 new trademark & packing,客户直接就会觉得,你是一个不遵守商业规则的人,你在 playing game,即使客户做了你的独家代理都不放心。要么就是你在不懂装懂,客户显然没兴趣合作。就算你事后做弥补,这个客户也很难挽回,因为他对你的印象已经十分差了。
根据对客户的介绍,这个客户应该还不错的。如果是我,我不会去破坏沟通的气氛。现在反正在整个欧洲还没有经销商,为什么不直接愉快地谈谈细节呢?我会告诉客户我们完全可以这么合作,请问贵司一年的销售额是多少?在 XX 产品线上的销售额是多少?作为 exclusive agent or distributor,预计的销售额有多少?我们要大概地评估一下。
Well, 你是否需要了解一些关于我司的基本信息?然后根据客户的回复,再综合考虑客户是否适合给他做独家分销,是让他做地区独家还是国家独家。然后就是往 exclusivity agreement 去推进。
也就是说,即使你表露可以考虑客户做独家分销,你仍然是有一定的缓冲余地的。等客户告诉你订单量,销售额之后,你要想再摆谱这时候摆摆谱也完全可以。
一般分销商选择生产商,显然是要找个靠谱点的,好沟通的,服务和产品都到位的。毕竟我买你的货,又在市场上推广销售你的产品,相当于帮你完成很多你 sales team 做的事情。但是如果刚一开始接触的时候你就这么不对胃口,也没兴趣合作了。毕竟,你又不是这个行业内重要的 brand manufacturer。
通过这个例子,可以反映出一个问题:很多人连基本的商业知识和规则都不了解。就像我在料网读书频道页面借用的一句杨绛先生的话:很多人的问题都是,想法太多,读书太少。
如今的外贸工作, 越来越需要复合型的知识人才。那种只注重英语口语,外贸本行业知识的时代早已经过去。可以说外贸这个行业,门槛是越来越低,竞争也是越来越激烈。要想生存,要想自我发展更好,只有不断学习。你工作和生活中碰到的各种问题,90%都可以找到相应的书籍帮你解决。
如果百度找不到答案,用英语到谷歌去搜索,很多情况下你都能在谷歌上找到一堆答案。而且如果你英语基础 OK,并且喜欢经常用谷歌去找答案,那么你会发现你会渐渐习惯于英文阅读,喜欢上英文阅读。因为很多文章,他们的英语表达是那么的到位,令你直呼痛快!
如果你是一个外贸经理人,除了中文的外贸论坛,经济论坛要逛,你还要逛逛国外的一些论坛,marketing 的,supply chain 的,各类的国外论坛都可以经常看看。如果你是个创业者,那么你还可以每天在 entrepreneur 等各类创业商业文章网站上坚持阅读几篇文章,这也是我一直在坚持做的事情。我经常逛某两个国外的论坛,订阅国外的一些商业文章网站和博客,另外还有一些非外贸和经济类的文章。
从上高中起,我就喜欢买书看书。我大多数情况下喜欢安静。喜欢安静的看书,喜欢安静的研究一些东西,喜欢安静地实践一些想法。当书携带不便的时候,我可以用 Kindle,Ipad 来阅读。你需要保持一个良好的习惯。不在于多,保持一个好习惯,并且坚持它,就够了。
我都可以想到的一种情况:当我这么说之后,可能会有人问,能不能推荐一些英文的论坛和商业文章网站?所以你看,很多人的确是学习的能力太差,思维已经习惯于接收信息,不习惯去探寻信息。
其实,网上那么多的资源都在那里,可惜的是,很多人没想过要去找铲子。
最后一点,学会挑选真正有用的书或文章去学习。一些鸡汤文,看起来很美很香,不过,你喝不到。因为没有勺子。
很少用英语写东西,以下随心所写,关于上面的 Exclusive Distributor 的例子,有感而发。英语水平所限错误难免,希望对他人有所启示。
Obviously, many Chinese suppliers like to play this kind of tricky game, but they often underestimate their customers. They thought it's a good idea, but in return customers refuse to cooperate any more...
As an exclusive distributor, he really need manufacturer' support in every state.
Today's distributors face ever-present challenges, as the market is extremely competitive. They may ask for a special support to win a big customer, a government sourcing plan or something else. So, manufacturers should work with your distributors regularly to keep them excited about your products, let them keep confident on your products, and also inform them of new products, specials or promotion plan, but most important of all is that you DO NOT damage the mutual-trust relationship.
As a distributor, they need to promote your products, your brand, they may buy full line products from you, then stock them, market them, do all advertising, they have shipping cost, after-sales service and overhead.. You cannot just treat them as a trader who just import with low price and sell for high price.
They, represent you, are developing the market, work positively to get more orders and get your products cover all area in their country. Sometimes they need to show the Manufacturer's name on their websites or somewhere..
So you'd better be serious on that, be loyal and show the real sincerity to make a win-win situation. If they sell well, you will be more and more reputable in this industry. You cannot undercut their profit by direct selling to other customers in this territory, that's the worst situation and will take away the profit or value in the market.
Since you are not familiar with the market, you have no sales channel that could distribute your goods to every place of that territory, you have no relationship with any entity that could advertise, promote or spread your products to end-customers, so why you take risk to sell to your distributors' competitors?
It's an annoying behaviour and you get nothing good at all.
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每次看这些事例,就感觉在照镜子一样,每看一次都会发现自己的不足。
求大神介绍书籍,各方面可以陶冶到弱小心灵的
默默的去拜读,慢慢地去积累知识,如此的无私奉献,好人一生平安!
料 S 句句戳心啊,很久没来逛又发现几篇好帖了。。。识不足则多虑太正确了!!!先鄙视一下自己,默默淘书蹲墙角啃了
谢谢你 Sam,“想法太多,读书太少”
看到料神把我提的问题当做了案例,有点小意外。按照料神告诉的思路,我又直接问了客户,她为什么觉得我们不懂欧洲的生意,客户也答复了,邮件往来如下:
1. 2014-10-30 10:00 问客户
However, could you please tell us that why you felt we do not understand the business in Europe?
Is the solution does not meet your business rule? or does the model we recomended is not suitable for your market?
Anyway, wish you and your esteemed company everything goes well.
2. 2014-10-30 17:48 客户回复
This is why. Lots of Asian manufacturers believe that they can make more money by selling the same product under different names. This is very detrimental to the company and to the ingredient. Indeed, it induces suspicion among customers because the supplier cannot divulge the name of the manufacturer, and they cannot trace the origin of the ingredient.
That is part of the reason why Western customers are uneasy to work with Asian – and more particularly Chinese – companies.
Look around you: only companies that succeed to establish an open and loyal relationship, where ingredients can be traced, become reputable in the Industry.
Also, this way of selling will take away the value of ingredients, and companies with reknowned line of end-products will refrain from buying these ingredients.
Hope that these comments will be helpful to you.
再次把这些邮件贴出来,希望能得到料神更透彻的分析,也希望能给像我一样还不成熟的外贸朋友们一些启发。
再次感谢料神,诚拜!
@Michaellu23 其实料神说的很对,如果你当初直接按料神的回复,客户就会直接和你谈独家代理的事情,关系也会更进一步。基于你不懂国外对于品牌的认识,导致你的建议反而引出了问题。
As an exclusive distributor, he really need manufacturer' support in every state. Today's distributors face ever-present challenges, as the market is extremely competitive. They may ask for a special support to win a big customer, a government sourcing plan or something else. So, manufacturers should work with your distributors regularly to keep them excited about your products, let them keep confident on your products, and also inform them of new products, specials or promotion plan, but most important of all is that you DO NOT damage the mutual-trust relationship. As a distributor, they need to promote your products, your brand, they may buy full line products from you, then stock them, market them, do all advertising, they have shipping cost, after-sales service and overhead.. You cannot just treat them as a trader who just import with low price and sell for high price. They, represent you, are developing the market, work positively to get more orders and get your products cover all area in their country. Sometimes they need to show the Manufacturer's name on their websites or somewhere.. So you'd better be serious on that, be loyal and show the real sincerity to make a win-win situation. If they sell well, you will be more and more reputable in this industry. You cannot undercut their profit by direct selling to other customers in this territory, that's the worst situation and will take away the profit or value in the market. Since you are not familiar with the market, you have no sales channel that could distribute your goods to every place of that territory, you have no relationship with any entity that could advertise, promote or spread your products to end-customers, so why you take risk to sell to your distributors' competitors? It's an annoying behaviour and you get nothing good at all.
@料神SAM 说的真好
@料神SAM 料神,我深深中伤,可怜我写了很多字,却没有客户回复我,如下:
客人先回复我:
Dear Daisy,
thanks for your reply.
What is the difference of all these basket?
Also what included the price?
I wait for your feedback.
Hi Rosy,
Re the different basket price,let's share the below comments:
material
weight
labor time&cost
workmanship&feature
appearance*value
Item1
round willow
light(about 1kg)
10 minutes more than item3&4
dedicate &fancy,sturdy,eco-friendly
nice looking,and hot sell
Item2
round willow
light(about 1kg)
10 minutes more than item3&4
dedicate,sturdy,eco-friendly
nice looking,
Item3
split willow
lighter(no more than 1 kg)
/
sturdy,eco-friendly
nice looking ,promotional
Item 4
paper yarn
lighter(no more than 1 kg)
/
sturdy
Our customers covers 23% in Italy,80% of customers choose the economic choice like type 1 and type 3.so I think it might be suitable for you to choose these two items.
Meanwhile, after a study of your company and sales channel, we found your company is a leader in cartoon and movie market in Italy from 1995 ,also expanding promotional gifts items with many partners.since you are working for the supermarket you told me last time,We believe type 1 is more suitable for your demand.For the end-customers,they tend to choose the good looking item with cheap price.Besides,this product is always hot sell in European market.and 10% of our customers in Italy imports item 1 in recent 5 months.
Re the fumigation and commidity inspection ,Many government policy have the rule to have them involved,it is a file that testing whether the parasites is onto the natural basket.
We look forward to your kindly reply and further discussion.
然后客户直接无视我的存在,不理我了。。。。。。
@Daisy What is the difference of all these basket? Also what included the price?
你再看看客户的问题你回答了吗,而且你写的太罗嗦了 ,而且不要兜圈子,你以为把价格材料列出来就够了吗
@brandon 我列了,哥。是用表格的形式
点赞哈
比较喜欢读书,但是现在明显感觉记忆力跟不上了,看过之后,很多都忘记了,只好等到用到的时候再去翻一遍
想问下,sam 喜欢这么无私的奉献图的是什么呢? 点击率? 还是心理优越感?或是其他什么......
@mike 何必在乎人家图什么呢,只要出发点是好的,结果是好的,就够了。
@William 我是要感谢来着,只是觉得这社会这样无私的人是很少的了。呵呵!
@料神SAM Sam 哥,像料网这种站(做一个自己的网站)是不是要付费的?还有什么管制要求?还是只要有 SEO 技术就可以做?具备哪儿些条件就可以做一个自己想要的网站?可以在搜索引擎中搜到的,谢谢!
@料神SAM 不错的,我要顶一下. 不好意思啊,可能不能那么问,呵呵! 说真的我从你的帖子和外贸圈上的帖子学到了很多。还有,你推荐的那首 human legacy 这首歌相当的有气势,很喜欢。再次感谢,日后我会每天都关注下 liao 神的帖子。
@mike Sam 就是那么无私的人,曾经多少次让我动容,能力强,然而,德行更高!所以我的建议是,不要因为世道的淤泥,而去怀疑出淤泥而不染,去怀疑还存在的“纯粹的人”。当然,认识一个人需要时间和过程,但还是得相信“人性的光辉”。此评论非说教,心里话若干。
@料神SAM 谢谢 Sam 的分享,从 10 年开始接触外贸,开始做跟单,到 12 年底开始踏上业务之路,看过不少论坛帖子,从中也学习了不少,慢慢的懂得,助人为乐,分享自己的想法,自己的经验给身边的同事,虽说自己的经验未必是对的,但我们在不断的进步,再说哪里又有绝对的对错呢。。。再次感谢 Sam 的无私分享
拿来主义,与主动探索 完全是两个不能的结局,谢谢分享!
我是来点赞滴。。
再多的鸡汤 要是没有解决 也会变成水汤 时刻体会很多人的伸手拿来主义 到时候会不会有读书分享推荐这一栏 最近才在分享中得知 外贸人特别是刚刚进入销售行业都有必要读下科特勒的书 《营销管理》
@Kiki 是的, 这本书就像是高汤的底料,有的东西可能以我们现在的经历,资源来讲不太有实践价值,但至少给我们潜意识树立了一种种概念, 这可能是好的,也可能是牵制。
你 inspiring me.,,..
想的太多,行动太少,看到这篇文章,的确想在末尾问一句,有什么可以推荐的书籍,呵呵。
还是多去自己找找,动动脑,不然真的生锈了。
喝汤者需自带汤勺
@料神SAM 弱弱的问句,“:twisted:”这是个什么
@南渡 曲解的意思吧 哈哈
@bacysisi 其实是 Sam 想发表情来着,哈哈
@料神SAM 确实是理解有误,我一直以为是大家都去看,没人去实践 去真实感悟的意思
我喜欢读纸质的书, 我在大学的时候养成了一本书要看好几遍的习惯, 每一遍都有不同的体会, 我喜欢这种感觉!哈哈!
继续拜读料神的大作
昨天刚买的电子书阅读器,今天就看到这篇。Sam 总是深入人心呀
喜欢看纸质的书,电子书总是感觉跟纸书就是哪里差了那么一点。对于那种一拿书在手上看不超过三分钟就想睡觉的人有没有什么好方法可以解决的?还好两个小孩从小跟我一样很爱看书。可是爸爸一拿书就能睡着,对于这个,有没有人有好办法的?
@Sophia 悬梁刺股。。。
@Sophia 个人兴趣爱好,这个真没什么好办法.我建议你们在他周围多看,能影响则影响,不能影响就随他去吧,人生本来就够艰难的了,何必再在这点上给大家找心塞
检测学习,学习力很重要!