How to win big customers in new markets?

Question 1: Should I charge for sending samples to inquiring customers?

Q: We are a factory for general hardware wire products, and the price of the products is not high. There have been many customer inquiries before asking us to send samples. We used to send it for free, but later we sent a lot but there were few orders, so we had to change our strategy and ask the other party to pay for the samples before sending. However, after the fee is charged, there are much fewer inquiries. How should we deal with this situation?

Shi Qiu: Whether there is a charge for sending samples depends on different products and different development stages of the enterprise, and cannot be generalized. What is the most important thing in foreign trade? The most important thing is to gain the trust of your customers. Because he is so far away from China abroad, he must trust you when he hands the money to you, so he needs to be trusted. Gaining customer trust is very important.

Second, professional. I have a trick, as long as customers want to buy products, they will stay with me for the rest of their lives. There was a Russian customer who needed a batch of products and I gave him a very professional answer. He said that your company is very professional, and you can tell that the product is doing very well at a glance. Even if there were various problems during the cooperation, he never left me. Professionalism can help you win customers, especially the respect of customers.

Third, be competitive. How competitive is your product? Is it an innovative product? In addition, it depends on whether your company's value and service can reflect competitiveness.

Zhang Xu: After my team receives the inquiry, we need to do three words "fast, accurate and good". Our company's sample policy is that old customers can send them. If new customers are confirmed to be real buyers through the customer's identity investigation, the samples can be sent, but the express delivery and freight need to be paid by the other party.

The process of sending samples can help you identify the real and fake customers. At the beginning, when I received an inquiry from GM, they hid the company name and used a very common mailbox. Ask me to send 10 accessories, provided an account number. At that time, this kind of accessory was only a few cents a piece. When I called to check, I found that the account was frozen. At the time, I was very enthusiastic. I thought that the shipping cost was 100 yuan anyway, so I would pay for it myself. As a result, after receiving the sample, the user must remit the express and sample fee to me through the bank. Through this case, I feel that this customer is 100% real and doesn't even want to owe the sample fee. Judging from this case, if a customer does not even want to pay the sample fee and express delivery fee, and the pattern is too small, there may be a lot of ups and downs and troubles even in the future cooperation. This is my personal opinion. It's good that you send more samples, but you may well be a spare tire.

Zhu Chunchang: I have been engaged in foreign trade for 12 years and have been exploring and summarizing my experience. Chinese people have a characteristic, they love face very much. I think that we should be truthful, communicate with people frankly, and establish our integrity. If the customer does not reply after receiving the sample, there may be three situations:

1. Comparing with other suppliers, screening.

2. Testing the quality and safety of your products.

3. Maybe he is not the final customer, just a trader, he is waiting for the buyer's reply.

Therefore, according to different situations, your company should follow-up and return visits to customers who send samples, classify and manage these customers, and then deal with them according to different situations, and formulate corresponding systems to make management more standardized. .

Question 2: How to win big customers in new markets?

Q: Our company wants to open up a new market, such as the Russian market or the Central and South American market. We have a certain understanding after contacting a major customer in the local market, but the relationship between the customer and the existing supplier is very difficult. Stable and difficult to break through. What should we do to win this client?

Zhang Xu: You want to make it clear that you want to be the spare tire of the customer, which requires a certain psychological quality and preparation for a long-term battle. There is a saying that "a long-term relationship must be divided, and a long-term separation must be combined". There are certainly opportunities, but timing is important. You need to know yourself and others, know what new products your competitors have, and what new products your customers need You are always behind him, always ready to serve him, to work with him.

Zhu Chunchang: The Russian market has geographical and political considerations. Among the orders I made with Russian buyers, I was also a bit like a "little three" superior. I looked for opportunities with my heart, and when I met a suitable point, I would definitely be able to make a deal. The Russian market is relatively large, we have done a good job, and our customers can also buy our products in the market there. The Russian market must be confident to win, the price is no problem, just a little lower than Europe and the United States, but Does not affect the company's overall profits and planning. You should have a lot of confidence.

Shi Qiu: The Russian agent has been working with me for 12 years. He can't do without me, and I can't do without him. Why do I have an agent in Russia? Because of the private communication between them, Russia is like China in the 1980s and 1990s, when there is a lot of corruption, and it is very convenient to do things through their local connections.

My suggestion is: First, Russians prefer to drink and pay attention to the feelings of guests. After you find a way to invite him to your place and entertain him well, your impression of you will change completely.

Secondly, if there is no way, it is more convenient to communicate with the locals, that is, the Russians.

Note: Part of the Q&A content in this article is from Zhongshan Station of the CEConline "Outsmart the Future Export Series Forum"

This issue's host/Lifeng