In today’s digital age, it seems we can reach customers in any corner of the world through the internet. But for B2B businesses, especially in the packaging equipment industry, the first challenge sales must overcome is always trust. And the most direct and effective way to build trust remains face-to-face communication.
I firmly believe that the first step in opening a market must be to visit the site in person. As a famous management principle states: “The answer lies in the field.” This is the core meaning of “boots on the ground” sales.
The Three-Fold Purpose of Field Sales: Beyond Just Orders
The ultimate goal of field sales is to close deals and deepen cooperation, but this needs to be broken down into three levels of specific action:
1.Serve Existing Customers and Unlock Potential We need to do more than just fulfill orders—we need to become partners who “know our customers better than they know themselves.” Through regular visits, we can deeply understand customer needs and pain points, thereby increasing repeat purchase rates. To achieve this, we can create detailed profiles for each key customer, including:
- Historical purchasing data (models, parts, amounts)
- Past after-sales issues and solutions
- On-time delivery rates and complaint records
2.Develop New Customers with Data-Driven Insights Finding local equipment manufacturers or distributors is key. At this stage, empty talk about product advantages is pale—we need to arm ourselves with data. By analyzing industry reports and customs data (in countries where data is publicly available), we can create highly persuasive charts that show potential customers:
- Sales trends of our products in the local market
- Import data comparisons with their competitors This proves that our product’s market potential is growing in a visible and measurable way.
3.Gain Market Insights to Inform Product Development Field sales is also the most direct form of market research. By visiting local supermarkets and observing products on shelves, and by meeting with food manufacturers to understand their packaging preferences, we gain firsthand market intelligence. For example, through this approach we discovered:
- India: Massive market for puffed snack foods
- Middle East: Strong demand for spice packaging in addition to puffed foods
- الولايات المتحدة الأمريكية: Market leaning toward high-speed puffed foods, meat products, and even emerging legal cannabis packaging This valuable information helps us adjust our product strategy accordingly, truly achieving “product tailored to market.”
Best Practices for Field Sales: Mindset and Method Preparation
What’s the Best Approach? I recommend a “Trade Show + Field Visit” combination. Before the show, visit prospective new customers, understand their situation, and sincerely invite them to visit your booth to see actual equipment. This demonstrates both sincerity and capability (not all companies have the resources to ship equipment overseas for exhibitions). After the show, follow up with existing customers and prospects who showed strong interest at the exhibition.
What Mindset Must You Have? Let go of “closing anxiety.” Many salespeople make the common mistake of thinking: if I go there, I can sell; success means pushing existing products at a lower price. This outdated technique of “my product is better than yours and $100 cheaper” has two fatal flaws:
- Price isn’t everything: When you say your product is “better,” can you clearly present evidence showing exactly how it’s better?
- Ignoring real needs: Does the customer actually need what you’re selling? For example, aggressively pushing high-speed vertical form fill seal (VFFS) machines to the Indian market is quite difficult. The mainstream demand there is for standard-speed equipment, and local manufacturers enjoy policy protection, which seriously weakens our price advantage.
How Do You Prove “Quality”? When price advantage isn’t obvious, we must present solid evidence to prove our value. This requires preparing a complete “chain of evidence” before the business trip.
Building the Trust “Chain of Evidence”: 8 Cards You Must Prepare
This chain of evidence is the concentrated embodiment of our professionalism and the key to winning over customers. During initial conversations with customers, keenly judge what matters most to them, then play your “trump cards.”
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Evidence Category
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Core Content
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Key Value
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Evidence 1: Component List
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Compare component brands and specs between customer’s current equipment and ours.
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Visually demonstrate hardware advantages and attention to detail.
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Evidence 2: Supply Chain System
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Show how we screen suppliers (e.g., why we choose Schneider) and conduct quality control.
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Prove our ability to control quality from the source.
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Evidence 3: Production Management
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Full process management from order receipt to finished product. “Cloud factory tours” work even better.
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Give customers transparent, authentic production experience and build strong confidence.
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Evidence 4: Packaging Management
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Provide packaging material specifications, customization case studies, and packaging test reports.
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Highlight our professional capability to ensure product transportation safety.
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Evidence 5: QC System
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Show QC team structure, inspection processes, and defect handling solutions.
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Prove we have strict quality control systems that reduce customer risk.
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Evidence 6: Warehousing System
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Introduce warehouse environment, WMS system application, and inventory strategy.
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Use data to demonstrate our stable and reliable order fulfillment capability.
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Evidence 7: Pre-Shipment Inspection
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Emphasize rigorous pre-shipment inspection rules ensuring order completeness.
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Show our ultimate responsibility for customer receiving experience.
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Evidence 8: After-Sales Service
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Display service scope, customer testimonials, and efficient complaint handling processes.
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Use real success stories to build customer confidence in the future.
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An Extra Tip: During the market research phase, try contacting an industry-related professional on local job sites, and pay them for information consultation or to serve as a guide. This is often a shortcut to quickly understanding the local market.
This article is my summary based on years of field sales experience and is not a standard answer. Market development methods vary infinitely. I welcome everyone to share your experiences and insights in the comments—let’s explore and grow together.
If you’re looking for reliable packaging solutions for your products, or if you’re facing challenges in market development, feel free to reach out anytime!
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