Many successful brands rely on outside resources to provide key marketing and retail services. They build an all-star retail partner network, creating multiple levers to drive sales. Whether it is building promotional displays, printing point of sales graphics, creating stand-out packaging, or in-store execution, you need a solid team that you can trust to execute your vision and differentiate you from the competition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The first step to building an all-star team is identifying where you need a helping hand. A brand needs to be honest in taking a personal inventory of critical talents needed in-house and what services would be better served by outside experts. Is your brand in need of a package redesign? Maybe you need an extra set of eyes in the store. Identifying your gaps helps prioritize what activities are best supported internally and what activities are more effective in the hands of a third party. Brand priorities also help decide which partners to reach out to first. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Then, you need to find the right partner to fill that need. This partner should be an expert, offer high-levels of customer service, and be able to deliver on your expectations every time. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Here are four of the most common partners retail brands collaborate with: <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Why do some products sell better than others? Is it that\nthis seltzer tasted better than that other seltzer? Does this lotion really\nwork better than its competitors? Maybe. But probably not. The real secret (and\nhard truth) to retail success is all in the branding.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Branding goes beyond logos. It tells\nthe story<\/a> of your company, products, and everything in between. The goal of\nbranding is to be memorable and stick in the minds of your customers. <\/p>\n\n\n\n One of the places you most want to grab your customers\u2019 attention is on the shelf at your retailer. One of the best ways to do this is to make sure your packaging succinctly tells your brand story and clearly pops your brand differentiation. Is it attention-grabbing? Or does it blend in with the rest of the competition? If you\u2019re not sure, visit a store where your products are sold. Go to the aisle and walk down it like a regular customer. Does your product catch your eye? Or do you have to search for it?<\/p>\n\n\n\n Promotional locations are the prime real estate of any\nretail store. If you can nab one of these coveted high traffic locations,\nyou\u2019ve got a head start already. However, it\u2019s not enough to let your products\nrest on endcaps, sidecaps, and other displays and hope for the best. You need\nto make your display pop and attract customers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n From creating the perfect design and layout to decking out\nyour display with eye-catching details, great display companies are your partner\nfor show-stopping in-store presentations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Display companies can help with:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Do you have a thorough understanding of who your customers\nare and how to reach them? Most brands think they do but consumer habits change\nfast and trends change faster. Keep on top of your marketing efforts including customer\nresearch, shopper research, and online and in-store marketing campaigns to make\nsure that you\u2019re reaching every possible consumer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Retail\nmarketing<\/a> is a wide category that covers many different disciplines\nincluding social media, digital advertising, and in-store marketing. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Shopper engagement agencies can help with:<\/p>\n\n\n\n These critical partners help brands find the right partnerships for them to take their business to the next level. Establishing these retailer relationships is one of the most important pieces of the retail puzzle. Besides introducing your brand to your next retail partner, brokers and sales firms can help by:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Not to be confused with visual merchandisers, retail\nmerchandisers are your go-to, in-store operational partner, ensuring all your\nbranding initiatives are executed correctly at the store level. Branding, great\nmarketing, and beautiful displays are all for nothing if they are not\nimplemented. Your displays don\u2019t get\nset, inventory isn\u2019t on the shelf, in-store marketing materials don\u2019t go up,\nand your product is unorganized on the shelf. That\u2019s where retail merchandisers\nlike RMS come in.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Retail merchandisers offer a wide range of services that help brands stand out and sell out at big-box retailers like Target.<\/p>\n\n\n\n For example, here are some of the services that RMS provides:<\/p>\n\n\n\n How do you know when a partner will be right for you? Follow four simple steps to make sure you\u2019re choosing the best partner for you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Business is about people. Who\u2019s on your team, whether they\u2019re employees or partners, can make all the difference in meeting your sales numbers and enjoying what you do. Find people and businesses who can make your retail performance stronger.<\/p>\n\n\n\n2 – Dazzling Displays<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
3 – Shopper Engagement<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
4 – Brokers and Sales Firms<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
5 – Last but Not Least, Retail Merchandisers<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Vetting New Retail Partners<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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