Strategies are what differentiates competing brands and retailers.  It’s what makes them stand out on the shelf and it’s what draws shoppers to them.  We’ve all seen our favorite brands fail and fade away.  There are many reasons for this and they all have to do with the strategies brands and retailers use.

My wife and I have a favorite bread that was recently discontinued at our local retailer.  So why did this happen? Our favorite retailer could not keep our favorite flavor in-stock because it did not have enough holding power, it was out of stock most of the time.  The item was discontinued due to a poor strategy.  The item would still be available for sale had the brand paid more attention to the merchandising, sales, and out-of-stock issues.  Imagine the missed sales and how that might jeopardize the brand’s future – their top selling item! Luckily, we just found it at another retailer. Now that retailer has an opportunity to convert us into loyal committed shoppers.  This is a real-life example of why strategies matter.

You never get a second chance to disappoint a customer!  

Most small natural organic brands and retailers don't fully understand how advanced category management principles can help them grow sustainable sales and compete head-to-head with their larger counterparts. Conversely, larger brands and retailers don’t completely understand the key drivers that influence core natural organic shoppers.

Category management is far more detailed than just pulling canned topline reports, keeping store shelves full, creating schematics, or populating templates. True category management involves adopting advanced strategies to help target core consumers by satisfying their wants and needs better than the competition. It grows the category at the retail level in addition to the brand level and enables small natural brands and retailers to compete head-to-head with larger retailers and brands.

True category management is the great equalizer between brands and retailers of all sizes. It encompasses the advanced strategies that leverage all the important factors needed to compete more effectively.

Strategies to grow your natural organic brand

1. Know your customer

   Natural health conscious consumers don't simply want to be sold. They are perhaps the most loyal consumers any brand or retailer can hope to have. They are typically the most committed, best educated (they read and understand labels) and the most loyal shoppers in any channel.

2. Take an active role in helping your broker/distributor/retailer manage and grow your business.

   Develop scorecards to hold them accountable for your success and growth.

3. Ongoing education

   Commit to developing your category management, sales management, trade marketing management teams by teaching them the best practices to help grow your business sustainably.

4. Adopt effective KPIs (Key Performance Indicators)

• KPI’s are micro strategies that help build your brand consistently across all channels. These strategies include merchandising, pricing, distribution, promotion, etc. Your KPIs should measure your strategies against your competitors.

1. Adopt strategic merchandising strategies to fuel and support your growth

   Sometimes the best overall strategy includes multiple strategies for different categories and different brands. Each strategy addresses a different need/goal whether it's turf defending, increasing foot traffic image creating, etc.

2. Scorecarding

   Develop a strategy to set measures and manage your goals and objectives. Scorecarding allows you to break goals into small manageable bite-size chunks that can be more efficiently delegated.

3. Duplication is the sincerest form of flattery

   Adopt the best practice strategies used by leaders in our industry and improve on them. This will help you develop a sustainable competitive advantage and grow sales.

4. Leverage your advanced category management capabilities at retail

   Retailers can’t possibly be experts in every category and on every item they sell. Brands need to apply their product and consumer expertise to help support the retailers that sell their products. Brands and retailers need to form a cohesive collaborative relationship to help each other grow and remain competitive. This is done by adopting a category captain and category advisor roles at retail. Savvy retailers value and appreciate brands who help them increase shopper foot traffic and their trip transaction size (market basket).

It’s time to invest in and develop strong category management strategies.  Contact me to learn how to make the most of these sustainable business building strategies.