Over the years we have had the pleasure and privilege of helping many CPG brands grow from an idea in a kitchen to a national household name. We love seeing the passion behind owners/investors when they are ready to let the rest of the country know about their product.
If you are a locally loved, owned and operated natural or organic brand with a desire to take your product to the rest of the country, how do you assess next steps, ensuring you’re ready to take the leap?
Investing a considerable amount of time, thought and resources in the following 3 steps could be the difference between success or failure:
1- Brand Positioning & Architecture
Category buyers are not simply looking for good-tasting products with superior ingredients. They’re looking for solid, scalable brands with a story to tell—and particularly one they know will be appealing to consumers and retailers alike.
With this in mind, there are some key questions owners and stakeholders should consider when developing a national brand:
How is your brand positioned in its category? Have you clearly defined its Unique Value Proposition (UVP)?
Do you have a local story that would compel a national retailer and/or consumer to try it for the first time? If so, is your brand architecture positioned for new product growth and line extensions that would make a national chain take a chance on you?
With current sales channels and potential growth opportunities, are you prepared to explain your position in the marketplace to retailers, distributors and /or investors?
2- Marketing Strategy
Your next critical step is to develop a national marketing strategy that will support national retailers and distributors. You’ll need to map out your monthly marketing spend on things like retail account promotions, digital media, content development, trade shows, event sponsorships, sampling and public relations. It’s important to measure this monthly in order to effectively drive sales and support the sales channels you want to pursue.
In addition, your marketing and sales team should be ready to (in 30 minutes or less) convince buyers and key accounts that the marketing plan you have will drive more consumers to their stores and/or websites. Be ready to explain why they should invest promotional money in your brand, product(s) and category. Marketing is a two-way street for national retailers: you need to give them a reason to invest in your brand.
3- Sales Channel Priorities & Opportunities
Once your brand positioning and marketing plan is complete, your next step is to develop sales channel priorities. Ask yourself:
What channels might offer early “wins” and provide momentum to meet or exceed sales goals?
Do I need to focus on a specific region? Retailer? Or distributor? What region, retailer or distributor caters best to consumers that will try and love my product(s)?
Is there a specific industry that could take my brand to the next level like food service, airlines, schools or hospitals?
Taking the time to address the above 3 steps will begin the process of taking your brand from local…to someday…global!
About Sinclair Group:
Sinclair Group is a strategic brand building and sales consulting firm focused on helping natural and organic brands go global. Our sweet spot lies in unearthing innovative products and developing them into nationally recognized brands using our marketing expertise and retail and distribution networks.