Sep 20th, 2009
by Vincent Young.
Excerpt:
Our problems become their problems. Here in-lies a potential conflict – an ad agency is a business and its goal is to encourage its clients to spend as many marketing dollars with the agency as possible. While this is a very understandable desire, it may limit the challenger brand’s ability to use its marketing dollars to gain retail leverage as sometimes critical investments need to be made to support the retailer which may cut out the agency’s interests.
3 ways challenger brands can motivate their ad agencies to support their need for retail leverage:
1. Check your agency’s “Retail Leverage” I.Q.
2. Teach your ad agency about your business – not just your brand.
3. Implement an Incentive-Based Agency Fee System
Aug 23rd, 2009
by Vincent Young.
THIS IS AN EXCERPT; TO READ FULL ARTICLE, CLICK ON TITLE.
SUMMARY:
Earlier this week, Office Depot formally announced plans to become the exclusive office product superstore to offer Rosetta Stone’s award-winning Rosetta Stone computer-based language learning system.
How did Rosetta Stone gain retail leverage?
1. Direct-response selling (infomercials)
2. Launch exclusively with specialty/boutique retailers
3. Launch exclusively with one major retailer
Aug 19th, 2009
by Vincent Young.
THIS IS AN EXCERPT; TO READ FULL ARTICLE, CLICK ON TITLE.
SUMMARY:
Retail buyers hate risk.
Five approaches which establish a track record of success prior to engaging with the universe of major retailers:
1. Over-invest in Trade Shows
2. Seriously consider direct-response advertising
3. Launch exclusively with specialty/boutique retailers
4. Build a “community”
5. Launch exclusively with one major retailer
Remember, very few strategies give your challenger brand more leverage at retail than the promise of bringing your successful past to the retailer’s risk-averse present.
Aug 12th, 2009
by Vincent Young.
Five Ways To Build A Culture Geared Toward Retail Leverage:
1. Tie each corporate executive’s bonus to growth at a “pet” retailer
2. Have the sales team do some heavy lifting during National Sales Meetings.
3. Require product managers to model profit pool for their category at key retailers.
4. Shop together and learn.
5. Don’t enable the “Desktop Marketer.”
To read the full article click on the title.
Aug 4th, 2009
by Vincent Young.
By Vincent Young
You’ve assigned a secret code name to each product on the development roadmap, you’ve spent months, sometimes years, preparing the required inputs for senior management to move the in-progress products through each step of your company’s stage-gate process. By now, you are well-versed in articulating and showcasing the new features, usability upgrades and [...]
Aug 3rd, 2009
by Vincent Young.
4 Trends That Are Huge Obstacles For Challenger Brands:
1) Improper Training
2) Retail Industry Consolidation
3) Private Label
4) Fewer Advertising Funds
Aug 3rd, 2009
by Vincent Young.
This is the only blog dedicated to sharing and discussing the strategies, programs, and other best practices designed to give “challenger” brands the ability to shape and influence their fates within the world of retail.
Across the ever-contracting landscape of U.S. retailers, only a small, privileged set of category-leading national brands have the power to deliver [...]
