The purpose of trade marketing is to build a relationship of trust between manufacturers and distributors. This practice has many advantages for companies, but also for the consumer. Indeed, it encourages brands to design a better offer and to offer a better customer experience. How to set up a respectable trade marketing plan? What are the best practices to adopt? We offer you 2 examples of marketing operations to develop for a good use of this commercial tactic.
What is trade marketing?
Trade marketing aims to advance the relationship among manufacturers and their several distributors. By optimizing their respective commercial strategy, these players can then better meet the needs of the end consumer (Abacha, F., 2015). Thus, it is a win-win process, during which the distribution channels are more efficient and lucrative!
A B2B approach based on “win-win”
The success of trade marketing lies in the strategic exposure of products across sales channels. Among other things, this allows your target audience to benefit from a better view of the products at the point of sale. However, such an approach requires real in-depth work to craft the optimal customer experience. Although this is a B2B approach, it does not prevent its stakeholders from focusing on the end customer.
Trade marketing and its main objectives
Here, the line of sight is clear: to increase sales. In itself, trade marketing strengthens the bonds between your marketing and sales teams. And in doing so, this practice helps to improve your brand visibility. Fulfilling its objectives requires several human qualities to develop the perfect offer: creativity, relevance and interpersonal skills.
Its 3 main advantages
We are developing here the basic notions of trade marketing; in this case, its 3 main advantages. Beyond being a lucrative and attractive approach, it is also a great tool to better understand the needs of its consumers.
It makes you more visible to your audience
Trade marketing increases your chances of being recognized by your marketing target. This can be explained by the better exposure of the products, or even their more efficient circulation in the distribution circuits. It is also possible to conclude agreements with the commercial agents of the point of sale. Indeed, their relational experience will be able to present the qualities of your products!
A better exposure of your products increases your notoriety and strengthens your links with the consumer.
Trade marketing refines the understanding of needs
Getting to know your customers better promotes the development of new marketing strategies and improves the customer experience. Like neuromarketing, trade marketing collects consumer data to uncover patterns in consumer behavior. Thus, this method makes it possible to discover the existence of new needs in your sector. Therefore, the wealth of market knowledge inherent in trade marketing makes it easier to find new customers!
It’s a lucrative practice
Why is trade marketing so interesting? This is one of the few trading techniques that benefits everyone! Certainly, the arguments accumulate to explain such a propensity to increase sales:
- Communication: products benefit from better promotion as consumer needs become clearer to businesses
- Distribution: better layout of goods at the point of sale and smoother customer journey
- Relational policy: the relationship becomes stronger between the stakeholders, the sales agents therefore know the final product better
Which trade marketing strategy should you choose?
There are a few best practices to adopt when setting up a trade marketing strategy. Here we explain why you need:
- Consider product design at its fair value
- Send samples as soon as possible
- Work hard to agree with the distributor
Above all else, take care of the design
Product design and packaging are essential to catch the consumer’s eye. These two elements make it possible to enhance the value proposition that you wish to convey. The best in this field even manage to dispense with language elements to entice consumers to buy. This underscores the importance of developing strong visual communication skills, and packaging is an important part of that argument.
The devil is in the facts: a unique design gives you a place between the competition. This can make the difference in converting a prospect.
Do not hesitate to sample
The ancient recipes are sometimes the best: the dissemination of samples is a difficult strategy. Offering its products at the point-of-sale means getting ever closer to the consumer. Just like the design, the sample arouses interest and is therefore a key concept in trade marketing!
In the end, the costs are marginal compared to the benefits you can derive from such an operation. It is also a good instrument to increase the conversion rate, but also customer loyalty, especially if it is coupled with trigger marketing.
Find a point of agreement with distributors
Finally, a good trade marketing strategy would be nothing without a good relationship with your distributors. It is necessary to take ownership of their needs in order to translate them into commercial proposals that are of interest to them. These efforts will not be in vain. They will allow both partners to better understand the end customer. Also, this healthy relationship inevitably leads to an increase in their competitiveness in their respective sectors.
2 examples of effective trade marketing
Let’s end this article by mentioning examples of the application of a good trade marketing strategy which are written by the best article writing services. Here is how 2 simple marketing operations will allow you to increase your sales and your visibility: merchandising, branding and digital presence.
Opt for branding
When working with a reseller/distributor, take every opportunity to promote your brand. Let’s take a concrete case, if your equipment is in a retailer’s point of sale, print your logo on it. As a good use of trade marketing, both sides win. Indeed, one benefits from the material of the other, while the promotional aspect does not go by the wayside.
In short, use visual marketing to draw attention to yourself and increase brand awareness.
Improve your digital presence
Trade marketing is originally intended for physical points of sale. However, its principles are just as applicable on the Internet! The premise remains the same: to offer an optimal shopping experience. In other words, the customer journey must be designed in an agile way, close to the consumer and fluid. This is a significant contribution for your added value, it is an ideal argument to promote advocacy marketing.