How can you build lasting relationships with merchandisers and retail marketers?

As a leading POS agency in Australia, our starting point is always the happy, long-lasting love story with the client, which means we have to - get a deep understanding of their brands - act like an extension of their marketing teams - deliver to the brief and on time - keep them updated with the latest innovations in their market

In my years as a Retailer, the most important things Merchandisers (in Australia they are known as Merchandise Buyers/Planners) and Retail Marketers need to be able to do to work together for lasting relationships( as they both work for the benefit of the retailers success) is quite simple. Clearly understanding their customers needs from the entire Product, Pricing Model, Retail distribution (omnichannel location convenience) and effective communication (promotion) of these. This also involves the collaboration of Store/Online feedback as well as suppliers (brands and logistics) as well as understanding the impacts of competition and trends. Consistent communication between all these retail areas will ensure lasting relationships.

Building lasting relationships with merchandisers requires a combination of communication, trust, and mutual benefit. Here are some steps you can take: 1. **Understand Their Goals**: Take the time to understand the goals and objectives of the merchandisers you work with. What are their key performance indicators (KPIs)? How can you support them in achieving these goals? 2. **Clear Communication**: Maintain open and transparent communication channels. Be responsive to their inquiries and provide timely updates on any relevant information.

La base des relations sont les échanges et le partage du retour des utilisateurs afin de faire avancer les solutions proposées par les équipes. Pour avancer, il faut établir une relation de confiance, et partager les bonnes et mauvaises nouvelles dans le but de faire évoluer les solutions mises en places par les équipes du marketing et de terrain. Le seul objectif commun est la réussite du projet et de satisfaire les clients.

Regular and open communication is crucial. Maintain an ongoing dialogue with buyers and retail marketers to understand their goals, challenges and market trends. Collaborate on strategy, promotions and product launches to align your efforts and maximize mutual success. Trust and transparency are the foundation for building lasting relationships with merchants and retail marketers. We build trust by being reliable and delivering on our promises. We strive to provide accurate information and respond to their needs. Acting with integrity demonstrates that we value their partnership and are committed to our mutual success.

clear and regular communication is essential for fostering a lasting relationship with merchandisers. By aligning marketing objectives, strategies, and tactics with their merchandising plans, themes, and layouts, you ensure a cohesive and effective approach. Regular updates and feedback exchanges help maintain alignment and address any potential issues or adjustments needed along the way.

Communicating clearly and regularly is essential in fostering strong relationships with merchandisers and retail marketers. And it's a lot of fun too! By keeping the lines of communication open, we ensure that everyone is on the same page regarding goals, strategies, expectations and learnings. This means sharing insights, feedback, and updates in a timely manner, while also being receptive to their ideas and concerns. Whether it's through email, phone calls, or face-to-face meetings, effective communication is the backbone of successful collaboration in the retail industry.

Keep communication channels open. Be clear in your messages and listen actively to their feedback. Regular check-ins ensure alignment and prevent misunderstandings.

For a strong relationship with merchandisers, clear and regular communication is vital. It aligns marketing goals with merchandising plans, ensuring strategies mesh seamlessly. Timely sharing of insights and expectations fosters mutual understanding. Equally important is listening to their ideas and concerns. Choose communication channels that suit both parties, be it email, phone, or video calls. Implement quarterly brainstorming sessions and leverage project management tools to set objectives and outline actionable steps. This structured approach ensures alignment and progress toward shared goals.

Mais pas que, il exite de multitude d'application mobile pour gérer son stock et avoir un meilleur suivie de sa marchandise. Nous sommes tous d'accord sur ce point que chaque peut venir proposer de nouvelles stratégie, car les deux parties ont besoin de s'aider mutuellement pour avancer et générer du profit. Si nous prenons le cas de la Pandemie qui a durer plus d'un an. Les cha?nes d'approvisionnement ont été affecter par cette pandémie qui pouvait très bien fonctionner comme en temps normal, c'est pour cela qu'il fallait communiquer plus étroitement et trouver une stratégie ensemble, et éviter une crise alimentaire/économique.

Work together to develop innovative solutions. Align your strategies to mutually benefit each other's objectives. Collaborative efforts often lead to better outcomes and strengthen the bond between parties.

Collaborating creatively and strategically with merchandisers is key to developing compelling retail marketing campaigns that resonate with your target audience. By working together closely, you can leverage each other's strengths and insights to create cohesive and impactful campaigns that effectively showcase your products. Emphasizing collaboration not only strengthens your relationship with merchandisers but also ensures that your marketing efforts align harmoniously with their merchandising strategies.

One important factor that shouldn't be implied is transparency. If the collaboration results isn't clear and trustable at all times probably will become an issue in the future. Be clear from day 1 both ways.

The more you can do as a CPG partner to make the job of you CM's easier, the more they will value you. Most CM's are managing multiple categories, SKU's, vendors and internal teams. They are stretched beyond capacity. Bring them original ideas for how your brand can help drive category awareness, traffic and sales. Make it super obvious how you can also help them achieve their KPI's with your ideas. CM's don't have time to "connect the dots," so make it easier for them.

While collaboration is essential, individual innovation also holds merit. Granting autonomy allows for fresh perspectives and creativity, fostering motivation and healthy competition. Striking a balance between collaboration and autonomy is key. Regular communication ensures individual efforts complement overarching objectives, strengthening the partnership. Embracing both approaches yields favorable outcomes in building lasting relationships.

Ensure a clear brief. Articulate the finer details and overlay an element of pragmatism. Bringing to life a brand in a cluttered retail environment is challenging, be it Europe or Asia. Once the brief is signed off measure execution regularly to ensure it’s not merely a PowerPoint exercise. Doesn’t matter how good it looks in the presentation unless consumer offtake materialise #thisistheway

A smile doesn’t cost a thing, neither does saying thank you. In over 20 years of working in my industry I’ve always chosen the route of making everyone really feel like part of the team and letting them know that their ideas and influence will be recognized. We may not use them all the time, but I appreciate everyone’s input. Money is a great motivator but I’ve seen unhappy people work to make money. I’ve never seen someone unhappy to work at a company or with people who appreciate and recognize them for all their efforts. Praise and Thanks are huge motivators that cost nothing to use but when used effectively, can lead to great success.

From a Marketing's perspective, transparency & effective communication is key to success. Right product with right communication on right time play's a vital role positioning a brand.

Acknowledge their contributions and successes. Show genuine appreciation for their efforts, whether it's meeting deadlines, implementing new ideas, or achieving sales targets.

One perspective emphasizes the importance of a clear brief, detailed articulation, and pragmatic approach in bringing a brand to life in a cluttered retail environment. Regular execution measurement ensures effectiveness beyond PowerPoint presentations. It underscores that consumer uptake is paramount, regardless of presentation quality. #ThisIsTheWay. In contrast, another view might emphasize flexibility over rigidity in the briefing process, allowing for creativity and adaptability. It suggests that while clarity is essential, overly detailed briefs may stifle innovation. Instead of strict adherence to metrics, it advocates for a focus on holistic brand impact and consumer engagement, even if it deviates from initial plans.

In my role as a Trade Marketing analyst at a fintech, prioritizing feedback from partner retailers proved crucial. Not only did they convey their experiences as sellers through the app, but they also provided insights into the perspectives of the establishment's end customers, given the app's dual B2B and B2C audience. Diligent attention to advice and feedback enabled us to enhance the overall experience for both retailers and their customers, consistently striving to boost sales for our valued partners.

Be open to learning from their expertise and experiences. They possess valuable insights into market trends, consumer behavior, and effective merchandising techniques. Embrace opportunities to expand your knowledge base through their perspectives.

From a performance marketer's standpoint, while partner retailer feedback is valuable, the focus lies more on data-driven metrics and ROI. While insights from retailers and end customers are considered, the emphasis is on optimizing campaigns, increasing conversion rates, and maximizing revenue. Rather than solely relying on qualitative feedback, performance marketers prioritize quantitative data analysis to fine-tune strategies and drive measurable results. The ultimate goal is to achieve tangible growth in sales and profitability, leveraging analytics and experimentation to optimize marketing initiatives and deliver impactful outcomes for partners.

In my experience maintaining and building relationships with my retail brand partners/vendors is about creating constant clear communication and transparency of goals and expectations in order to achieve results. Our partners are a big part of the client experience and as such building a strong partnership and getting to know them as people benefits the organization and the business.

As the founder of a company that provides nationwide merchandising and retail sales support, relationships make the difference for brand partner results. 6 Keys to Success: -send encouraging text/slack messages when you see great work -do ride-withs to spend hours understanding what our team members go through and their challenges -ask questions and learn what is important to that person then follow up with something that shows you are listening -send birthday messages, anniversary messages, and shout outs for big life events -ask what you can do to help them be successful -send swag and branded items to show appreciation These six actions may seem simple but are often overlooked. Very powerful when applied.

I think sometimes, while searching for the newest best practice, we overlook the basics. In my work, I make sure to physically get out to HQs, take key partners to lunch, get to know their business and strategy but also get to know them personally as well. In an off season, or in between launches, I will call or email to check on and remind them that I’m always there. When delivering bad news, I’ve always chosen the route of being tactical, up front and honest. I do my best to keep their objectives in mind and explain the situation in an empathetic manner. I also like to include a solution I may have but care must be taken to openly communicate and remind them you’re on the same team. Nurturing takes work but will be worth it…

In my experience I have found out that one of the hardest things to do, is maintaining and growing a relationship with your service providers. These involve not only manufacturers but retail partners as well. Having them as key allies is extremely vital for the fast growth of your business. However this might not always be a one party job but a both-way effort. I have had the unpleasant experience of dealing with manufacturers and retail partners who don’t care about your business and all they think about is money or how much is in it for them. This in the long-run, is a waste of time for both. So be extremely selective of your partners and work on those relationships m.

Relationships require ongoing effort. Stay connected even when there are no immediate projects or tasks at hand. Remember important dates or milestones, and reach out to express your interest in their well-being and success.

Flexibility: Be adaptable to their changing needs and circumstances. Trust: Build a foundation of trust through reliability and integrity. Problem-solving: Approach challenges together with a solutions-oriented mindset. Networking: Expand your network within their industry to foster mutual connections and opportunities. Feedback loop: Establish a feedback loop where both parties can provide input for continuous improvement.

Merchandiser and Retail Marketing team are the eyes and ear of the company. They have the first incident report of anything that happens in the Retail Space across any channel. During my stint as RMM, I was informed on a real time basis of New product,New Offers, New Activities done by competition. To build a lasting relationship,I recommend: - Effective Communication - Understanding Needs - Reliability & Building Trist - Problem-solving - Shared Mission & Objectives

In my experience it starts with the need to put the category’s performance needs first (vs your brand), understand the contribution that category makes to the overall business, align on category goals, and understand where your brand(s) fit within the category. Look holistically at the category including competitors and make suggestions for improvement. Sometimes you may need to be prepared for your brand to take a small hit in the near term to establish credibility as the Category captain but it’s about the long term health of the category and your relationship. When relationship building works well the Merchandise Category Leader will say-“ my category growth target for this year is x% and I expect your brands to deliver x% of that.

It is very important to approach the relationship with any Retail Marketer with a long-term perspective. Invest time in getting to know your contacts personally, and show genuine interest in their professional growth. Building a personal connection can strengthen the business relationship. Remember that every relationship is unique, and it's important to adapt these strategies based on the specific dynamics of your partnership with merchandisers and retail marketers. Regularly assess the relationship and make adjustments as needed to ensure its continued success.