So, the festivities are over, we’ve brought in the New Year and the lockdown continues…what next?

As brands start the new year, those who sell their products in essential retail in particular, need to ensure that the January execution hangover doesn’t impact on sales. What do we mean by that?

As we’ve said before, it’s well known that one of the biggest challenges in FMCG retail following the festive period is delivering great execution through January.

The January execution hangover occurs when execution standards slip as retailers recover from the biggest selling season of the year. So, where most brands have great intentions of a fast start in January, the opposite often occurs in reality, resulting in a slow start to the new year – unless prompt corrective action is prioritised.

So, how can brands sell more in January and during Q1?

How to quickly address availability and compliance issues to sell more

When consumer demand in store and online creates pressure at the fixture, brands can’t simply rely on dwindling retail resource to execute their products with perfection. However, field marketing teams can give brands the edge at the point of purchase to ensure fixtures are stocked, well presented and compliant. Here are 4 options to get your brand off to the best start in Q1…

1. Consider tactical activation teams to give you an immediate boost
2. Spend less time auditing and more time merchandising with smart data
3. Engage with decision makers in retail remotely via digital technology
4. An agile approach to field marketing will get your brand off to the right start in 2021

Consider tactical activation teams to give you an immediate boost

Tactical Activation teams are a quick and efficient way to achieve a fast start to your year.

By offering a combination of skilled people and retail expertise we can deliver a solution that uses a pool of skilled resource who know exactly how to act on opportunities and take corrective action across the retail estate, and this is all available on tap ready to be deployed ASAP.

Spend less time auditing and more time merchandising with smart data

Despite advances in execution initiatives over the years, our insight shows that many brands still use outdated and often manual data collection methods to manage and monitor their retail execution. Now is the time to take advantage of smart data solutions to take a smart approach to merchandising.

Products like DART have helped brands unlock more opportunities in store, increase the value of corrections by 88% per visit, and improve coverage by as much as 20% while reducing total investment.

The ROI lies in saving time on wasted visits, telling field reps where to focus on more value-adding activities like merchandising, giving them the opportunity to visit more stores or carry out more tasks in one day, and affording them more time to strengthen their retailer relationships.

Engage with decision makers in retail remotely via digital technology

Put your brand in the hands of more retailers through non-traditional ways.

Apps like MyStore+ provide easy access and real time communication between brand and retailer, with brands able to directly influence retailers by supplying them with advice, offers and rewards - at any time. 

It’s a convenient time saver - it allows retailers to get all their category and brand advice, and get offers from brands and be able to communicate directly with them - all in one app. 

MyStore+ is a brand's efficient tool to directly improve in-store sales and execution across thousands of UK convenience retailers.

An agile approach to field marketing will get your brand off to the right start in 2021

Looking for a solution to help you sell more in the long term? Talk to us and we'll recommend your optimum mix of teams and services to deliver best in class retail execution.

We leverage sales, brand and customer expertise, combined with outstanding relationships, to build your brand presence and execute flawlessly. This is unlocked through a tailored service, built to deliver your strategy and goals through multiple touch points, whether that’s face to face, on the phone or digitally – on an ongoing, short term or seasonal basis. All our solutions can be tailored to your needs.

With more people staying home and national lockdowns in place as we begin 2021 it’s likely the demand on retail - and pressure at the fixture - will remain high through Q1. This will continue even as we exit January and start to welcome in the next peak season, each one creating their own demands – Valentines, Mother’s Day and Easter are all on the horizon.

Getting retail execution right can be complex and expensive, but efficient and flexible service is only one conversation away, enabling brands to have the fastest start possible in 2021.