Five ways Sales and Marketing Can Partner Better with the Category Team

Sales and Marketing Can Partner Better with the Category Team

When everyone is busy with the day job, it’s easy to keep your head down and focus on what you’re doing. But in doing so, there’s a risk that key insights and opportunities are being missed.

Too often, Sales, Marketing and Category are all working towards the same goal – growth- but in completely different ways. Listings, space and growth are left on the table because Category is brought in too late, or because teams are asking the wrong questions.

This is where a strong, collaborative approach between Category, Marketing and Sales becomes critical.

Here are five ways to work together more effectively to drive growth and unlock opportunities.

1.Bring Category in Early (not at the end)

Often, by the time that Category is brought into a conversation or project, the story is written and it might not be the right one. Category Managers are often left trying to retrofit a proposition or find space that isn’t there.  

Instead, involve Category from the outset, particularly in:

·         Innovation scoping and product sizing: Category can help identify market opportunities, assess the potential of new products, flavours and formats, and shape the route to market. As the project progresses, they can help with pricing and promotions, range reviews and timings.

·         Brand Planning: Category teams bring valuable insight around market dynamics, retailer priorities and channel opportunities. They have knowledge about distribution gaps, promo dynamics and what will ultimately encourage shoppers to pick up your product.

·         Product challenges and delist risks: If the sales team are having tricky conversations with a buyer, or a product is not performing, Category might be able to identify opportunities to boost performance or reposition the offer.  

·         Retailer product development briefs: Category will have key insight into the retailer objectives, strategies and motivations. They will have insights into what works and what doesn’t.

·         Shopper marketing & trade activations: Even if this doesn’t sit within Category, their understanding of shopper behaviour can help ensure the right messaging and channels are used.

2. Start with the Commercial Question  

Category isn’t just a data source – it is a strategic function.

Bring your burning question or challenge to the table. This opens up a more valuable conversation. Category may already have relevant insights or may approach the problem from a different angle. There may be shared learnings and approaches to help get to the root of the problem.

3. Knowledge Sharing

Strong collaboration relies on shared understanding.

Brand Context

Category teams should understand the brand as deeply as the marketing team.

Bring them in at the start of brand planning to share your brand ambition, objectives and consumer insights.

Customer Context

Quite often account managers will have direct conversations with a buyer. This can lead to missed nuances around buyer priorities, frustrations or constraints. Make sure minutes are shared and follow-up conversations are had.

Category Context

Category strategies, shopper insights and performance data shouldn’t be held in isolation. Sharing this across Sales and Marketing ensures everyone is working from the same foundation.

4. Co-Create Sell-In Stories

Each function has an important role to play in building a compelling sell-in story.

Brand and marketing know the consumer and what drives them, they know the product and comms strategy inside out.

Sales know the buyer and the best way to communicate with them. They know the wider challenges and frustrations which could hinder how a presentation is received.

Category understands what happens on shelf, and what is going to drive a purchase that will help the retailer reach their target market share.

The strongest selling stories have been co-written and cover all elements - consumer, shopper, retailer and commercial.

5. Align on success metrics

Quite often, functions create their own strategies, objectives and success metrics but they may not align, causing friction.

As part of the knowledge sharing, make sure that you are clearly communicating your goals and objectives. Identify the potential synergies and/or conflicts.

Make sure you agree upfront:

·         What does success look like in this retailer?

·         Is it ROS? Margin? Penetration? Category growth?

Align on:

·         What does the buyer actually care about?

·         What will get this listed? (not just what makes a great campaign)

Treat Category as Strategic Partners

In summary, the best category teams don’t just report on the category; they shape how your brand and business wins within it. They are the bridge between brand, shopper and retailer.

Regular meetings, catch-ups and a trip down the pub can do wonders to help build personal relationships and break down frustrations.

Involvement at the early stages of big projects or conversations will help ensure that everyone is aligned and working towards a common goal.

And remember this is a three-way relationship, so don’t forget to share your own goals, strategies and knowledge.