A Strategy& survey reveals that there is a select group of CPG shopper marketing leaders that are capturing more influence with retailers and better return on their shopper programs. How is this group achieving these results? By more closely aligning their initiatives with trade promotion activities.

In most cases, shopper marketing naturally complements trade and consumer promotion activities. In fact, most shopper solutions involve customized displays and communications that are built around a trade promotion event staged with a particular retail partner. But shopper solutions add value that extends far beyond price discounts or in-store marketing support. This added value is the multi-touch brand engagement that drives the consumer to the retailer via at-home and on-the-go touch points.

Additional value can also be found in shopper solutions ability to simultaneously create motivation and drive action. For example, imagine a shopper solution display that combines condiments, serving utensils, snacks, charcoal and grilling tools to inspire families to turn an everyday meal into a cookout and deliver the tools required to make it possible.  This kind type of shopper solution effectively combines motivation with action in a manner that often out beats pure price discounts.

The value of shopper solutions is clear, and when united with trade promotions event, maximum return is achieved. Forward-thinking shopper marketers are recognizing the reality. According to Strategy&, leaders in shopper marketing are effectively forging collaboration with trade with these three key actions:

1. Identifying and pursuing the right solution platform priorities (those that offer attractive headroom for growth) and engaging the right set of retail partners around these priorities

2. Aligning their sales and marketing organizations to better focus on solution platform priorities

3. Developing new funding and planning processes to support better decision making, imrpoved lead times and superior execution

Shopper marketers must be able to communicate shopper solutions’ priorities effectively to the manufacturer, retailer and field sales in order to develop sustained commitment and provide direction to the funding investment. Doing so begins with first building solution platforms with priorities that are in alignment with all involved parties core initiatives order to deliver a win-win. Uniting teams under transparent, mutually beneficial program priorities eases retailer program sell-in and increase collaboration opportunities.

The greater the alignment between trade promotion and shopper marketing, the greater the returns as shopper solutions are more effective in driving shoppers to the store, increasing basket size and driving overall category and brand growth.

While discounts may at times seems like the easiest way to remedy declining sales, it is the synergy of  a price reduction and shopper solution that will deliver the most long-term value to the retailer, brand and shopper.