what I do.
From retail account, channel and distribution management to growth strategy & planning, including every step in the process from concept through to PR - I am fluent in all the mechanics of bringing all variety of products to market and the business structure that makes this possible. But my particular area of expertise is in Sales and Relationships. My job is to identify opportunities and implement strategies to help you sell more products, more profitably, and more sustainably.
Major Retail (mechanics).
The retail market is difficult, demanding and intensely competitive, but it can be lucrative - for those who get it. Increased competition and having too many options has forced brands to get it right up-front. In the modern retail landscape, there's no tolerance for increased liabilities or products that don't sell. Put simply, products have to fit. This requires a combination of knowledge and an intimate understanding of the retail market, it's psychology and buying culture. And to maintain this longterm you will need the sharpest of strategies managed by experts who understand exactly what's required.
Sales & Relationships (people).
When the sales process is executed correctly, it will do far more than simply ship products. Todays sales strategies start well before the pitch, have no visible end-date and centre around the health of the relationship. And whilst combining the obvious ingredients can 'facilitate' the supply of products, they do not ensure continued support or long term success. If sales matter to you, then relationships really matter. Success in major retail goes well beyond matching products to markets, or hitting attractive price-points. This stuff is temporary. Your products, your marketing, even your wins are all temporary - your relationships however, will outlast them all.
Despite the radical changes to how we do business, our relationships are more important today than ever before. And no matter how much the world around us changes, there will always be a significant advantage for the people who know how to relate to other people and build tight relationships, because people still buy products from people they like. Your sales strategies and your relationships should be at the centre of everything you do and not measured by quarters. They deserve the same consideration as every other pressing aspect of business - I would argue even more so.
Despite the radical changes to how we do business, our relationships are more important today than ever before. And no matter how much the world around us changes, there will always be a significant advantage for the people who know how to relate to other people and build tight relationships, because people still buy products from people they like. Your sales strategies and your relationships should be at the centre of everything you do and not measured by quarters. They deserve the same consideration as every other pressing aspect of business - I would argue even more so.
bringing it all together (Balanced Formula).
Today, sales requires a more philosophical approach, where the client, our actions and our opportunities are all connected. Balancing liabilities with opportunities, measuring opportunity versus risk, brand value versus net effect. All the elements or moving parts need to be in synch from the ground up. From branding to competition, roadmaps to cost models, technologies to sellthrough and from the colour of the packaging to the messaging on the box. To provide a complete solution you first need to understand how it all works together.
