Get your category strategy heard within the grocers

These are challenging times for the big UK grocers and their suppliers. But with challenge comes opportunity. Now more than ever, retailers are seeking advice from suppliers on category strategy and ideas for growth. The harder growth is to come by, the more they seek the advice.

Yet across many categories, it is common to hear retailers say they are underwhelmed by the quality of the strategy and ideas they are getting from suppliers.

So as a supplier, how do you stand out? How do you get your strategy heard and appreciated? Of course you need to have some great category thinking in the first place. But there’s a lot to consider beyond that. Here are six things to keep in mind.

First, see the world through your customers’ eyes. You need to be clear what they are trying to achieve and it helps to use their language and measures. But it is just as important to understand what individuals can and cannot influence. Don’t frustrate buyers by recommending things they can’t get done.

Second, keep it simple. Most buyers and technical managers are in a maelstrom of meetings, overloaded with information, ideas, instructions and priorities. Take the pressure off, radically streamline your message, and look to land one or two things per conversation.

Third, be repetitive. Establish an ongoing story about category growth, and always anchor conversations back to this. “As you know, we think the category growth drivers are X, Y and Z. Today we want to talk more about Y, with our proposal for an addition to your range.” Repetition builds credibility and memorability.

Fourth, seek conversations not presentations. The best results normally flow from buyer and supplier talking about a problem or opportunity, working out a win-win.

Fifth, listen hard during meetings. Don’t be so intent on landing the thing you have rehearsed that you completely miss a bigger or more urgent opportunity that emerges. If they have something on their mind, then hear it, respond to it, and see if you can help. If it looks like you are not listening to your customer, then you in turn are unlikely to get heard.

Finally, relax! A meeting or conversation may be important to you, but try not to make the atmosphere deathly serious. Most retailers will appreciate a relaxed tone and mood, maybe even more so in tough times.

Some of what I have talked about may be second nature to good salespeople but for those of us in category and insight roles, it can feel more natural to focus more on the strategy itself, and less on how well we’re getting it heard. But if it isn’t heard, it is worth little.

Jeremy Garlick is a partner of Insight Traction