This post provides guidance for qualifying an idea for a CPG or consumer product business (B2C or a B2B2C). In my opinion, the process for qualifying idea for a CPG or consumer product business is really hard because your first iteration is NEVER the final and best idea. Your business idea should naturally evolve as you [...]
A question that I was recently asked is what are deduct from invoice fees with retailers? For dietary supplement products, what are deduct from invoice fees associated with doing business with Walmart, Target and club stores like Sam's, Coscto and Bjs; how about for grocery chains like Safeway or drug stores like Walgreens? To clarify [...]
A Quora question in retail distribution category that I was asked and my answer. Question: What do suppliers look for in their distribution partners? My answer: Here's how I evaluate distribution partners: 1. Reputation/history. Do they have a good reputation? Ask for referrals to other suppliers in your size range that you can contact for references. [...]
I was talking to a company recently about their product, a really nifty little item that I like and am actually using myself. As usual, when I first talk to companies about their products, I immediately begin to think over how to best market and sell their products. I am somewhat obsessed with figuring that [...]
There is an active military presence in the metro-Denver area of Colorado, which includes relatively frequent fly-overs by F15's and F16's. Most of the time, they are not moving that fast and you hear the sound before they pass overhead. Sometimes, they are moving really fast, and once-in-a-while, they are flying very low and moving awfully fast. When [...]
A small Canadian-based CPG company I know has built a nice brand with their products, but have limited U.S. distribution. They have a number of key things going on that has them at a proverbial cross-roads, making it difficult for them to determine how to grow and which road to take. Sales from their main [...]
This is a question posted to Quora. My answer is as follows. The best metric I use to measure the effectiveness of a sampling initiative by a CPG brand is to look at sales over the following weeks of the sampling event to determine if the baseline for sales has increased and is sustained. For example, [...]
This is a list questions/statements I've assembled over the years that have really helped me to think about how to be innovative in my companies. They are in no particular order. They might help you innovate in your company. Where is your industry/category going? How are your consumers changing with respect to taste's, preferences and purchasing/buying [...]
Marketing is constantly evolving with new channels and vehicles to reach consumers. Technology is pretty much driving and ensuring that. But sometimes, what's old and that which no one seemingly pays attention to works the best. I've been working with a company over the last few years that operates in a pretty crowded and competitive [...]
There a lot of things not to do when you are handling a one-on-one sales meeting, but here are some pretty obvious ones that stick out to me. Don't try to find out about who the customer is, their knowledge base and what they want. Make the problem seem larger and more complicated than it [...]
