Trade Marketing Manager
TRADE MARKETING MANAGER
What is Trade Marketing?
Trade marketing is a B2B marketing strategy that is aimed at supply chain partners instead of consumers. Typically it is known as the process of manufacturers marketing to future wholesalers, retailers, and distributors. The goal of trade marketing is to gain partners who will get the products on shelves and in front of consumers.
Common trade marketing activities include going to trade shows, offering promotions to potential partners, and building strong personal relationships. While there are many similarities to traditional marketing, trade marketing is not focused on the final sale but instead on the partners that will end up making the final sale.
Trade Marketing Strategies:
Trade Shows: Trade shows are a great way to interact with potential partners, increase brand awareness, and demonstrate the brand’s value compared to competitors’. Many wholesalers, distributors, and retailers attend trade shows with the intent of finding new brands to partner with that will bring them sales revenue. They use this platform to its full potential and make as many impressions as possible. Trade shows are also a great opportunity for creating brand recognition and awareness.
Trade Promotions: Promotions are another great way to separate oneself from the competition. Sometimes, supply chain partners or consumers won’t realize the full value of the brand without a little help. Trade Marketing managers use promotions to give them that extra push towards choosing their product. Examples of promotions include temporarily reduced prices or in-store displays that grab attention, build brand awareness, and ultimately incentivize people to choose their product over others.
Relationships: An often overlooked aspect of marketing to supply chain partners is building mutually beneficial relationships with them. As great as their product may be, retailers or distributors will be reluctant to partner with them if they don’t believe that carrying their products will provide them with more revenue than others. In order for their relationship with their partners to be the most beneficial, they make sure that there is frequent communication and accountability on both sides. Building a strong personal relationship will go a long way in securing valuable shelf space.
Who is a Trade Marketing Manager?
A trade marketing manager specializes in assisting wholesalers, retailers, or distributors with their marketing strategy, including message development, marketing materials, and brand awareness. In addition, trade marketing managers also market products to wholesalers and retailers. They develop strategies to generate interest in these products, creating demand for the products at wholesalers and retail organizations. Trade marketing managers can work for a variety of organizations, such as food manufacturers. They usually work full time in an office setting, but may travel for events.
General job responsibilities may involve representing an organization at relevant industry tradeshows, designing unique plans for individual products, and overseeing and analysing new product launches. Trade marketing managers can advise on appropriate promotional procedures established from customer data analysis and current trends. They may oversee a team of personnel that assists them in implementing marketing strategies. Trade marketing managers may also advise retail store locations on methods for in-store solutions and consistently monitor if these methods are effective.
Trade Marketing Manager: Job Description and Responsibilities
Organizations/ Companies generally look for experienced Trade Marketing Managers to drive the success of effective marketing and promotional activities of the company. An ideal candidate is an exemplary team leader, is very strategic, knows the market and consumers well, and has experience driving growth. Also, Trade Marketing Manager is related to different work stream as per organization work culture which includes Customer Marketing Manager, Shopper Marketing Manager, and Trade Activation Manager. For example, a renowned brand related to FMCG/ FMCD, trade marketing manager is classified into Customer Marketing Manager and Shopper Marketing Manager to work accordingly on E-Commerce portal and focus differently on distributors and Modern Trade.
• Lead Trade Marketing Strategy development to attain defined business objectives throughout product categories focusing target markets.
• Head responsibility to develop, execute and performance of programs created to enhance presence plus ultimate take-away.
• Contribute to organization’s goals plus objectives and enhance market share and sales performance.
• Establish channel strategies along with execute associated plans.
• Prepare trade promotional plan in designated channels with crucial customers.
• Coordinate media placements, public relation programs, host events, food shows and participate in all community events.
• Provide marketing assistance to sales team through answering clients and product inquiries.
• Ensure to travel as required to participate in relevant food shows exhibition.
• Lead retail channel’s trade marketing strategy development to accomplish defined business objectives throughout product categories.
• Head responsibility to manage and monitor Trade Marketing Investments as well as initiate execution.
• Prepare trade promotion plans with main customers.
• Coordinate communication of price, product and pack changes.
• Develop, supervise and improve procedures to link entire marketing activities with sales team activities.
• Perform closely with CSO as well as Brand Manager to enhance processes linking corporate brand building activities as well as Product Development activities with Sales activities.
• Coordinates activities associated to organization participation at tradeshows or events.
Trade Marketing Manager: Education, Experience and Qualifications
Most companies require managers to have a Master’s degree with a minimum 3-5 years’ of experience in trade marketing.
MBA from Tier 1, Tier 2 B-Schools is a plus
Some qualities companies look for in a trade marketing manager include:
• Knowledge and experience of Trade Marketing disciplines and development of promotional merchandise and POS materials
• Understanding of the market and trade marketing solutions
• Experience of managing budgets and maximizing ROI
• Communication skills and ability to build strong relationships with both internal and external stakeholders
• Commercial talent with orientation towards goals
• Dedicated, enthusiastic, proactive
• Ability to read, analyze, and interpret general business reports
• Ability to write reports and to effectively present information to key stakeholders
Key Skills:
Trade Marketing Manager, Trade Marketing, Customer Profiling, Business Development, Advertising, Trade Promotion, Trade Shows, Regional Trade Marketing Manager, Zonal Trade Marketing Manager, Distribution Management, Brand Promotion
References:
https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/definition/trade-marketing
https://www.repsly.com/blog/consumer-goods/improve-classic-trade-marketing-strategies-using-data
https://study.com/articles/trade_marketing_manager_job_description_salary_skills.html
Benchmark Profile:
RMS:
LinkedIn:
Interview/ Screening Questions:
1. Can you give me an example of a marketing campaign that did or did not work out as per the promotional activities done for specific markets?
2. Tell me about a marketing project that you brought in on time and under budget?
3. Tell me about a brand/product category that you worked in the recent organization?
4. Can you please provide a recent example of maximizing profits and ROI on the marketing budgets used for a specific brand?
5. Can you please specify the number of retailers and distributors handled at a given point of time?
For more relevant and detailed questions please visit the below mentioned link
https://trademarketingmanagerinterviewquestions.wordpress.com/
Industry Jargons used by Trade Marketing Manager:
Retailer: The businessmen who normally operate a shop/retail outlet who buy products from distributor/wholesaler and sell to customers at a profit.
Wholesaler: The businessmen who normally operate a shop/retail outlet who buy products in bulk quantity from distributor/manufacturer and sell to retailer at a profit.
Distributor: The businessmen who normally operate a business organization commonly termed as “Distribution House” who buy product from manufacturer and resell to retailer/wholesaler at a profit. Distributors are also called commission agent or merchant. Distributors are supposed to invest in products, space, infrastructure and human resources. Distributor earns commission after selling products to retailers/wholesalers and compensates his costs by his earned commission.
Retailer, wholesaler, and distributor buys product but do not necessarily take the ownership of the product. Ownership lies with the manufacturer until they are sold to the customer.
SKU: It is the short form of Stock Keeping Unit commonly used to describe all the items produced by a manufacturer. For example, 75 gram lux soap is a SKU, 100 gram lux soap is another SKU, 200 gram lux soap is another SKU, and so on.
Kinds: Kinds refer to free products offered to retailers to promote sales. For example, 1 piece free with the purchase of 12 pieces..
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/common-trade-marketing-terminologies-golam-mohiuddin/
Salaries in India:
Average annual salary for Trade Marketing Manager in PepsiCo is INR 26.1 lakhs, in Britannia is INR 18.9 lakhs and in Hindustan Coca Cola Beverages is INR 17.8 lakhs in India.
https://www.ambitionbox.com/salaries/pepsico-salaries/trade-marketing-manager