Leverage the Right Distribution Channels

Hello, I’m Jim Glover, That Branding Guy, for Once a Day Marketing™. Today we are discussing importance of understanding product distribution and selecting the right channels for your company.

Place is one of the 7Ps of Marketing and includes the channels are you currently leveraging to make your product available to customers and potential customers.Direct sales, a retail environment, selling products online, using distributors or mailing catalogs are all viable distributions methods. If your business is B2B trade shows may also be a primary focus. There are many outlets to sell your product. The question of course is where are the right places to be?

Here are a few questions to consider when evaluating all the ways your customers can buy your product:
• What channels do you customers prefer when purchasing your product?
• Are you distributing through as many channels as you should be?
• Which channels are working well and which aren’t?
• Is it time to make changes?
• Should distribution channels or added and/or deleted?

Monitor results by distribution method to ensure customers are finding your product where are seeking it and you are achieving the results you expect. If a particular channel is working for you, then keep selling product through it. If another channel has poor results, consider reducing volume or closing it altogether.

Research what your competitors are doing. You may be able to identify an interesting practice that you can emulate. Remember to search from a broader perspective as well, there may be a company doing something creative with respect to how they are pushing their products through a channel and you can do the same thing.

Lastly, if you don’t know, ask your customers which distribution methods best meet their needs. Again, the goal is to be where they want to find your product, not necessarily in the channel that you prefer.

Once a Day Marketing™ inspires clients to brand bold.Visit our website at www.onceadaymarketing.com. Contact James Glover at (505) 501-1330 or email glover@onceadaymarketing.com.Listen to Ask Those Branding Guys™ every Monday at 11:00am (MT) streaming live on SantaFe.com KVSF 101.5 FM.

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Filed in: 7Ps of Marketing • Place • Strategy
Tagged with: 7Ps of Marketing • James Glover • once a day marketing • place • that branding guy