5 Proven Strategies to Successfully Market Your GT Product in 2024
The General Trade (GT) market remains an essential channel for brands and manufacturers, especially in the food and beverage industry. However, the rise of modern trade (MT), the explosion of quick commerce, and shifts in consumer behavior (like increased food delivery via platforms such as Zomato, Swiggy, and Blinkit) are putting immense pressure on local kiranas and GT businesses. To stay competitive, brands need to adapt and innovate their marketing strategies. In this blog, we’ll explore five proven strategies to market your GT product in 2024 and how Rupyz, with its advanced sales force automation, can help you implement these solutions.
Key Trends in the Food & Beverage Industry
Several trends are reshaping the food and beverage industry, influencing how brands must market their GT products. Understanding these trends is crucial to staying competitive in 2024.
1. Rise of Modern Trade (MT)
Modern trade, including large retail chains like Big Bazaar, Reliance Fresh, and D-Mart, is expanding rapidly. These retailers offer extensive product ranges, better deals, and loyalty programs, making them attractive to urban consumers. For small kirana’s and GT players, competing against the pricing power and convenience of modern trade stores can be challenging.
Impact: Local kirana’s and GT businesses must adopt modern practices like digitizing inventory and offering competitive deals to keep up with modern trade stores.
2. Growth of Quick Commerce
Quick commerce platforms like Blinkit, Instamart, and Zepto have disrupted the traditional retail model by offering deliveries within 10-30 minutes. This instant delivery model appeals to urban consumers who value convenience and speed over price.
Impact: Local retailers must rethink their business models as they cannot compete with the speed of these digital platforms, adding pressure to kiranas.
3. Shift in Consumer Behavior: Rise of Food Delivery
Platforms like Zomato and Swiggy have changed how urban consumers order food and groceries. Consumers are increasingly comfortable with ordering essentials online, shifting from traditional grocery runs to convenient, home-delivered products.
Impact: This trend forces local kiranas to either partner with food delivery platforms or offer quicker services through their own channels.
4. Digitalization and Omni-Channel Shopping
Consumers are increasingly adopting digital platforms to research products and make purchases. Omni-channel shopping, where consumers use a mix of online and offline channels, is growing in popularity.
Impact: GT stores must embrace digital tools, such as offering a digital catalogue, and integrate online sales with their physical operations to meet changing consumer preferences.
5 Proven Strategies to Successfully Market Your GT Product in 2024
1. Focus on Retailer Engagement
In the GT market, retailer engagement is critical. Retailers are the direct link between your brand and the end consumers. The more connected your retailers feel, the more likely they are to promote and sell your products.
How to Engage Retailers:
– Build personalized offers: Create special pricing and discounts based on each retailer’s order history and location.
– Maintain regular communication: Keep your retailers updated on new products, offers, and schemes through platforms like WhatsApp or email using Rupyz’s sales force automation.
2. Offer Curated Schemes and Discounts
Retailers are more likely to stock your products if they see the benefits. Curated offers and discounts tailored to their specific needs can set your brand apart from the competition.
How to Offer Curated Discounts:
– Use different pricing strategies: Create customized schemes and discounts for different retailers based on their sales patterns.
– Provide limited-time promotions: Encourage bulk buying during high-demand periods.
3. Improve Rack Visibility
Rack visibility is crucial for product success in retail stores. Ensuring that your products are placed in prime locations helps drive sales.
How to Improve Rack Visibility:
– Negotiate better shelf placement: Seek eye-level or high-traffic spots for better visibility.
– Use promotional displays: Leverage POS materials and product samples to attract attention.
4. Gather and Use Consumer Feedback
Consumer feedback helps brands stay relevant and aligned with customer needs. Understanding consumer opinions enables product improvements and strategy refinement.
How to Gather Feedback:
-Use retailer insights: Set up feedback loops where retailers share customer opinions with your brand.
– Incentivize feedback: Offer discounts or free samples in exchange for feedback.
5. Efficient Beat Planning for Sales Teams
Efficient beat planning ensures your sales teams cover key retailers regularly. A well-executed beat plan prevents missed opportunities and ensures timely restocking.
How to Plan Efficient Beats:
– Use beat planning tools: Leverage beat planning and optimization tools like Rupyz’s sales force automation to track real-time performance and ensure regular visits.
How Rupyz Helps Implement These Strategies
1. Retailer Engagement with Rupyz
Rupyz offers robust features to maintain consistent, personalized engagement with your retailers, ensuring they feel supported and connected:
– WhatsApp Business API Integration: Send automated, personalized updates to retailers on new products, pricing changes, or promotions through WhatsApp.
– Custom Retailer Profiles: Store detailed profiles, including buying patterns and preferences, allowing targeted promotions.
2. Create Curated Offers and Discounts with Rupyz
– Custom Pricing Models: Create customized pricing for different retailers based on order volumes, locations, and behaviors, using Rupyz’s sales force automation.
– Automated Promotions: Design and automate time-bound campaigns during festive seasons or stock clearance sales.
– Performance Analytics: Track the success of your curated schemes and make data-driven adjustments.
3. Enhance Rack Visibility with Rupyz
Rack visibility influences sales, and Rupyz’s sales force automation helps:
– Sales Tracking: Track store performance and optimize visibility efforts based on real-time data.
– Picture-Taking Feature: Capture product display photos during store visits to monitor placement.
– Visibility Optimization: Use insights to negotiate better shelf placements and optimize promotions.
4. Leverage Consumer Feedback with Rupyz
Understanding customer preferences is key, and Rupyz offers tools to gather valuable feedback:
– Feedback Collection: Set up systems for retailers to share customer feedback with your brand.
– Data Analysis: Analyze feedback trends to make informed product and marketing improvements.
5. Plan Efficient Beats with Rupyz
Efficient beat planning and tracking is vital for GT success, and Rupyz makes it seamless:
– Beat Planning and Route Optimization: Use intelligent beat planning to optimize routes and prioritize high-potential stores.
– Real-Time Tracking: Monitor sales team movements and ensure they adhere to planned beats.
Conclusion
As the General Trade market evolves, brands that leverage modern tools and strategies will gain a competitive advantage. **Rupyz’s sales force automation** equips you with the tools to engage retailers, offer curated discounts, enhance visibility, gather feedback, and plan efficient sales beats, helping you stay ahead in 2024. Ready to elevate your GT product marketing? Learn more at Rupyz.
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