Today’s sales rep is a different breed, because the market has changed.
The job of today’s sales rep doesn’t end with promotional events and inventory management. Many sales reps become deeply involved in helping retailers with other marketing and advertising projects.
http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m3197/is_10_49/ai_n6272992/
Marshall Cohen’s 2010 message: Innovate now
“Brands need to put innovations in place now, so that when the consumer returns, those innovations are in play.”
“I want to hear right now from companies that are already exploring new and innovative ways to produce their products and reach consumers.”
“We’re in a time where retail as we know it has failed. It is not resonating with the consumer in the right way.”
“It’s time to innovate the message and rewrite the rules, through technology.”
“It’s time for retailers and brands to adapt to the new consumer, rather than forcing consumers to adapt to them.”
Coaching and Technology Offer the keys to Improved Sales Performance
How to grow your sales.
Could technology play a strong part in meeting the requirements of retail buyers?
Some people may think that the economy will never return to where it was five years ago. The economy, in fact, has fundamentally changed. Savvy retailers know that winning in the new economy will mean unifying not only their branding, but the way that they recognize the consumer; online, in-store, etc. That level of sophistication will rely heavily on consolidated real-time information, immediacy, transparancy, shorter lead times and accurate inventories.
Retailers know that they can’t do this alone; the investment is too broad and expensive. The responsibility for some of these facets is shifting back onto the manufacturer. Gone are the days of massive pre-books and three week inventory fill-ins. Here are the days of less back-stock and ordering as needed. If it’s easier to do business with a brand that is similar and more reliable where will that business likely go?
Intelligent manufacturers are creating opportunity in a down economy to invest in technology that enables them to provide their customers with the immediacy to access inventory in real-time, respond to customer requests in real-time and take advantage of shifts in the market place as they happen.
Transpancy doesn’t stop with the flow of more information from manufacturer to retailer. It also involves infrastructure that results in shorter lead times and delivering product closer to retailers’ demands. Your retail customers are focusing on their balance sheets. Whatever you’re doing better help them do that.
The new economy is forcing everyone to re-evaluate how they do business. That re-examination is creating new opportunities and new competition. This article describes how the changing landscape is creating opportunity for emerging players and competition for the established few in the port/shipping business.
http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-ports4-2010jan04,0,4978297.story
As the need for speed in fashion retailing becomes ever more crucial to merchants, industry observers say “Made in U.S.A” is once again looking more attractive to some U.S. retailers versus importing from China.
http://money.cnn.com/2006/02/28/news/economy/retail_localsourcing/index.htm
Satisfying shopping experiences have emerged as the key to continuing success for specialty retailers because the recession has changed U.S. consumer behavior. Consumers are more frugal, better informed, impatient and more demanding than ever before and these factors drive their expectations relative to shopping.
http://oia.informz.net/admin31/content/template.asp?sid=17829&ptid=429&brandid=3041&uid=759732602&mi=671938
RSR’s newest research study, “Using Business Intelligence to Help Control Outcomes in an Uncontrollable World,” published in partnership with the National Retail Federation and sponsored by SAP, finds the majority of retailers focused on reacting quickly to constant changes in demand while pleasing existing customers using near-real-time business intelligence tools.
http://www.retailcustomerexperience.com/article.php?id=1492&prc=10&page=21
Markets shift. When they do, you have to change your Success Formula or your results decline. When customers change their behavior, you have to change as well or your sales and profits go down. But most leaders react to market shifts by trying to do the same thing they’ve always done, only faster, better and cheaper. Oops. That only leaves you chasing your tail:
