What is Trade Marketing? The Importance of Trade Marketing

Trade Marketing is a familiar concept in the business field; however, not everyone clearly understands what Trade Marketing is and its importance. This article by Aniday will help you answer, "What is Trade Marketing?" and how to apply it effectively.

What is the Definition of Trade Marketing?

Trade Marketing is a growing field. Source: HRChannels

Trade Marketing is a marketing strategy that targets the entire supply chain, from manufacturers to distributors, retailers, and even end consumers. It aims to enhance cooperation and support between these entities, ultimately driving product sales and market share. 

In addition to, Trade Marketing involves creating programs, promotions, and initiatives to benefit each link in the supply chain.

The Importance of Trade Marketing

Trade Marketing plays a crucial role in the business world. Its importance lies in various aspects, including:

• Increasing product sales and market share.
• Boosting customer awareness and trust in the brand.
• Expanding the reach and attracting potential customers.
• Enhancing current customer satisfaction and loyalty.
• Strengthening collaboration and support between manufacturers and business partners.

Criteria that Distinguish Trade Marketing and Brand Marketing

Trade Marketing and Brand Marketing have many differences. Source: Na Pratica

To understand clearly what Trade Marketing is, you also need to distinguish between Trade Marketing and Brand Marketing. These are two different aspects of marketing.

Trade Marketing focuses on reaching and influencing business partners, while Brand Marketing focuses on building a brand's identity and position in the minds of consumers. The distinguishing criteria between these two types of marketing can be listed as follows:

What Subjects Does Trade Marketing Focus On?

When learning what Trade Marketing is, you must know that this industry focuses on the following three main subjects:

• Distributor: Creating programs to increase distributor satisfaction and loyalty. Trade Marketing needs to create promotion programs, technical support, training, etc., to increase distributor satisfaction and loyalty.
• Retail: Developing strategies to boost sales and market share at points of sale. Trade Marketing needs to create programs to support display, inventory management, pricing, etc., to increase sales and market share of products and brands at points of sale.
• End Consumers: Implementing programs to increase awareness, encourage product testing, and influence consumer behavior. Trade Marketing needs to create programs to increase awareness, testing, purchasing, etc., to increase the attraction and influence of products and brands on end consumers.

Main Responsibilities of Trade Marketer

Trade Marketing staff perform different tasks. Source: Communicare Marketing 360

The main responsibility of a Trade Marketer is designing and implementing Trade Marketing campaigns for products, including:

1. Customer Development

Develop and maintain relationships with customers, including distributors, agents, and retailers. Carry out activities such as developing sales plans, negotiating contract terms, assisting in resolving arising problems, providing information about products, markets, and customers, evaluating sales effectiveness, and proposing improvement solutions.

2. Category Development

Develop and manage the product portfolio. Perform activities such as market and customer research, trend and demand analysis, product positioning and classification, packaging and labeling design, pricing and promotions, inventory management, and expiration management.

3. Shopper Engagement

Enhance product interaction and attraction with shoppers. Carry out activities such as designing and implementing product display programs, advertising at points of sale, offering gifts and samples, and organizing events and product experience activities.

4. Company Engagement

Enhance cooperation and support between Trade Marketer and other departments within the company. Carry out activities such as collaborating with the Brand Marketing department to ensure the consistency of the brand message, coordinating with the Production department to ensure product quality and quantity, and liaising with the Planning department to ensure timely and accurate payments.

Essential Skills for Trade Marketers

To excel as a Trade Marketer, you need to possess the following skills:

Communication and Presentation Skills

You must effectively communicate with distribution and retail partners, as well as relevant departments within the company. Additionally, you should be able to present your Trade Marketing programs clearly, concisely, and persuasively to convince your audience.

Analytical and Problem-Solving Skills

You should have the ability to collect, process, and analyze data related to markets, consumers, and company operations. Furthermore, you must identify and resolve problems, challenges, and risks during the implementation of Trade Marketing activities.

Creativity and Innovation Skills

Your capacity to be creative and innovative in designing and executing Trade Marketing programs that align with the characteristics of each distribution and retail partner, as well as market and consumer trends, is crucial.

Organizational and Management Skills

You need to be skilled in organizing and managing resources, time, budgets, and personnel to ensure that Trade Marketing activities are executed according to plan, ultimately achieving your goals and desired outcomes.

In conclusion, understanding "what is trade marketing" is crucial for businesses seeking to optimize their relationships within the supply chain and gain a competitive edge in the market. Aniday hopes that this article is helpful to you.