Recently I’ve spoken to a few drinks brands that launched & tried to sell without setting their foundations👎🏼
It’s essential to build strong foundations, then work your way up👆🏼
The on-trade, in my opinion, has three simple rules:
– Drive AWARENESS 👀
– Drive RATE OF SALE 📈
– Drive ADVOCACY ❤️
Let’s look at the basics
Before setting off, I must highlight a critical step: developing a value chain from COGs to sell-out price, determining trade & consumer selling prices & your margin. You must ensure you have an adequate margin or dedicated budget for marketing and commercial support.
Foundations
– Brand Story: Every brand needs a face (aesthetic), a voice (tone of voice), a heart (values), and a brain (category placement).
– Drinks Creation: Establish your perfect style, serves, glass, garnish
– Selling Tools: Create a concise, perfectly presented selling story covering brand, category, support, and serves.
– Website: Develop a journey through your brand’s story—from founder, production, products—to drive awareness & sales.
– Social Media: This should pair perfectly with your website, bringing occasions to life through images & video.
Communication
– Trade Facing Events: The on-trade loves taste & experience. Trade shows, cocktail competitions & tastings are key to engage.
– Consumer Facing Events: Getting “liquid on lips” to drive awareness & trial is a great way to gain feedback.
– Trade Publications: Increase visibility with key decision-makers through adverts or category write-ups.
Sell In
– Sales Person: Brands are built from the bottom up. Having a field sales person for face-to-face meetings is the only way to successfully launch & retain a brand in the on-trade.
– Clear KPIs: The sales person needs clear daily, weekly & monthly targets to ensure success.
– Journey Plan: A clear plan ensures time & cost efficient ways of working while delivering the strongest results.
– Reporting System: A good CRM or reporting system reduces admin & provides a clear view of performance for the brand owner.
Sell Out
– Bar Staff Training: Harness team enthusiasm by running informative sessions on your brand USPs. Let them taste the product and create drinks to build the confidence needed for up-selling.
– Bar Staff Incentives: Set simple, measurable incentives-such as vouchers or small prizes-for whoever sells the most over a few weeks.
– POS, Menu, Glasses: Brand visibility is key. Build a ‘path to purchase’ with table talkers, posters & branded glassware.
– Consumer Sampling: Perfectly served samples drive immediate trial. This works best alongside longer-term menu offers or promotions to build brand loyalty and ensure repeat purchases.
If you’re looking to launch or grow a drinks brand in the UK on-trade, please get in touch. We have a team covering the UK at all levels of sales in key cities and areas. We build strategy, grow sales, win RTMs & drive activation & advocacy through the on-trade.
