Is Your Broker Sales Toolkit Up to the Task?
Equipping Your Brokers for Today's Retail Landscape
If your company relies on brokers to reach more retailers, you need to arm your broker partners with a killer Selling Toolkit. It used to be that you’d just slap a few products in a presentation, talk about your company, and let the brokers run with it.
Well, that isn’t working anymore…
Today’s retail buyers are more savvy than ever. They’re focused on category management and want to know:
- What differentiates you?
- What are your capabilities?
- Is your product a good fit for the category, and for their shoppers?
- Do you have the data and insights to back it up?
And it’s not just the buyers’ expectations that have changed. Working with brokers brings its own set of challenges:
- Brokers work with many companies, not just yours. Your job is to make their lives easier by providing tools that are clear and user-friendly.
- Focus is key—be precise about your product priorities and business goals so brokers know exactly what to push, ensuring their efforts align with your evolving strategy.
On the flip side, your company’s strategy and priorities are constantly evolving. To make sure your brokers stay aligned, it’s critical to communicate those shifts effectively.
What is a Broker Selling Toolkit?
Think of it as a “library of slides” that Broker Account Managers and Reps can adapt based on their selling situation. Brokers should consider factors like whether they’re selling at a new or existing retailer, if the buyer is familiar with your category or not, and what’s the objective? Example, is it to secure distribution for more SKUs, boost the performance of current ones or drive more profitability?
With that context, here’s a checklist for a great broker Selling Toolkit. Consider each of these as chapters or sections in your presentation, and pick and choose based on your situation:
- Company Overview:
Equip brokers with a concise overview of your company’s story, mission, and market position. It’s the background that helps them set the stage with retail buyers. - Business Priorities:
This is for brokers—not necessarily for retailers. Define what matters most—highlight the priority products to focus on, and clarify the order in which to push them. Make sure brokers understand your annual sales targets and strategic goals. - Category-Focused Selling Stories:
Brokers need stories that sell. Equip them with category insights, compelling success stories, and data that shows how your products are enabling incremental category growth. - Product Features & Benefits (to Secure Distribution):
Dive deep into what makes your products stand out. Include key features, benefits, target consumers/shoppers, and how they compare to competitors. It’s crucial that brokers can articulate this in a way that resonates with retailer buyers. - Tools & Resources (to Drive Velocity):
Retailers want to see what marketing investments you can make. How can you drive trips and conversions with their shoppers? Offer digital assets, promotional materials, and merchandising ideas that brokers can sell-in with retailers. The more visually compelling and easy-to-use these tools are, the better brokers can present your demand-driving tactics. - Retailer-Specific Strategies:
Provide guidance on how to approach different channels or retailers. Tailor this with insights into each channel’s needs, challenges, and shopper base, along with how your products can help solve their specific pain points. - Performance Metrics to drive accountability with Brokers:
Define what success looks like for your Broker teams. Outline the key performance indicators (KPIs) for brokers and how they should track and report their progress. Clear expectations lead to better results. Incentivise brokers to hit goals aligned to your company’s priorities.
Final Thought: Give Brokers the Flexibility to Win
The key to success? Each broker rep should tailor this toolkit to their specific buyer meeting, giving them the flexibility to thrive in any retail scenario. A well-equipped broker is a more effective one—and with the right tools, they can turn every retail conversation into a win for your brand.
OUTKREATE partners with top Cat Man, Insights & Sales teams to develop retailer-facing presentations that get the job done. CPGs hire us for Top to Tops, Innovation Selling Stories, Strategic Sales Initiatives, Line Reviews, and more.
Ready to discuss your Category Management goals? Let’s connect.
How does your Presentation measure up?
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