Think about how much more effective a retail promotion could be if your distributor’s sales force had an opportunity to better understand their role in building the brand, and how it is tied into the particulars of a promotion, or POS program. Now contemplate how much tighter brand integration would be if each manager had a clearer understanding of the “reasons to believe” why their brand was better.

Imagine the sales lift that can be realized when the sales team believes in their soul what the brand is all about so they can make it their own. It’s surprising how simple touches like brand storytelling and sharing with the employees and distributors are skipped entirely in the process. With channel partners or distributors faced with a huge amount of brands competing for their attention, shelf space, and promo energy, you have to inspire them, too.

It’s easier for them to take another brand that has more volume, and brings more margin, and push their products instead. If you can’t figure out what messages are needed to get the channel excited, passionate, and interested in your brand, the consumer is unlikely to even see the message at retail.