179. Stop Wasting Trade Spend: Grow Smarter at Retail

179. You're spending up to 25% of gross sales on trade marketing—and 70% may be wasted. That's money that should be extending your runway, funding innovation, and strengthening retailer relationships. In this episode, I break down the real reason most CPG brands struggle at retail: ineffective trade marketing strategies built on outdated tactics. I'll show you how to stop being the retailer's ATM machine and start becoming a strategic partner who drives traffic, grows the market basket, and improves category profitability. We'll cover smarter promotional planning, how to leverage contribution instead of velocity, why scorecards and KPIs matter, and how to negotiate from a position of strength. When you manage trade marketing strategically, you gain margin, influence, and shelf stability. Download this episode's free Trade Marketing Essentials guide and revisit past episodes to go deeper into building a profitable, scalable CPG brand. Get instant access on the show webpage: RetailSolved.com/session179