96. Stop Wasting Trade Spend: Real Retail Growth With Charles Coristine, Lesser Evil

96. You're pouring money into promotions—but your sales aren't growing. That's a trade marketing problem, and it's costing you runway. In this episode, I sit down with Charles from LesserEvil to unpack one of the biggest hidden drains on emerging CPG brands: ineffective trade spend. If you're relying on deep discounts, ads with no accountability, or promotions that don't convert into sustainable base sales, you're feeding the system—not growing your brand. We break down true category management, how to stop being treated like an ATM by retailers, and why price wars commoditize your brand. You'll learn how to position yourself as a category leader, protect your margins, validate innovation before launch, and build a selling story that drives traffic and profit—not just temporary spikes. Maximize Trade Marketing ROI and listen to other episodes to go deeper into sustainable retail growth. Get instant access on the show webpage: RetailSolved.com/session96