Question

Topic: Strategy

Advice On How To Compete Agaist A Top Of Mind Prod

Posted by Anonymous on 4/18/2009 at 6:46 PM ET 100 Points
I have a Liquor distribution business and we represent several world wide known brands, but in my country those brands are not very well known yet. How can I develop an strategy that can help me gain share of the market competing against Absolut Vodka with Skyy Vodka and the same with a Tequila.

We already have a chain of distribution that covers the off premise and on premise market but the demand doesn't seem to rise with my products.

Please, any advice will be very helpful.

Cesar Castellanos
Guatemala
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RESPONSES

  • Posted by Frank Hurtte on 4/18/2009 at 9:20 PM Accepted
    I like Phil's advice, further I would concentrate on on-premise sales first. Offer incentives to servers and bartenders to suggest your product. My guess is that many of your potential clientel have already heard of your brands, they may just not be in the habit of ordering them. '

    I personally like on premise taste comparisons. Where bartenders are incented to offer customers a sample of your product.
  • Posted on 4/19/2009 at 5:59 PM Accepted
    Good advice from Phil and Frank. Brand building is properly the task of your suppliers; your job is distribution. Of course, you each benefit when both of you do your jobs properly, so it's not a we/they competition. Rather it's a joint effort.

    You need to work with your suppliers and get their agreement to retaining a local agency to come up with appropriate promotion strategies for your market. They can certainly provide you with creative that has worked in other Latin American countries, or other regions for translation into the local culture.
  • Posted on 4/20/2009 at 12:55 AM Author
    Thank you very much for your advice it's very helpful. Any suggestions besides working with the bar tenders, in my country they are mostly order taking people, it's very rare to find a waiter or a bar tender that will take the time to suggest any product, even if you offer them bonuses or prizes for doing so. Another matter is that in Central America, the cocktail drinking market is very small, so we have to focus on selling the whole bottle in the on premise, and since the other brand is top of mind, they automatically ask for a whole bottle of X product and leave no chance for a suggestion because they are already paying for a whole bottle.

    Do you think that a promotion that will offer the clients on the on premise market that if they show a proof of purchase of our product in any bar or club, they can redeem prizes???. I apologize if my writing has some mistakes.

    Thanks again for the help to everyone.

    Cesar
  • Posted on 4/20/2009 at 12:59 AM Author
    Sorry, I forgot. The advice on hiring the agency is just what we did a month ago, we are still waiting for the media plan because we did a market survey first. I will keep you updated on how things went.

    Thank you very much again.

    Cesar
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