Consultation for marketing & distribution

The complexity continues to increase

Global competitors, fragmented target groups, new technologies, communication channels, and media can stretch companies and their employees to breaking point.

Marketing and distribution require planning

The demands and duties of marketing and distribution are constantly increasing, for companies this is often the only place where real competitive advantages can be achieved. Due to the increasing number of substitute products and solutions, only structured communication and distribution approaches can highlight the differences between competing offers to the customers. A successful customer acquisition needs more than occasional advertising efforts, sporadic calls, and visits from sales staff. Well-structured, complete concepts are the only way to familiarise potential customers with a topic—up to the moment when they turn into real business. Well-structured complete concepts can accomplish achievements that are reproducible, and ultimately accessible in the long-run.

The foundation of each advertising activity and distribution decision should be gathered by successive market research. Market research grants an overview of the current starting point in the market (current state) and offers information about market characteristics, competitive position, segments of customers and their needs, and last (but not least) the quality of customer relations. It, therefore, forms an important database for all marketing and distribution activities, product development, and pricing policy.

Firstly, the objectives of business management (pursued target state) have to be broken down to the level of marketing and distribution and afterwards to be incorporated as parameters in the strategy development. Conflicts of objectives need to be recognized and addressed at an early stage, otherwise no strategy will accomplish the desired results. Only a suitable strategy makes objectives reachable.

The selected strategy has a fundamental influence on the marketing mix: product policy (product portfolio/range, services etc.); pricing policy (minimum and maximum price, price differentiation, terms of payment and shipment etc.); the communication policy (advertisement activities, sales promotion, relevant trade fairs and events etc.); and on distribution (distribution scheme, selected commercial partners, assignment of sales representatives, processes etc.).

Plan for future success

Marketing and distribution placement

Optimal composition of customer contact

We help you to assemble and optimise your marketing and distribution.We support you with the conception and realisation of market research, definition of objectives, and formation of a suitable strategy in addition to the planning and implementation of the marketing mix.

Whether you are interested in trade marketing or general marketing; whether you want to offer convenience goods, services, and investment or industrial goods to your customers—our specialists can support you. They offer in-depth knowledge in relation to customer acquisition, development and retention in B2B and B2C.

All our services in marketing and sales consulting are carried out in the name and implementation by Flymint GmbH, for which we act as sales representatives.

More about Flymint GmbH

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Sub-areas and individual issues

Approaches of solutions for individual issues

Development and examination of marketing plans

Marketing plans illustrate the complete entrepreneurial situation in marketing and distribution. They include the analysis of the current market situation, set objectives and strategies, measures of the marketing mix, as well as provision of parameters for the evaluation of the results. Our services range from sharing economic principles up to the preparation and processing of the contents of individual thematic configurations.

Planning and realisation of market research

The objective is the extraction of fundamental data as a starting point for decisions in marketing and distribution. Market research includes statements about the relevant market characteristics, segmentation and evaluation of target groups, the analysis of customers (behaviours, needs, satisfaction and loyalty) and the evaluation of market position as well as the market position of competitors. We design with you the general approach, and support you with data creation as well as its evaluation in relation to opportunities, threats and current trends.

Selection of instruments of communication

Instruments of communication are tools and activities to address target customers, employees, and trade; such as advertisement, direct marketing, sales promotions, PR, event and trade fair marketing. We assess potential instruments of communication regarding your strategy parameters and objectives and point out fundamental strengths and weaknesses.

Planning of advertisement activities

This specifically involves individual communication activities to address target customers, present products and services, convey messages, and trigger purchase behaviour (interest). Our services include consultation regarding the selection of media (advertising channel, vehicle and medium), rating of the sales message, selection of specific target groups, planning and realisation of pre-test (measurement of the advertising appeal) and main activity as well as the evaluation of the advertisement’s effectiveness.

Brand development and brand management

The use of brands is a classical method to transport fundamental values to potential and existing customers (for example trust, quality) to create distinction from the competition. Our range of services includes the analysis of existing brands as well as the development of new ones. We evaluate structure, positioning and brand architecture on the basis of parameters such as brand value and brand trust. We recommend requirements and methods to you for integrated brand communication.

Analysis of target groups and unique selling positions

Unique selling positions (USP) are performance differences that represent a real surplus to the solutions of the competition. They often serve as the main reason for purchase decisions and therefore they should be used as a central sales pitch in communication with customers. We analyse your products and services for potential USPs and evaluate the USPs regarding their relevance to the individual target groups and roles of contact persons.

Customer relationship management

Existing and prospective customers present companies with marketing and distribution challenges and represent the greatest potential for companies to achieve their objectives. Information about structure, placement, decision-makers and demands facilitate not only the communicative addressing, but also make it much easier to encourage a satisfied customer to make a new purchase (for example: replacement, up-selling, cross-selling) than to pursue new customers. We help you with designing and optimising your service for regular customers with the aim to continuously develop and preserve them for the long term. In this manner, customer potential can be better exploited (for example, by increasing the frequency or the volume of purchasing). Structured workflows also reduce the amount of work needed and prevent the loss of contacts during the process.

Composition of the sales policy

Sales policy is the economic term for the composition of all decisions and activitities relating to distribution. This means starting with the positioning of warehouses, through the selection of sales staff and trading partners, and up to the terms of payment for individual customers. We support you analysis of your current distribution set-up and in defining objectives and sales strategies. We can give advice and recommendations regarding processes and individual activities. We help with the definition of suitable parameters for the measurement of results on a regular basis.

Development of a sales strategy

The sales strategy is your path to reaching your sales objectives and it designates requirements and tasks for the whole distribution network. We consult you during the development of a sales strategy and discuss issues with you such as: segmentation of customers, existing and required competitive advantages, composition of sales channels (and related processes), price setting, and the required qualifications for sales staff.

Evaluation of sales channels

There are different possibilities to approach potential customers with products and services in a market. Fundamentally, there is a distinction between direct sales (for example distribution by sales representative) and indirect sales (for example distribution via trade companies). Our services include the evaluation of sales channels as well as the identification of suitable co-operative partners. The aim is to determine the sales channels that offer you potential and the risks that have to be taken into consideration.

Composing the sales process

The issue is the realisation of the sales strategy through appropriate processes. We consult and train you in the basic approaches to the identification, acquisition, and maintenance of customer care. We help you build customer analysis concepts in relation to customer decision-making processes and situations. In addition to the development of guidelines for conversations, presentations, and pricing offers.

Development of sales competence

The competence of your sales staff is the central factor in the success of your sales activities. The best strategies and processes will not help you, if your employees fail to sell. We help you with the selection and training of sales representatives. Our services include sales training and instruction as well as the development of sales documents, such as: interview guides, handling objecions, and documents for customers.

Our offer is aimed at companies that

  • Want to optimise their marketing and distribution structures
  • Want to unlock new markets and target groups
  • Are dissatisfied with the success rates of their marketing and distribution efforts

  • Are new to marketing and distribution
  • Want to reduce their workload by standardising processes
  • Want to deal with current possibilities and trends

How can we support you?

We help you to identify pitfalls and obstacles