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1. Your brand must sustain the company’s or store’s image. Store brands should be viewed as more than margin boosters and serve as reinstatement of the store’s identification. It’s important to note that true value-oriented brands build customer loyalty, even through economic downturns and recoveries. The quality of the merchandise should be communicated effectively—not understated nor overstated!
2. Top management must be committed to supporting the brand’s strategy. Private label branding should not be a function of individual buyers within a category that are autonomous from each other. Top management needs to synergistically work with a skilled marketing team, inside and outside of the retailer infrastructure. Branding needs to be broader than any individual item or single category.
3. Create your store brand cohesively. It’s not usually a good practice to blatantly imitate other brands; at least not if your purpose is to build store brand or company name equity. Don’t create category stand-alones that ignore the need to achieve a cohesive brand franchise.
4. Define the company’s or store’s point of difference. Retailers need to know and understand their target consumers, and store brands should reflect the store-branding philosophy and image of the store.
5. Be unique to generate curiosity. Invest in innovation to maintain the leading edge and reinforce brand equity. Refrain from “look-alike” marketing. Doing so will only breed confusion and fail to build brand equity. You need to build consumer confidence that your brand is either equal or better.
6. Design and implement brand packaging continually. Always be aware of the quality-perception across an array of products and packages. Analyze each category, probing how best to present the products to the consumer and avoid the rubber-stamp approach. You want an overall consistent look that consolidates store brand imaging. The consumer visualizes the product through packaging, shapes, colors, symbols and words. Then he or she forms an opinion about value and performance. Every detail in your marketing, merchandising and planning needs to be thought through carefully and purposefully.
7. Position the brand effectively in each product category. Niche designs are most effective. Retain your stylistic relationship to the overall private brand program.
8. Reflect the price, quality and value strategy of the store. In other words, market from the position you’re in. Resist the temptation to make packages as alluring as possible. That always backfires! There is such a thing as over doing it and it will cost you consumer-credibility. If it looks expensive and it’s not, it’s misrepresenting the promise. Your products should not look cheap or inferior, but they should also not oversell. It must deliver the right promise or it will not be purchased again.
9. Renew excitement with each new product line. New products deserve attention and fanfare. Retailers own the shelves and the ability to create and stimulate interest. Use media advertising, packaging, ads, promotions, shelf displays, points-of-purchase displays and signs to create the right attention.
10. Monitor your brands constantly! Monitor packages that represent the store brand and use data to analyze consumer shopping habits and performance. Never become complacent. You should make modifications about once every 18 months. Keep it fresh!

While these tips are great, this list is NOT exhaustive. Before using these tips call us for a consultation, which will provide the full picture and scope.

Special Note:  It’s usually not a good practice to hire the first broker you meet. The interviewing process itself is a valuable learning experience for you and your business.  Interview several and hone your skills.[/box]

The following questions and tips are a great starting point:

• Who will actually be making the sales calls on my behalf at the appointments?
  • Important to get a bio and resume for each account representative, for each retailer to be covered.  The proper follow up questions are crucial. Make sure you know what they are – let’s discuss.

• How do you go about setting up the appointments?

• What are your procedures and what should be my expectations?

• How much lead time will I typically receive if I need to attend?
  • Keep in mind that in most cases, you will want to ensure you attend the appointment.

• What is your plan for introducing my products to retail accounts?
  • Please explain the steps and procedures you will recommend and follow.

• What is your follow through strategy if my products are not accepted at the first meeting?
  • Please give me examples of other real world scenarios when and where that happened.

• What are your philosophies about each of your retail chains, in regards to the infrastructure, systems, politics, decision-making process, etc?   

• What other product lines do you currently represent, in which categories, and how will this impact the commitment, availability and time allotment to my product and brand? 
  • Will there be a conflict of interest in product lines, resources and time commitment?

• Do you have established relationships with category managers who buy my type of product line and brands?

• How large is your organization and who are the key players I will interact with during and after the process has begun?  

• How do you communicate with your top clients, and how often?
  • Do you prioritize by mid-size and small clients, and if so, what is that priority?
  • Do you have any systems in place for rapid response?
  • What is your turn-around time on responses to inquiries via telephone and e-mail?

• Do you do most of the retailer forms and paperwork for your clients, or do you ask the client to fill out the paperwork and send it all back to you, completed?  

• What is your procedure to secure ads and promotions at retail accounts and how will I know that I’m never missing out on timely opportunities?

• What roles do you see your company performing, for which you are responsible?
  • Which roles do you perceive we should be held responsible?

• What types of management and processes do you need from me and my company?

• What examples will you share with me and your other principals of partnerships that work well for you and your manufacturer?
  • Can you give me examples of situations that do not work quite as well and explain why?

As I said – these are just the tips of the iceberg – let’s discuss!