The Distributor Target Setting Checklist: How to Avoid The Biggest Mistakes Brand Owners Make Every Year
How to Avoid The Biggest Mistakes Brand Owners Make Every Year (That Leads To Painful Discussions and Expensive Divorces)
(That Lead To Painful Discussions and Expensive Divorces)
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The drink business has a dirty secret: nearly every beer and spirits brand struggles with the same problems when working with distributors. After hundreds of meetings with distributors in 30+ countries worldwide, I've seen the same thing happen repeatedly. In 99% of cases, these problems come up. They're not minor issues—they kill brands and waste tons of money.
Most brand owners don't understand the importance of setting clear goals. When things go wrong, they use goals like a weapon, which ruins relationships.
They don't get here: goals should be like a compass, not a hammer. They show you where to go, but they're useless if you don't know where you want to end up.
The Three Big Mistakes—And How to Fix Them
Problem 1: Not Setting Clear Goals or Setting Crazy Ones
The biggest problem is either avoiding goal-setting altogether or setting goals that are way too high. Setting goals is uncomfortable—it's that awkward talk nobody wants to have. So brands and distributors put it off and say they want to sell "a lot."
