In this initial phase, the focus should be on securing new placements within the category and ensuring that your brand is visible and easily discoverable in-store. New product placements often require an investment in “non-working” trade spend, such as, Slotting Fees and Free Fills. Analyze retailer opportunities case-by-case on a P&L basis, to determine feasibility of the opportunity.

Now that you’re on the shelf, the focus should shift to encouraging consumers to try your product. This can involve investing in “working” trade spend, such as, discounting, coupons, samplings, and out-out-of store marketing activities such as digital advertising, social media, and influencer partnerships to raise brand awareness and drive traffic to retailers.

Finally, once you've generated trial and established a loyal customer base, the focus should shift to driving repeat purchases. This can involve investing in targeted promotions and loyalty programs to encourage repeat purchases, as well as expanding your product line to offer additional SKUs and drive long-term market share ownership.