Page 13 - Beverage MasterAug Sept 2020_Rev

Legal & Marketing

ing sales enablement is a great way to build brand ing at a rapid rate and the craft beer distribution
preference with an indirect salesforce. Plus, these channel is notoriously competitive. When shop-
educational modules give sales reps the chance to ping for incentive program providers, make sure
earn rewards, further increasing the value proposi- to choose one that fully supports their software
tion of an incentive program. and has definite outlines for future development.
Moreover, look for a provider that offers the abil-
Streamlining the Administrative Experience ity to quickly enhance and expand a program in
response to competition. That way, it’s easier to
In addition to the benefits of incentive program capitalize on the present opportunity, while plan-
technology for channel sales and marketing, anoth- ning ahead for the future, and staying one step
er important consideration for craft beer producers ahead of industry competitors.
is ease-of-use from an administrative standpoint.
How complicated is implementation? What are the Nichole Gunn is the VP
time-costs of managing the program? How much of Marketing and Creative
flexibility is there for adjusting the program website Services at Incentive
or setting new promotions? Will there be ongoing Solutions (www.incen-
strategic support from the incentive company? tivesolutions.com), an
Atlanta-based incentive
Today, cloud-based, modular incentive software company that specializes
has streamlined the admin experience. Programs in helping B2B companies
can be launched in as little as eight weeks. With improve their channel
easy-to-use administrator dashboards and drag- sales, build customer
and-drop editors, sales and marketing managers loyalty, and motivate
at craft beer producers can quickly make changes their employees. Nichole
to their program. Plus, custom reports help them Gunn can be reached at
monitor their program and measure ROI. ngunn@incentivesolutions.com.

Additionally, some companies offer teams of
incentive specialists to manage the program.
According to a 2019 survey of our clients, many of
whom are in the beverage manufacturing industry,
more than 70 percent spent less than two hours a
week performing administrative responsibility for
their incentive program.

Sustaining a Competitive Advantage

In short, a channel incentive program acts as an
entire digital ecosystem for partner engagement,
an important competitive advantage for craft beer
producers who rely on supply chain trading part-
ners in order to go to market. Compared to other
industries, the craft beer production industry is still
in the early stages of adopting channel incentive
strategies, giving those who jump on board soon a
major competitive edge. Being among the first to
roll out a channel incentive program for distribu-
tor and wholesaler sales reps represents a major
opportunity to capture mindshare and share-of-
wallet.

However, it’s important for craft beer producers
to keep an eye on the future. Technology is evolv-

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