You only have one chance to make a brilliant first impression…
1. Keep it Simple, Stupid.
Don’t invite a cast of thousands. Don’t overwhelm with data (all they’ll hear is blah blah blah). Don’t bullshit
.
Explain the insight and present your product upfront. The rest is detail (important, yes, but still detail).
2. Make it Visual.
FMCG/CPG products are visual by nature. A professionally prepared product visual or 3D mock up is worth a million words. Give them a really easy reason to believe.
3. Enough about me…
Spend more time thinking about the Category Manager’s pain points than your own. The more you understand the pressures they face, the more you can tailor your new product presentation to speak to their problems.
4. Enough about me… Part 2
Include information on your company at the end of the presentation. The temptation to babble on about yourself is self-serving. Keep the focus on the opportunity you are presenting the retailer, the opportunity to sell more shit.
5. Listen.
Actively. You never know what you might learn. Deal with the fact that the Category Manager’s objectives will probably be different to yours. Be prepared to adapt your expectations of the outcome.
THE NO-BULL BRANDER 