Local Marketing Challenge #8

Team Carrot or Team Stick?

One of the classic management and motivation techniques is the carrot or stick approach. Originally applying to animals, we now see if often in the business world and regularly within local marketing, which is why it’s We Are Acuity local marketing challenge #8.

Many of the brands we know and love have nationwide presence, but the brand promise, product or service is delivered locally through venues, stores, retailers or partners in towns and cities across the UK. I’m sure you can think of numerous examples of brands you interact with where this is the case. The fast-food restaurant, the gym, the clothing store or the car dealership, to name just a few. The challenge when it comes to marketing is how can these brands spending millions of pounds at a national level get their local partners to complement these efforts in their local territories for the greater good. The benefits of this extended reach include increased awareness and consideration, and ultimately more sales. Brands need to find a way of engaging their partners and getting them running approved marketing in the right local channels, but how?

Well you have the choice between the carrot or the stick.

In the blue corner you’ve got team stick with their mandates and penalties. You must do this, or you’ll fail that, or lose this. The consequences for non-compliance are usually financial or support related. So partners get in line with tick box local marketing through fear of losing something, rather than knowing why they are doing it or the value it offers. Repeat month on month and quarter on quarter. 👎

In the red corner you’ve got team carrot taking their partners on a journey of best practice, advice and information sharing, engaging their partners with reward and recognition. Materials and programmes are in place to make local marketing easier and more accessible, allowing local teams to run activity which mirrors the brand. Maybe there’s even some co-funding too! 👍

Personally and at We Are Acuity we’re big fans of team carrot. It allows brand teams to support their local partners, build relationships and report back to the business on the effectiveness of local marketing. Something many brands struggle with and a challenge we're helping head office teams with today.

#marketing #localmarketing

If you’re a Marketing or Brand Manager for a multi-location brand and you’re debating how to best support your local partners, why not schedule a FREE 30-minute assessment today here? It will be well worth your time.

Or alternatively read more about Local Marketing on our blog page "Local Thinking': https://www.weareacuity.com/local-thinking-our-blog