182. Are deductions draining your cash flow and stealing your runway? If you feel like an ATM for retailers and distributors, this episode is for you. Trade spend can consume up to 25% of gross sales—and most brands waste the majority of it through poor deduction management and sloppy promotional execution.
In this episode, I break down practical trade marketing strategies to reduce invalid deductions, protect your cash flow, and dramatically improve promotional ROI. You'll learn why everything in trade is negotiable, how to treat promotions like binding contracts, and how clarity and accountability can immediately improve your margins. I also share a real-world story from managing deductions at Unilever—and how I used data to renegotiate costly promotional fees.
If you want more runway, better investor terms, higher brand valuations, and stronger retail partnerships, mastering trade marketing is non-negotiable.
Download the free Trade Marketing Essentials guide at the episode page and listen to related episodes to go deeper into trade promotion strategy, deduction prevention, and retail execution systems.
Get instant access on the show webpage: RetailSolved.com/session182
