Understanding Route To Market and how Frontline Market Research can help your business

Route to market

By Steve Johnson

Essentially a route to market is a route between you, the manufacturer or wholesaler, and the target demographic that you wish to buy your product.

A Route To Market (RtM) strategy is also known as a Trade Marketing And Distribution Strategy or a Sales Execution Strategy.  Whatever you choose to name this strategy it is vital to your businesses success.

Because the RtM provides a detailed plan on how to get your products from your factory or warehouse to your customers efficiently, it may also help to reduce costs.

RtM in Africa is very different to those strategies used in First World countries simply because Africa has a very large informal customer base.  More products are sold in Africa through spaza shops, street side vendors, shabeens and hawkers than through shopping centres.

Route To Market research offered by Frontline Market Research

At Frontline Market Research (FMR) we know Africa.  We have literally walked the streets, driven the roads and hiked the bush of this wonderful continent.

Our objective with customised Route to Market research is to get your product within reach of as many potential buyers as possible in the most efficient, affordable and sustainable way. 

Our Route to Market offering is a turnkey solution, working in partnership with you to provide a road-map to optimizing your route to market and customer service policies.

We achieve this by thoroughly researching the geographic location of your target market.  We will find every outlet, both formal and informal, where your products may be sold.

We have developed an App called Outlet Location & Activation (OLA) that ensures that every outlet researched has its GPS location mapped, images recorded and other data captured accurately and efficiently.

This information is then placed on Geomapping Intelligence Software (GIS) where the data may be sorted, tagged, grouped and visualised for a wide variety of purposes.

Full service market research company

Route to Market research is just one of the many services that we offer.  We have offices in Johannesburg and Port Elizabeth with representation throughout Africa. 

We have some of the most granular and up to date African market environment data available.

Our services are comprehensive and include retail tracking services, route to market, various fit for purpose retail audits and census, satisfaction surveys, observation of sales, stock generated market share, trader satisfaction surveys and customer satisfaction surveys, market sizing and segmentation, time and motion studies, execution audits and more. 

We also have an exceptional knowledge on various GIS software solutions and offer training, consulting and support on SpatialXL BI Suit. Our Geomapping team has a wealth knowledge filled to the brim with rich information that will help you make better informed business decisions.

If you’re looking for data or bespoke research projects on Africa then give me a call.

Steve Johnson, Director – Strategic Projects, Tel: 084 200 0111       Email: steve@frontlineafrica.com

For more on marketing and sales click here.

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