We've had a lot of talks around right ideas, right products, products that are market-fit solving the right problems, fixing frictions, setting up the right structures in one's business or organization, having the right people to execute, et al. While all these subjects are important, one stands out to be silently critical in the value chain.
The subject of distribution which is anchored on the effectiveness of your supply chain structure, is worth giving a special attention to. Imagine working into any store and I mean any store - even down to a shop in your village - and you can get a bottle of coca cola. Have you ever asked yourself, how is that? Answer is simply, a well mapped out distribution strategy.
There are lots of fantastic products lying around but have failed to reach it's maximum market. Having the right distribution plan helps the availability of your product in the market which in turn gains traction to your products. Many times, customers end up with products that are always available when needed even when they have other preferences. Where your product is the choice of your market but is hardly available, customers easily switch to the available. Like it's said, when the desired is not available, the available becomes the desired.
'we don't have it' is a line walk-in customers hate to hear. This is because they come in with expectations of getting a particular product in mind, and in some cases have expended time and money in form of transport to get to that store only to be disappointed. Each time your product is not on the shelf or your service is not available on a call, you willfully transfer your customer to your competition. They might hear it once and still hold back to try again hoping it will be available on next try, and they come again and hear same. That becomes disastrous for any brand. Even a bad product readily available in the market can be the market's choice eventually.
An easy way to take a brand off a market easily is simply to disrupt its supply chain or distribution. This is why having a fantastic product or people isn't enough. Pay attention to your distribution plan.
As business owners with great products and services, let's build an effective and working distribution plan so we don't leave our customers and clients out there in the market with the bad stuffs.
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