Summer 2020
unknown, Everything has changed as a result of this pandemic — it's time to change your approaches to reflect a new & changing “normal”
In my latest skill-building training with both corporate and individual students I talk about the fact that it takes 66 days to create a new habit — and we have all been in quarantine for longer than that. You and your team can access this and many more recordings and resources through our online learning portal.
Think about some of the things you’ve changed in your "Home Life" that you didn’t do before. By now, you may have new well-formed habits you will carry forward post-Pandemic.
There are also some not-so-good habits like drinking more alcohol, increased snacking and drinking, and late-night eating that you may have also partaken in a bit more than usual. So this new “Home Life” has changed parts of us and what we do "habitually" forever, which impacts our Shopper behavior, which then impacts retail and all of the categories we participate in.
Our job is to understand this evolving version of a “new normal”, which I think we are still a long ways away from.
As we move through this pandemic to a “new/now/evolving normal”, we know that individual and team learning is the key to future-proofing your team amid short- and long-term uncertainty. This newsletter is dedicated to looking forward – and my team and I are committed to arming you and your team with the tools and insight to help you navigate through improved Shopper and industry understanding.
We invite you and your team to look forward (instead of looking back) by accessing two NEW courses that focus on the changing Shopper during the pandemic and what you need to do about it. These courses are available through CMKG’s Online Training & Resource Center by: purchasing Individual CMKG Learning Membership or Courses, Programs, or through Corporate Training For Your Team.
Part of understanding your changing business and Consumer and Shopper is by engaging in some of the best online tools, whitepapers, and resources as we navigate through COVID-19. At this time, more than ever, you need to take the time to challenge your thinking and approaches, looking forward through a different lens than you may have in the past. Share the articles that really resonate for you with your team, discuss relevant ones in team meetings (or assign others to read them and give an overview back), and challenge yourself to always be learning!
From 1010 Data: Daily updates on US spending across sectors, travel, general merch & grocery, retail, food delivery, restaurant. Great “at a glance” understanding on consumer spending across different sectors.
From Numerator: Provides ongoing analysis into consumer behavior and sentiment by conducting ongoing surveys of verified buyers. Great shopper insights updated every 4 weeks.
From Nielsen: Nielsen BASES has been diligently tracking the pandemic’s impact on innovation research and is now compiling all the data in one convenient place. This page is updated regularly with new information.
From Prodege: Weekly downloadable reports available that share updates on research conducted with respondents.
From Suzy: Real-time insights from real U.S. consumers about how the COVID-19 pandemic is affecting them, allowing you to stay informed, act quickly, and plan your next move. Check back daily for the latest insights about COVID-19 and the state of the U.S. consumer.
From Tabs: The purpose of this tracker is to provide a macro view of the volumetrics of consumption across the store. Fresh data updates every 4 weeks.13-week trends, category gainers & losers, sales decomposition, shares.
Another great reading resource is a great blog – I’m a blogger and one of my favorite topics is strategy. Check out some of my favorite blog postings related not only to the changing shopper during a pandemic, but some other relevant topics you should brush up on to ensure you understand the changing data and the increased demand for collaboration between retailers and manufacturers.
You can also check out ALL blog topics (over 70 blogs now)!
Less trips to the store. More purchases online with delivery, curbside pickup, and/or buy online pick up in-store. Understand the implications behind this as shoppers stop shopping as frequently.
E-Commerce will continue to grow including delivery, curbside pickup and BOPIS (buy online, pickup in store). Things need to be adapted in the eCommerce space to be successful, including:
We recently ran a series of free (public) webinars for the industry on “Category Management in eCommerce” that we are making available temporarily using the following link: https://ispri.ng/RRv0M. I hope you enjoy it!
Increased use of lists by Shoppers. Shoppers want to spend less time in stores and are using more lists to plan their trips. As retailers, how do you become their store of choice to shop at? For brands, how do you get on their list prior to entering the store?
SKU rationalization is something that retailers are talking about as they navigate forward to
and
There are more 25+ additional webinar recordings that cover Shopper, Category Management, Analytics, Presentations & Storytelling, and Soft Skills in CMKG’s Online Training & Resource Center.
You can watch the latest recording by signing up for our Free-Level Membership, where you’ll also be able to check out other training resources.
Save these dates — webinars are Fridays from 11AM-12PM Eastern time! If you want to catch these, you’ll need to join as a Premium Category Management Learning Member.
September 18
October 23
December 4
New training from CMKG Learning & Training Experts to help improve our students’ learning experiences and help future-proof their careers and organizations from the uncertain times we continue to face.
Live Learning, Every 2 Months on Essential CPG & Retail Topics
Stay relevant and build your skills. Every 2 months we add in a new webinar course that can be attended “live” OR through a webinar recording a week after it runs. Individuals and organizations who purchase training or learning memberships have access to 25+ training topics ranging from data and analytics to presentation skills and storytelling, and to new ways to think about your business. We will continue to focus on Shopper Insights for the remainder of 2020, given the evolution of the “new normal” based on what’s to come with this pandemic.
Check out some of the most popular topics or see ALL TOPICS:
NEW MICROLEARNING:
Organizations and individuals who purchase training or premium learning memberships have access to these new tools that were developed in the last few months. You can access partial versions of these microlearning resources as a Free Category Management Member.
You can purchase training as an individual or for your team and get access to all of these great learning components. You also have the option of becoming a member of our CMKG learner community. Either way, we’d love to have you onboard! Contact support@cmkg.org with questions on how you can future-proof your career or entire team.
We're a global training company in Canada, dedicated to retailers, suppliers and solution providers. Whether you're a category manager or part of a sales or marketing team, our personalized programs, for organizations, teams and individuals, are tailored to elevate your skills.
