1. Sales Planning and Strategy Development
Function: Develop short- and long-term sales strategies based on company goals, seasonality, and market conditions.
Analysis: Strategic planning allows the company to anticipate high-demand periods and capitalize on promotional opportunities. A successful manager uses data to prepare for peak seasons and design product offers that align with customer behavior and business priorities.
2. Statistical Analysis and Opportunity Identification
Function: Analyze historical sales data, product performance, and customer purchasing patterns to identify opportunities and create targeted promotions.
Analysis: Advanced statistical skills are essential to detect trends and gaps. By reviewing weekly product counts and sales volumes, the analyst can propose product promotions ahead of peak seasons and secure prebooks with key clients for the upcoming year.
3. Sales Forecasting and Budgeting
Function: Estimate future sales, plan inventory and purchasing needs, and manage budget allocations accordingly.
Analysis: Forecasting based on real data improves accuracy and reduces risk. It also ensures availability of high-demand items during key promotional windows.
4. Performance Monitoring and Reporting
Function: Track key metrics (KPIs), monitor product performance, and generate reports on sales trends by customer, product, and period.
Analysis: This helps the manager anticipate customer needs and prepare offers based on historical demand, improving conversion and customer loyalty.
5. Market and Price Analysis
Function: Conduct regular studies of competitor products and pricing in retail channels (especially supermarkets) to identify pricing gaps and product opportunities.
Analysis: Understanding the assortment and pricing strategies of retailers helps the manager position products more competitively and capture unmet consumer needs across different price points.
6. Customer Relationship and Prebooking Management
Function: Work closely with clients to plan future purchases, secure early commitments (prebooks), and offer tailored promotional packages.
Analysis: Building a calendar of projected orders allows for better planning and customer service. Anticipating client needs leads to stronger partnerships and more predictable revenue streams.
7. Cross-Departmental Collaboration
Function: Coordinate with marketing, operations, logistics, and finance to ensure alignment of sales promotions and supply capabilities.
Analysis: Effective collaboration ensures that promotional efforts are well-supported and executable, avoiding inventory or fulfillment issues.