Why this moment matters

• How did this initiative come onto your agenda right now?
• When did you first notice trade spend efficiency slipping for your brand? Options: This quarter, Last quarter, Two quarters ago, Longer than two quarters
• How many retail accounts do you run active promotions with in a typical quarter? Options: 1-5, 6-20, 21-50, 50+
• Who on your team is the day to day owner for trade promotion performance? Options: Head of Trade Marketing, Trade Marketing Director, VP Sales, Retail Account Leads, Other
• If nothing changes in the next two quarters, what is the business outcome that would force leadership to change course?

Where the budget actually ends up

• If you had to name the promotion type that most often produces temporary sales without lasting share gain, which would it be? Options: Price discount, Feature display, Temporary in-store display, Sampling, Digital coupon, Other
• Break down last year's promotional mix by spend, which of these best describes it? Options: Mostly price discounts (>50%), Balanced mix across tactics, Heavy on displays and merchandising, Sampling-led, Digital-first promotions, Other
• How do you currently measure incremental lift for a promotion, and which specific data sources do you rely on?
• What share of promotions in the last year met your minimum incremental ROI threshold? Options: >75%, 50-75%, 25-50%, <25%, Do not track
• Which single metric, if it does not improve in the pilot, would cause you to stop the project?

Retailer accounts that make or break results

• Which retailer account gives you the least confidence that agreed merchandising and display terms will be executed?
• List the top five retailers by promotional spend and the compliance rate you see for each.
• Which of the following best describes how retailer approvals for displays and price changes typically flow? Options: Centralized retailer portal with SLA, Email approvals through buyer reps, In-store agreements during field visits, Mixed processes by retailer, No formal approvals
• Who at the retailer is your primary escalation contact when an execution issue arises, and how quickly do they typically respond?
• If a key retailer refuses to allow third party tracking or share sales data for the pilot, would you still proceed? Options: Proceed with limited tracking, Pause until access is granted, Redesign pilot to a different retailer, Unsure

What you really see about shoppers

• Which blind spot about the shopper journey causes you the most doubt about a promotion's true impact?
• Which shopper data do you currently have reliable access to? Options: POS sales by SKU, Loyalty panel transactions, Store level inventory, Digital coupon redemptions, Household or shopper identifiers, None of the above
• How often can you reconcile promotional activity to daily POS feeds or near real time sales? Options: Daily, Weekly, Monthly, Only post promotion, Never
• Tell me about the last time you could definitively attribute incremental lift to a display or promotion, what evidence convinced you?
• If you cannot link lift to household or store level sales for the pilot, will the program still be considered successful? Options: Yes, on alternate signals, No, need household or store level linkage, Depends on magnitude of other signals, Unsure

Do you have what it takes to run this?

• What single internal resource constraint would stop this program from launching on schedule?
• Who would be the internal stakeholders we must engage and who will provide approvals? Options: Head of Trade Marketing, VP Sales, CFO, Retail Account Leads, Data Engineering, Legal and Compliance, Field Merchandising
• Do you have an internal team that can run integrations to retailer APIs or share daily POS feeds, or would you need the seller to manage that? Options: We manage integrations, Seller manages integrations, Shared responsibility, Not sure
• How many full time equivalents can you realistically dedicate to this pilot across data, field ops, and analytics? Options: None, 1-2, 3-5, 6-10, 10+
• If legal or retailer contract reviews will take longer than eight weeks, would you accept a pilot that starts with manual tracking instead? Options: Yes, No, Maybe, depends on retailer, Unsure

What can go wrong and who pays if it does

• Should the pilot show high sales but with significant cannibalization, what internal consequence worries you most?
• What is your maximum acceptable level of cannibalization before a promotion is judged unsuccessful? Options: None expected, <10%, 10-20%, 20-30%, >30%, We do not measure
• Which execution failures in past promotions cost you the most in spend or retailer relationships?
• Which of these risks do you consider most likely in this program? Options: Retailer non compliance, Data gaps preventing measurement, Production or display delays, Budget overruns, Negative shopper response
• What single acceptance criterion must the pilot meet for your leadership to approve program scale up?

Who else is trying to solve this

• Who are you actively evaluating right now as alternatives to engaging an external agency? Options: Another external agency, Your incumbent agency, Internal team, Retailer managed programs, Consulting firm, Technical vendor, No active alternatives
• Has anyone on your team proposed solving this problem internally instead of hiring an external partner? Options: Yes and ready to run, Yes but not resourced, No, We tried and stopped
• What would need to be true about your current approach for you to keep it rather than change vendors or partners?
• If the incumbent agency or your internal team stays in place, what minimum performance improvement would make you switch? Options: >20% incremental ROI, >15% incremental ROI, >10% incremental ROI, Any measurable positive lift, Other
• Unless the seller outperforms your current provider in a one cycle pilot, would you still consider a longer evaluation? Options: Yes, with extended pilot, No, will stick with current, Maybe, if costs lower, Unsure

Decision triggers and next steps

• When the pilot hits its headline target next quarter, what would stop you from signing a program agreement that same month?
• Who must sign off to proceed from pilot to full program? Options: Head of Trade Marketing, VP Sales, CFO, Procurement, Legal, Retail Partners
• What is your target timeline for a pilot to begin and for a go no go decision to be reached? Options: Begin in 2-4 weeks, decide in 6-8 weeks, Begin in 4-8 weeks, decide in 8-12 weeks, Begin in 2 months, decide in 3 months, TBD
• What budget authority exists to move from pilot to program without another financial review? Options: VP sign off, CFO approval required, Procurement and legal required, No preapproved authority
• Assuming the pilot proves the seller's claims, how fast can you mobilize for a retailer roll out? Options: Within 2 weeks, 2-4 weeks, 1-2 months, Longer than 2 months, Depends on retailer

• Engagement Assumptions and Scope Confirmation
• Retailer and Shopper Insight Detailed review
• Data Access Validation and Measurement Design
• Promotion Concept Co-creation Workshop
• Pilot Selection, Acceptance Criteria, and Next Steps

• Prepare rough cost estimates and timelines for each selected pilot concept.
• List each required data feed with integration endpoint details, sample availability, and next steps to obtain access.
• Document the measurement formulas, attribution windows, and success thresholds for pilot evaluation.
• Schedule a technical handoff to resolve each identified data connector or transformation blocker.
• Frame creative and execution constraints
• Three documented promotion concepts each with hypothesis, expected impact, execution checklist, and cost estimate.
• Selection of one or two concepts to advance to pilot design with justification and known risks.
• Produce one-page briefs for each concept including hypothesis, measurement approach, and execution checklist.
• Confirm objectives and success signals
• List required creative assets and production lead times for pilot readiness.
• Confirm readiness of measurement and data feeds for selected concept
• Ratified pilot plan including selected concept, sample selection, dates, and measurement readiness.
• Documented acceptance criteria and explicit go no-go conditions for pilot evaluation.
• Publish the finalized pilot plan with dates, sample stores, and measurement checklist.
• Produce the pre-deployment deliverable tracker listing required assets, data integrations, and due dates.
• Confirm the window for a technical readiness check and a final data validation prior to go-live.
• Documented scope including retailer, category, channel, sample store rules, and pilot dates.
• Initial data access inventory with status for each required feed, and a clear list of missing credentials or authorizations.
• Publish the confirmed scope document and data access checklist for asynchronous review.
• Collect sample records or screenshots for each listed data feed where available.
• List required authorizations and next steps to obtain missing credentials or API access.
• Review retailer promotional rules and operational constraints
• Documented retailer constraint list that will drive concept design and execution feasibility.
• Prioritized shopper segments with the expected response profile for promotion types.
• Produce a one-page retailer constraints summary that will guide creative options.
• Export and share segment definitions and example data samples for selected shopper groups.
• Identify three high-priority retailer-shopper scenarios to be used for concept development.
• Validate each required data source and access method
• Validated data inventory with status, sample availability, and quality notes for each feed.
• Measurement plan that defines metrics, attribution windows, test design, and acceptance thresholds.
• Review available shopper data and segment definitions
• Define primary outcome metrics and attribution rules
• Validate in-scope retailer, category, and channel
• Finalize pilot configuration and sample selection
• Develop concept A, B, and C with hypotheses
• Draft measurement methodology and statistical approach
• Document pilot boundaries and assumptions
• Agree acceptance criteria and go no-go conditions
• Map shopper journeys to in-store and omnichannel touchpoints
• Assess execution requirements and rough cost implications
• Risk review and concept selection for pilot candidates
• Prioritize retailer-shopper opportunities for concept testing
• Inventory data sources and initial access status
• Identify technical blockers and remediation steps
• Confirm the pre-deployment deliverable list and timeline

• Solution Walkthrough — Sample Promotional Plan & Measurement

• Confirm the current state and its cost
• You confirm the sample promotional plan addresses the temporary-volume and compliance failures you described and would deliver incremental lift in the named retail context.
• Deliver a detailed sample promotional plan for the selected pilot retailer with incremental lift projections and the measurement run used in the session.
• Walk through the sample promotional plan for a target retailer
• You agree that the proposed measurement approach will provide the evidence needed for ROI conversations with finance and sales leadership.
• Provide baseline sales, the last 6 months of promotion history, and confirmation of available POS or shopper data feeds for the pilot retailer.
• Demonstrate the measurement approach and lift calculation
• Confirm pilot acceptance thresholds for incremental lift, cannibalization tolerances, and compliance rates to use during the pilot evaluation.
• You identify the remaining data and acceptance criteria required to proceed to a pilot evaluation.
• Schedule the pilot cycle window and the pilot evaluation meeting to review results after the promotional cycle completes.
• Show the compliance monitoring and enforcement workflow
• Run a live sample forecast and sensitivity check
• Validate alignment with your needs

• Solution Walkthrough — Sample Promotional Plan & Measurement
• Solution Walkthrough Deck
• Solution Brief — Sample Promotional Plan

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• slides
• document

• Produce point-of-sale artwork and print files
• Manufacture and ship retail displays and fixtures
• Install displays and merchandising at store level
• Run in-store sampling and demonstration events
• Activate digital coupon campaigns and distribution
• Implement POS promotion mechanics (markdowns, BOGO)
• Capture store-level compliance photos and evidence
• Reconcile promotion redemptions and financial settlements
• Produce shelf-edge and price-promotion signage
• Deploy in-store digital content and ads
• Run post-promotion incrementality and performance reporting
• Execute retailer non-compliance remediation and escalations

Produce point-of-sale artwork and print files

• Provide the SKU master file or list of UPCs and pack variants that artwork must reference
• Which print file formats do your retailers require for POS (choose all that apply) Options: PDF (print-ready), AI / Illustrator, EPS, High-resolution PNG, Other / custom spec
• Who on your team will approve final artwork proofs and provide retailer-specific brand guidelines
• Specify the display or shelf dimensions from retailer planograms that must be respected in art layouts (width x height in mm or inches)
• Indicate any mandatory copy or regulatory statements (nutrition, legal, allergen) that must appear on printed pieces Options: Nutrition panel required, Legal trademark line, Allergen statement, No mandatory copy, Other
• Estimate the number of unique artwork SKUs (size/layout variants) that will require print-ready files Options: 1-5, 6-20, 21-50, 51+

Manufacture and ship retail displays and fixtures

• List the display types and build packs required (e.g., floor stand 3-shelf build pack, pallet wrap, gondola end cap)
• Which materials or durability ratings do your retailers require for fixtures (corrugated, MDF, metal, weather-rated) Options: Corrugated (short-term), MDF or wood, Metal/rigid, Weather-rated / outdoor
• Who will manage inbound receiving at your distribution center or 3PL for display shipments
• Provide the expected production lead time for custom fixtures in calendar days Options: Less than 14 days, 14-30 days, 31-60 days, 60+ days
• Identify required shipping routing method and any retailer receiving constraints (e.g., appointment windows, pallet height limits) Options: Appointment required, Liftgate required, Pallet height limit, No special constraints
• Specify in which accounts the first wave of fixtures will be shipped for the pilot

Install displays and merchandising at store level

• Which store-level installation model do you prefer for the pilot Options: Third-party merchandiser install, Retailer in-store team install, Distributor-driven install, Remote install instructions only
• Who is the single on-site owner we can contact per store for installation issues (name and phone or role)
• Describe the required installation evidence per store (planogram photos, fixture placement photo angles, install checklist)
• When will stores be available for install relative to promotion go-live (select lead window) Options: 7+ days before go-live, 3-6 days before go-live, Same-day or day-of
• Identify any store access or safety constraints installers must follow (lockout/tagout, store hours, refrigerated area permits)
• Estimate average install time per store for the pilot display type Options: Under 30 minutes, 30-60 minutes, 1-2 hours, 2+ hours

Run in-store sampling and demonstration events

• Which sample type and serving format will be used for in-store demos (single-serve, portion cups, sample pouch) Options: Single-serve, Portion cups, Sample pouch, Ready-to-eat tray
• How many demonstration shifts per store and approximate shift length do you expect for the pilot Options: 1 shift (2-3 hrs), 2 shifts, 3+ shifts, Variable per store
• Who will certify food-safety and allergen compliance for samplers at each retailer (corporate cert or third-party) Options: In-house food-safety cert, Third-party cert, Retailer provides certification
• Specify the sampling KPIs you want captured at each event (demos completed, product handed out, conversion to purchase via POS uplift) Options: Demos completed, Units sampled, Instant conversion tracked, Basket lift measured
• Indicate required proof-of-service artifacts after each demo shift (hourly sign-in sheet, POS uplift snapshot, location photo) Options: Sign-in sheet, POS uplift snapshot, Location photo, Sampler timesheet
• Estimate per-sampler travel or per diem constraints that would affect scheduling for the pilot

Activate digital coupon campaigns and distribution

• Which coupon distribution channels will you use in the pilot (retailer-managed digital coupons, mobile wallet, loyalty-targeted offers, third-party coupon networks) Options: Retailer-managed digital coupon, Loyalty-targeted offer, Mobile wallet pass, Third-party coupon network
• Which coupon redemption file format does your finance team require for reconciliation (CSV with transaction ID, coupon ID, redemption date) Options: CSV (transaction-level), Fixed-width settlement file, EDI-style settlement extract, Other
• Identify the target cadence for coupon distribution and expiry windows for the pilot Options: Single distribution with 7-day expiry, Ongoing distribution during promo window, Staggered distributions
• Who will provide the shopper segment or loyalty list for targeted coupon delivery and in what file format
• Specify tracking endpoints or integration surfaces required to capture coupon redemptions (retailer API, FTP drop, daily POS extract) Options: Retailer API, Secure FTP drop, Daily POS extract, Manual report upload
• Estimate expected coupon redemption rate range you would consider successful for pilot evaluation Options: Under 1%, 1-3%, 3-6%, 6%+

Implement POS promotion mechanics (markdowns, BOGO)

• Which promotion mechanics will be active in the pilot (select all that apply) Options: Temporary price markdown, Buy One Get One (BOGO), Multi-buy price (2 for $X), Price Pack/Insert
• Which retailers require advance-format definitions for mechanics (price ticketing vs scanned coupon) and which format do they use Options: Price ticketing, Scanned coupon, Loyalty discount, Other
• Who will own the retailer price-change request and confirmation workflow for the pilot
• Specify any POS rounding rules or retail price ladder constraints that affect the advertised promotion price
• Indicate the expected promotional weeks or dates for the pilot and any blackout periods
• Provide the baseline (non-promotional) unit price and velocity period we should use for incremental lift comparisons Options: Most recent 4 weeks, Same period last year, 12-week moving average, Other

Capture store-level compliance photos and evidence

• Which photo angles and planogram-reference shots do retailers require as proof of display compliance (endcap face-on, shelf-left-to-right, SKU close-up) Options: Endcap face-on, Shelf left-to-right, SKU close-up, Barcode/price-tag close-up
• Who will be responsible for uploading compliance photos and timestamped metadata into the agreed evidence repository Options: In-store merchandiser, Field auditor, Retailer field team, We will upload
• Specify the minimum photo quality and file-size / resolution requirement for automated image analysis (e.g., 1024x768 JPEG, readable barcode) Options: 1024x768 JPEG, High-res 2048+ JPEG, PNG with readable barcode, Other
• Indicate any store-level logs or additional evidence required alongside photos (installer sign-off form, planogram ID, shelf tag snapshot) Options: Installer sign-off form, Planogram ID, Shelf tag snapshot, None
• How frequently should compliance captures occur during the promotion window (day 0, weekly, random audits) Options: Day 0 only, Weekly captures, Random sample twice during promo, Continuous monitoring
• What evidence will validate display compliance at store level and be accepted as 'done' for pilot acceptance (max 3 measurable items) Options: Timestamped photo set with planogram ID, Installer sign-off plus photo, Retailer confirmation email

Reconcile promotion redemptions and financial settlements

• Which settlement cadence do you require for promotions (weekly accruals, monthly settlements, final reconciliation after X days) Options: Weekly accruals, Monthly settlements, Final reconciliation after 30 days, Other
• Which file fields must appear in redemption reports for finance reconciliation (transaction ID, store ID, promotion ID, coupon ID, redemption amount) Options: Transaction ID, Store ID, Promotion ID, Coupon ID, Redemption amount
• Who is the accounts-payable contact or team that will review settlement files and provide acceptance
• Specify the acceptable reconciliation tolerance or error threshold (for example, less than 1% variance vs expected redemptions) Options: Under 0.5%, 0.5-1%, 1-2%, 2%+
• Indicate whether promotion funds are handled via retailer claims, direct invoicing, or off-invoice allowances Options: Retailer claims, Direct invoicing, Off-invoice allowance, Hybrid
• What acceptance evidence will confirm financial settlement is complete for the pilot (e.g., signed settlement report, cleared invoice, variance < threshold) Options: Signed settlement report, Cleared invoice payment, Variance below agreed threshold

Produce shelf-edge and price-promotion signage

• Which shelf-edge ticket size and template do retailer planogramming rules require for promoted SKUs Options: Standard shelf strip, Wide price ticket, Promotional flag ticket, Retailer-specific template
• Provide the exact promotional pricing strings required for price tickets (e.g., '2 for $5', 'Save $1', 'BOGO 50%')
• Who will supply the store-level price ladder or rounding rules to ensure ticketed prices match POS price
• Specify whether shelf-edge tickets require adhesive, clip-on, or printed inserts for retailer fixtures Options: Adhesive, Clip-on, Printed insert, Other
• Indicate the batch quantity of signage you expect per store for the pilot Options: 1-5 per SKU, 6-20 per SKU, 21+ per SKU
• Describe any retailer barcode or price-tag capture requirements that signage must include (human-readable price, scannable barcode)

Deploy in-store digital content and ads

• Which in-store digital inventory will the pilot use (looped shelf-edge screens, endcap video, in-line digital signage) Options: Shelf-edge screens, Endcap video loop, In-line digital signage, Kiosk content
• Which content formats and maximum file sizes do store players accept (MP4 H.264, still image JPEG, maximum MB) Options: MP4 H.264, JPEG/PNG, HTML5 package, Other
• Who will provide final creatives and variant cuts for vertical/horizontal screens and what turnaround time is required
• Specify the content scheduling windows and dayparting rules (e.g., morning breakfast hours, peak shopping hours) Options: Morning daypart, Afternoon, Evening, Custom schedule
• Indicate required tracking pixels or reporting endpoints that playback logs must push to capture impressions Options: Retailer playback log, Platform tracking endpoint, SFTP log drop, No tracking required
• Estimate acceptable content failure or uptime SLA for digital players in pilot stores (for example, 98% uptime during campaign hours) Options: 95% uptime, 98% uptime, 99.5% uptime, No SLA required

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• Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA)
• Master Services Agreement (MSA)
• Statement of Work (SOW)
• Commercial Schedule and Order Form
• Data Processing Agreement & Data Access Authorization
• Acceptance Criteria & Measurement Annex
• Governance and Change Control Agreement
• Service Level Agreement (SLA) and Support Terms
• Termination and Transition Plan
• Industry Compliance Addendum (conditional)

• Go-live Health Check
• First Measurement Review
• Acceptance Gate — Pilot Decision
• Ongoing Quarterly Success Review

• Publish the quarterly performance snapshot showing ROI, cannibalization, and compliance trends to the shared workspace.
• Produce a documented pass or fail result for each acceptance criterion recorded in the Pilot Evaluation stage.
• Capture the formal acceptance decision and named signatory when a sign-off is required.
• Agree remediation actions and verification timeline for any failed criteria.
• Publish the acceptance decision record and supporting evidence to the shared workspace.
• Create remediation tasks for failed criteria with resolution dates and verification steps.
• Schedule follow-up verification meeting to confirm remediation outcomes prior to full program expansion.
• Program performance trends
• Confirm whether program-level promotional ROI and cannibalization are within acceptable ranges relative to Pilot Evaluation targets.
• Reduce the count of high-severity open compliance issues and agree resolution timelines.
• Prioritize enhancements and agree delivery quarters for the top three requests.
• Update the enhancement backlog with prioritization scores and target delivery quarters.
• Record outstanding compliance issues in the tracker with target resolution dates and verification criteria.
• Re-confirm success criteria and ownership
• All deployment validation checks completed and any gaps documented with owners and target dates.
• Top three early blockers identified and remediation actions agreed.
• Ownership for each success criterion recorded in the Pilot Evaluation stage is confirmed.
• Publish a go-live validation report summarizing deployment checks and outstanding issues.
• Create remediation tickets for each blocker with target resolution dates.
• Confirm data feed and tracking endpoint test harness schedule for ongoing monitoring.
• Present first-cycle results against targets
• Determine whether incremental sales lift (%) and display compliance rate (%) are trending toward Pilot Evaluation targets or require remediation.
• Identify root causes for any KPI shortfalls, including cannibalization and tracking accuracy issues.
• Agree a corrective action plan with dates that moves the program to the Acceptance Gate meeting.
• Run a root-cause analysis for each KPI gap and publish findings with recommended fixes.
• Reconcile POS and retailer reporting to produce a tracking match-rate report for the next review.
• Implement agreed execution adjustments for the next promotional cycle and log expected impact.
• Restate acceptance criteria and numeric targets
• Deployment and production validation
• Present outcome data against each criterion
• Compliance and issue review
• Diagnose KPI gaps and cannibalization signals
• Enhancement request triage
• Data integrity and measurement validation
• Early adoption and usage signals
• Document acceptance decision and capture signatory
• Agree corrective actions and timeline to acceptance
• Agree remediation plan for any failed criteria
• Action item and backlog review
• Blockers and open issues
• Agree immediate remediation actions