Building a Retail Broker Relationship That Actually Works
Broker relationships are one of the most misunderstood investments in the consumer goods industry. Brands either over-rely on their broker — treating them as a fully outsourced sales function while managing them poorly — or they under-invest, treating the relationship as a commodity while expecting premium results.
The brands we've seen build the most effective broker relationships share a common approach: they treat their broker as a strategic partner, not a vendor.
Set Clear, Measurable Expectations
The first conversation with any new broker relationship should establish specific, measurable objectives — and a timeline. What distribution targets are you expecting in Year 1? What velocity benchmarks define success? What promotional programming support do you expect, and at what frequency?
Brokers work best when they know exactly what success looks like. Vague direction produces vague results. Specific, data-driven expectations give your broker team something concrete to work toward — and give you a basis for evaluating performance.
Invest in the Relationship
The brands that get the most from their brokers are the ones that show up. Regular business reviews — monthly at a minimum, weekly during key promotional periods — signal to your broker that you're a priority account. Brands that disappear after onboarding get the attention they earn: not much.
Show up for key buyer meetings. Invest in your broker team's product knowledge. Build personal relationships with the people who are representing your brand in front of buyers every week.
Align Incentives
Commission structures drive behavior. If your broker is compensated purely on sales revenue, they'll prioritize your highest-volume SKUs in your largest existing accounts — regardless of whether that's where your strategy needs to go. Consider adding performance incentives tied to new distribution, velocity improvement, or successful promotional execution.
A well-structured broker relationship is a force multiplier. A poorly structured one is an expensive way to outsource accountability.
