The challenge: A need to win over the gatekeepers
C&C had an exceptional marketing team delivering standout brand marketing campaigns. The problem was the impact was falling short. Why? They weren’t successfully bringing their sales team or retailers along on the journey to support their brilliant marketing activity.
After a closer look, we uncovered the root of the issue: the team hadn’t been trained to craft commercially astute propositions.
They weren’t winning over key decision-makers: retailers and customers. So, while the marketing hit the mark, it was getting blocked from reaching consumers because they weren’t swaying the gatekeepers.
The mission? To raise the floor on commercial capabilities by training the marketing team at C&C how to create sell-ins that buyers simply can’t say no to.
Introducing The Triple Win
To upskill the team on commercial propositions, we knew a new way of thinking was needed. Enter the “Triple Win” — a strategic thinking tool designed to reframe how the team approached commercial propositions.
To bring this to life, we delivered two workshops: The Foundations of a Selling Proposition and Writing a Compelling Selling Proposition. Anchored in The Triple Win, this layered approach blended learning with doing, combining foundational knowledge with deeper dives into both functional and leadership skills, as well as an immersive live pitching session. Because growth happens when you get comfortable with being uncomfortable!
New ways of thinking and doing don’t stick after a few challenging workshops, no matter how tough. They require regular practice and embedding into the day-to-day. We knew securing senior leadership buy-in was critical to the solution, to ensure delegates were held accountable and continued to apply their learnings long after the training ends.
Learning: The foundations of a selling proposition
To introduce a new way of thinking, you need to go back to basics. Drawing on our 25 years’ in the industry, we trained the team on the critical inputs they need to build a a compelling customer proposition that delivers value at the critical sweet spot between the shopper, customer, and company. But inspiration means nothing if you don’t know how to operationalise and apply it. We led discussions & exercises to get the team to rethink their roles in the context of the Triple Win and what part they play in achieving it.
Time to roll up those sleeves! The second workshop worked on the essential skills needed to write effective selling propositions. We focused on structure, tailoring to different buyers and categories, and aligning with stakeholder priorities. But writing a great proposition is only half the battle — delivering it with confidence is key…
That’s why we created a Dragons’ Den-style challenge, an opportunity to practice in a live, high-pressure setting,
receive real-time feedback from senior stakeholders and engage in team-bonding & peer-peer support.
We spoke, and C&C listened. From the start, we championed senior sponsorship, and C&C’s leadership team stepped up.
The Marketing Director and Category Director actively participated in the training, while the Sales Director joined the panel to provide real-world, commercial feedback. Their involvement showed true leadership commitment and made sure the training resonated across all levels at C&C.
A new level of commercial capability
The marketing team at C&C is now equipped with a fresh perspective on sell-ins. Perhaps most importantly, the team is empowered with the commercial acumen to win over key decision-makers and unlock opportunities that drive long-term business growth. From junior marketers to directors, the programme raised the floor on sell-in capability to a common high standard for marketers of all levels at C&C.
We’re here to help
For more information or to book a training course, contact us at chris@locksmith.works or alex@locksmith.works. Let’s unlock your team’s potential!
