B2B Trade Marketing Strategy Training Course

Duration 10 days 21 modules · 65 contact hours
Level Intermediate Certificate on completion
Who attends Trade Marketing Managers, Key Account Managers and others
Fee from USD 2,200 KSh 190,000 for Kenyan organisations
Where 52 cities + online See dates by city
Next start 16 Nov 2026 Course code SD-M-070

Before you join: Participants should have practical exposure to B2B sales, marketing, account management, channel management or commercial planning.

Dates & prices

Two start dates a month in every city, and live online on weekdays or weekends. Fees are per participant; classroom fees include tuition, materials, lunch and refreshments, and the certificate.

Suggest a date or city

Showing the next six months. Later dates, other cities and private deliveries for your team are available on request.

Course overview

B2B trade marketing determines whether a commercial strategy reaches customers through the right channels, account teams, distributors and buying environments. Product value alone rarely secures distribution, shelf presence, reseller commitment or account growth. Commercial teams must translate brand and product priorities into channel-specific propositions, joint business plans, trade terms, promotions, point-of-sale materials and measurable account actions. Poorly designed trade programmes can erode margin, create channel conflict and reward activity without improving sell-out.

This course develops the practical methods used to plan, fund, execute and measure B2B trade marketing. Participants assess channel structures and economics, segment accounts, define partner value propositions, build category and shopper plans, set trade investment rules, negotiate joint business plans and design account activation programmes. They apply pricing, margin, promotion, distributor management and sales enablement methods to realistic commercial situations such as banking partnerships, healthcare distribution, industrial dealers, technology resellers and FMCG key accounts.

Teaching combines short instructor briefings with worked cases, account-planning clinics, group analysis, negotiation simulations and structured review sessions. Participants progressively build a trade marketing plan for a selected product, service, channel or strategic account. The final deliverable is a complete B2B trade marketing plan containing channel priorities, account segmentation, partner proposition, investment plan, activation calendar, governance model, scorecard and implementation roadmap.

The course suits professionals who already work with B2B customers, channel partners or commercial programmes and need a more disciplined approach to trade investment and account activation. It is particularly relevant where sales, marketing and partner teams must coordinate decisions on distribution, pricing, promotions, service levels and growth targets.

What you will be able to do

  • Assess channel structures, margin pools and partner economics using a channel profitability map
  • Segment trade accounts and channel partners using commercial potential, strategic fit and capability criteria
  • Develop channel-specific value propositions and partner programmes for priority customer segments
  • Construct joint business plans with growth targets, trade terms, activation actions and governance
  • Design trade promotion programmes using objectives, mechanics, funding rules and ROI measures
  • Build account activation calendars linking sales activity, marketing assets, incentives and customer milestones
  • Measure trade marketing performance through sell-in, sell-out, margin, execution and return metrics
  • Present a complete B2B trade marketing plan with investment recommendations and implementation controls

Benefits of attending

For you

  • Build credible trade marketing plans for priority accounts and channel partners
  • Make stronger cases for trade investment using margin and return evidence
  • Lead more structured joint business planning conversations with customers
  • Diagnose weak promotions, distributor performance and channel execution problems
  • Improve collaboration with sales, category, finance and partner-management teams

For your organisation

  • Direct trade funds towards accounts, partners and activities with clearer commercial returns
  • Improve coordination between brand plans, sales targets and channel execution
  • Reduce margin leakage from poorly governed discounts, incentives and promotions
  • Increase partner commitment through clearer value propositions and joint growth plans
  • Create consistent scorecards for reviewing account performance and trade investment

Course modules

21 modules over 10 days

Participants can define trade marketing's role in converting market strategy into channel and account action.

  • Trade marketing responsibilities between brand, sales, category and channel teams
  • Sell-in, sell-out and consumption measures distinguished for B2B channels
  • Commercial value chain from supplier proposition to customer purchase
  • Routes-to-market compared: direct, distributor, dealer, reseller and marketplace models
  • Trade marketing operating model linked to revenue, margin and execution
  • Common trade marketing failure patterns: unfocused spend, weak ownership, poor measurement
  • Decision rights mapped for pricing, promotions, assets and customer investments

Participants can analyse channel structures and identify the implications for commercial coverage and control.

  • Channel maps showing customer types, intermediaries, transaction flows and influence
  • Direct versus indirect coverage assessed through cost, control and reach
  • Customer buying journeys mapped for complex B2B purchase decisions
  • Channel power assessed through dependency, switching costs and market access
  • Distributor roles separated into logistics, credit, coverage and technical support
  • Channel conflict sources identified between direct sales, partners and digital routes
  • Route-to-market choices tested against customer needs and service requirements

Participants can build a channel economics view that informs partner and trade investment choices.

  • Channel economics map showing margin pools, inventory costs and service burdens
  • Gross-to-net revenue bridge built from discounts, rebates and claims
  • Contribution margin calculated by account, product, channel and customer segment
  • Cost-to-serve analysis covering delivery, support, credit and account management
  • Working-capital effects of payment terms, inventory and consignment arrangements
  • Partner margin structures compared with direct selling economics
  • Profitability thresholds established for trade programmes and account investments

Participants can turn market, customer and partner evidence into actionable trade insights.

  • Voice-of-customer interviews structured around needs, barriers and decision criteria
  • Win-loss analysis identifies account objections, competitor strengths and purchasing triggers
  • Customer data triangulated from CRM, sales records, service logs and research
  • Trade partner feedback separated from end-customer evidence and assumptions
  • Category trends translated into channel implications and commercial opportunities
  • Competitor channel tactics benchmarked through terms, availability, service and visibility
  • Insight statements written with evidence, implication and recommended response

Participants can prioritise accounts and partners using transparent strategic and economic criteria.

  • Account segmentation criteria combine revenue, growth, margin and strategic influence
  • Partner capability assessed through coverage, technical expertise, data and service
  • Attractiveness-capability matrix ranks accounts for differentiated commercial treatment
  • Whitespace analysis identifies underpenetrated products, sites, users and buying units
  • Account potential estimated from spend, share, installed base and expansion plans
  • Tiering rules define service levels, investment access and management attention
  • Priority account lists validated against sales capacity and partner coverage

Participants can create partner value propositions that address commercial and operational motivations.

  • Partner value proposition canvas links pains, gains, jobs and proof
  • Economic value quantified through revenue growth, margin, risk and efficiency
  • Functional benefits translated into account-specific commercial outcomes
  • Proof points selected from performance data, references, pilots and certifications
  • Partner propositions differentiate financial, operational, technical and marketing support
  • Objection handling prepared for price pressure, switching risk and resource constraints
  • Value messages adapted for distributors, resellers, dealers and strategic accounts

Participants can build portfolio and category plans that guide trade partner priorities.

  • Category roles defined as traffic, profit, strategic, seasonal or convenience
  • Product portfolio mapped by margin, growth, differentiation and channel fit
  • Assortment decisions match account segments, buying missions and service models
  • Range rationalisation uses sales velocity, profitability and strategic importance
  • Cross-sell and upsell paths mapped through customer needs and usage occasions
  • New product launches planned with listing, training, inventory and activation requirements
  • Category growth story combines demand evidence, range priorities and account actions

Participants can structure trade terms that support growth while protecting margin and discipline.

  • Price architecture separates list price, net price, rebates and service fees
  • Trade terms designed around volume, growth, payment, assortment and execution
  • Conditional rebates tied to measurable partner commitments and verified performance
  • Discount waterfalls reveal cumulative concessions and margin erosion
  • Minimum advertised price policies distinguished from unlawful resale price maintenance
  • Payment terms evaluated for credit risk, cash flow and partner behaviour
  • Approval thresholds set for exceptions, non-standard discounts and special deals

Participants can allocate trade budgets using commercial objectives, return estimates and governance rules.

  • Trade spend categories classified as rebates, incentives, promotions, assets and services
  • Zero-based trade budgeting starts with objectives, activities, costs and expected returns
  • Investment decision matrix compares strategic fit, feasibility, risk and financial return
  • Incrementality distinguishes genuinely additional sales from subsidised baseline demand
  • Budget guardrails set by account tier, category priority and margin threshold
  • Co-operative marketing funds governed through claims, evidence and approval procedures
  • Trade investment calendar balances launch windows, seasonality and account planning cycles

Participants can design trade promotions with clear mechanics, safeguards and measurable commercial intent.

  • Promotion objectives distinguish trial, distribution, volume, retention and stock clearance
  • Promotion mechanics selected: rebates, bundles, displays, contests and value-added services
  • Baseline sales established before estimating uplift, cost and promotion return
  • Cannibalisation, forward buying and post-promotion dips included in evaluation
  • Promotion rules specify eligibility, claim evidence, timelines and approval authorities
  • Partner incentives aligned with desired behaviours rather than shipment volume alone
  • Promotion post-mortems document outcomes, learning and future design changes

Participants can plan activation around the people, stages and evidence involved in B2B buying.

  • Buying-centre maps identify users, influencers, buyers, approvers and gatekeepers
  • Customer journey stages connect awareness, evaluation, purchase, onboarding and renewal
  • Decision criteria prioritised by role, risk level and purchase complexity
  • Account-specific content mapped to technical, financial and operational concerns
  • Proof assets include case studies, calculators, specifications and implementation plans
  • Purchase barriers addressed through training, demonstrations, trials and service commitments
  • Activation triggers identified from contracts, tenders, expansions and lifecycle events

Participants can specify trade activation assets that improve partner execution and customer conversion.

  • Point-of-sale objectives linked to visibility, education, conversion and cross-selling
  • Merchandising standards define placement, stock availability, signage and asset condition
  • Trade toolkits organise approved messages, visuals, specifications and ordering instructions
  • Sales enablement materials match partner roles, product complexity and sales stages
  • Digital partner portals support asset access, training, claims and lead registration
  • Asset deployment plans assign quantities, locations, owners and replacement cycles
  • Execution audits verify availability, compliance, quality and competitive presence

Participants can prepare joint business plans that align supplier and partner growth commitments.

  • Joint business planning agenda aligns shared opportunities, priorities and decision makers
  • Account fact base combines sales, margin, category, service and market evidence
  • Growth ambition translated into quantified revenue, share, distribution and profit targets
  • Joint initiatives specify actions, owners, timelines, resources and success measures
  • Trade terms linked to commitments on range, visibility, data and performance
  • Quarterly business reviews use scorecards, exception analysis and corrective actions
  • Escalation paths resolve stalled initiatives, disputed claims and missed commitments

Participants can develop account plans that focus resources on the highest-value growth opportunities.

  • Account plans define strategic objectives, stakeholders, opportunities and commercial risks
  • Stakeholder maps capture influence, attitude, access and relationship ownership
  • Opportunity funnels track qualification, value, probability, next steps and blockers
  • Account whitespace prioritised by product gaps, sites, business units and contracts
  • Mutual action plans coordinate supplier and customer activities before key decisions
  • Account risk registers cover concentration, churn, competitors, credit and service failures
  • Executive sponsorship plans establish purpose, cadence, roles and account outcomes

Participants can manage distributor and partner performance using clear expectations and review routines.

  • Partner onboarding standards cover contracts, systems, training, inventory and communications
  • Distributor scorecards combine sales, coverage, stock, service, data and compliance
  • Territory plans align partner coverage with customer density and opportunity potential
  • Partner capability gaps diagnosed through field observations, data and customer feedback
  • Training plans address product knowledge, consultative selling and operational processes
  • Corrective action plans specify performance gaps, commitments, dates and consequences
  • Partner exits managed through customer protection, inventory settlement and transition communications

Participants can establish practical working arrangements between sales, marketing and channel teams.

  • Service-level agreements define lead handling, asset support and campaign responsibilities
  • RACI matrix assigns ownership for account plans, promotions and partner programmes
  • Sales feedback loops capture objections, competitor moves and asset effectiveness
  • Marketing briefs specify audience, proposition, desired action, budget and measurement
  • Campaign calendars synchronise brand activity, account events and sales follow-up
  • Field communications package priorities, deadlines, materials and escalation contacts
  • Pipeline reviews connect marketing-generated demand with account conversion actions

Participants can build scorecards that assess execution, financial return and account progress.

  • KPI hierarchy links strategic outcomes, commercial drivers and execution measures
  • Sell-in, sell-out, distribution, share and availability metrics interpreted together
  • Trade promotion ROI calculated from incremental margin, costs and attribution assumptions
  • Account scorecards combine revenue, margin, terms compliance and joint initiatives
  • Leading indicators track training completion, asset deployment, pipeline and partner activity
  • Variance analysis separates volume, price, mix, timing and execution effects
  • Dashboard review routines trigger decisions, corrective actions and budget reallocation

Participants can define the data and reporting disciplines needed for trade marketing decisions.

  • CRM account records standardise segments, contacts, opportunities and activity history
  • Master data governance maintains account hierarchies, product codes and partner records
  • Data quality checks test completeness, timeliness, duplication and reconciliation
  • Trade claims registers track accruals, evidence, approvals, payments and disputes
  • Account reporting packs combine commercial results, actions, risks and decisions
  • Forecast assumptions documented for pipeline, promotions, seasonality and partner inventory
  • Data access rules protect customer information, commercial terms and confidential plans

Participants can apply governance controls to protect commercial integrity and customer relationships.

  • Delegated authority limits govern discounts, rebates, contracts and promotional commitments
  • Competition-law risks identified in pricing discussions, territory restrictions and information exchange
  • Anti-bribery controls apply to hospitality, incentives, gifts and partner payments
  • Contract clauses clarify performance obligations, data rights, audit and termination
  • Trade fund controls require documented purpose, approval, evidence and reconciliation
  • Channel conflict protocols define communication, decision rights and escalation procedures
  • Risk reviews address supply disruption, claims exposure, reputational damage and dependency

Participants can convert trade strategy into a sequenced implementation plan with accountable ownership.

  • Ninety-day action plans sequence priorities, milestones, owners and dependencies
  • Critical-path analysis identifies decisions, resources and timing constraints
  • Change stakeholder analysis anticipates support, resistance, influence and communication needs
  • Pilot design tests partner programmes before wider commercial deployment
  • Implementation scorecards monitor milestones, adoption, costs and emerging risks
  • Meeting cadence covers account reviews, cross-functional decisions and executive governance
  • Lessons-learned reviews convert pilot evidence into revised operating standards

Participants can build, review and present a complete B2B trade marketing plan for a priority channel, partner or account.

  • Channel diagnosis summarises structure, economics, customer needs and strategic constraints
  • Priority account segmentation justifies focus choices using evidence and scoring
  • Partner value proposition states commercial benefits, proof points and commitments
  • Joint business plan defines targets, initiatives, trade terms and governance
  • Activation calendar sequences promotions, assets, sales actions and partner milestones
  • Investment budget quantifies costs, incremental margin, assumptions and approval requirements
  • Performance scorecard specifies KPIs, data sources, review cadence and corrective actions
  • Plan presentation defends recommendations against commercial, financial and execution questions

Exercises and examples are adapted to each cohort's sectors and roles.

What you take back to work

  1. Channel economics and profitability map
  2. Account segmentation and prioritisation matrix
  3. Partner value proposition canvas
  4. Joint business plan template
  5. Trade investment and promotion ROI model
  6. B2B trade marketing implementation scorecard

Who should attend

  • Trade Marketing Managers — need to convert commercial priorities into channel and account programmes
  • Key Account Managers — need stronger joint plans, trade terms and activation discipline
  • Channel Sales Managers — need to improve distributor, dealer and reseller performance
  • B2B Marketing Managers — need to align campaigns with account priorities and partner execution
  • Category Managers — need to connect category growth plans with trade customer actions
  • Commercial Directors — need clearer governance for trade investment, margins and account growth

Skills and tools covered

Channel strategy designTrade investment planningJoint business planningAccount activationPartner programme managementTrade ROI measurement

Tools and standards

Joint Business Planning, RACI matrix, SMART objectives, Value Proposition Canvas

How the course runs

Training methodology

The course uses short briefings to introduce trade marketing methods, followed by commercial cases, account-planning workshops, group exercises and negotiation simulations. Participants analyse channel data, promotion proposals, distributor scenarios and joint business planning documents. Each participant applies the tools to a current product, service, account or channel challenge, receiving instructor feedback at key planning stages. Review sessions compare alternative investment choices, account strategies and performance measures before the final plan presentation.

Requirements and prerequisites

Participants should have practical exposure to B2B sales, marketing, account management, channel management or commercial planning. They should understand basic revenue, gross margin, pricing and customer relationship concepts, and be comfortable discussing their organisation's routes to market. Experience managing distributors, resellers, key accounts or trade promotions is useful but not essential. The course does not require prior formal marketing qualifications, advanced financial modelling skills, specialist software knowledge or previous experience with joint business planning.

A typical training day

08:30 – 10:30First session
10:30 – 10:45Refreshment break
10:45 – 12:30Second session
12:30 – 13:30Lunch and networking
13:30 – 15:00Third session
15:00 – 15:15Refreshment break
15:15 – 16:30Workshop and daily review

Live online deliveries follow the same structure in East Africa Time, with shorter screen blocks and longer breaks.

What the fee includes

  • Instruction by a practitioner facilitator
  • Full course workbook and materials
  • Exercise files, templates and case studies
  • Refreshments and lunch on classroom deliveries
  • Certificate of completion
  • Post-course application plan

Frequently asked questions

Participants should understand basic B2B sales, marketing or account-management work. The course assumes familiarity with customers, products, pricing and commercial targets, but does not require a marketing qualification or advanced finance skills.

Participants should bring a laptop and, where permitted, non-confidential information about a product line, channel, key account or partner programme. Useful inputs include sales trends, customer segments, trade terms, promotion plans and current account objectives.

It is suited to trade marketing, key account, channel sales, B2B marketing and category professionals. Commercial leaders responsible for distributors, resellers, strategic accounts or trade investment will also benefit.

General B2B marketing courses focus mainly on market positioning, demand generation and customer communications. This course concentrates on the commercial work required through channels and accounts: trade terms, partner propositions, joint plans, promotions, execution and trade return.

Participants build planning components around a current commercial challenge throughout the course. They can use the account segmentation matrix, joint business plan, investment model and scorecard in account reviews, partner meetings and budget discussions.

Each day runs from 08:30 to 16:30 and provides approximately 6.5 contact hours. The first week establishes channel, account, value proposition, pricing and investment methods; the second week develops activation, governance, measurement and the final trade marketing plan.

Questions about this course?

Ask about dates, fees, group bookings or running it for your team. Our training team replies by email.

Ask on WhatsApp info@skillsetdevelopment.com

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