How field sales transformed retailer relationships
Part 1 of our ‘90 years of Finding a Better Way” series - Exploring how field sales transformed retailer relationships.
Long before social media influencers, brands grew by earning the trust of retailers. 90 years later, the principle remains the same.
When marketers talk about influence today, they usually think of content creators, algorithms and social media.
But long before digital channels existed, the people with the greatest influence over purchasing decisions weren't online.
They were retailers.
In 1936, almost every purchase happened over the counter. Shopkeepers didn't simply sell products – they recommended them, explained them and built trusted relationships with their customers. Their advice shaped buying decisions every day. If a brand wanted to grow, it first had to earn the confidence of the retailer.
It was this changing retail landscape that inspired CPM's founder, Bede Egerton, to ask a simple question:
"What if brands had their own sales people ensuring products were stocked, visible and selling?"
That idea became the UK's first dedicated field sales company, creating a new way for brands to build relationships with retailers and grow sales.
Retailers were the original influencers
Today, influencer marketing connects brands with consumers through trusted voices.
Ninety years ago, those trusted voices stood behind the shop counter.
Independent retailers knew their communities. They understood their customers' preferences, offered recommendations and decided which products received attention. Their endorsement could determinewhether a product succeeded or failed.
For brands, simply producing a great product wasn't enough.
They needed someone who understood retailers, could communicate commercial value and build lasting relationships.
In many ways, field sales professionals became the original influencers - not because they persuaded consumers directly, but because they helped brands earn the trust of the people who did.
Great field sales has always been about helping retailers succeed
From the very beginning, effective field sales was never just about taking orders.
It was about understanding each retailer's business.
Our teams travelled from shop to shop on foot, helping brands improve availability, increase visibility and create stronger retail partnerships.
They listened.
They solved problems.
They explained how brands could increase sales, attract shoppers and generate more revenue.
Today we'd describe this as consultative selling.
Back then, it was simply common sense.
The strongest retailer relationships have always been built on one principle: helping retailers succeed first.
The 1950s changed retail forever
The arrival of self-service shopping and the growth of supermarkets transformed the way people bought products. Consumers could now browse shelves themselves, creating entirely new challenges for brands.
Distribution alone was no longer enough.
Brands also had to win visibility.
Shelf position. Availability. Execution.
As the UK's first field sales company, CPM evolved alongside this new retail environment. Acting as a trusted extension of our clients' sales teams, we helped brands build distribution and visibility shop by shop and town by town across the country.
The channels changed.
The principles didn't.
What modern brands can still learn from the pioneers of field marketing
Retail has changed dramatically since 1936.
Today's shoppers move between physical stores, ecommerce, convenience, grocery, specialist retail and social commerce. Technology now provides brands with more information than ever before.
But retailers are still asking remarkably similar questions.
- Why should I stock this product?
- How will it grow my category?
- What makes this different?
- How will it help my shoppers?
The brands that answer those questions best continue to earn space, visibility and loyalty.
That's why field sales and field marketing remain so valuable.
Face-to-face conversations continue to build trust in ways that digital channels alone cannot.
Better relationships, powered by better intelligence
The biggest difference today isn't the importance of relationships.
It's the quality of information behind them.
Modern field teams don't rely solely on instinct or experience. They combine retailer knowledge with live sales data, category insights, shopper behaviour, AI-powered recommendations and intelligent prioritisation.
That means every retailer conversation is more relevant, more personalised and ultimately more valuable.
At CPM, our Liquid Approach™️ brings together strategy, data, technology and amazing people to help brands identify the right opportunities, prioritise the right stores and have better commercial conversations.
It's still relationship selling.
It's simply relationship selling powered by intelligence.
Finding a better way for brands
As we celebrate 90 years of CPM, one thing stands out.
The methods have continually evolved - from travelling salespeople on foot, to international field sales teams, retail execution technology, AI and data-led optimisation.
But our purpose hasn't changed.
We've always looked for a better way to help brands grow.
Whether that meant pioneering field sales in 1936 or helping today's brands combine people, data and technology to unlock commercial potential, the principle remains the same.
The lesson for brands today
Retail will continue to evolve, but growth will always start with understanding people, building trust and helping retailers succeed.
Next in our series: From shelf presence to shopper experience - How retail execution evolved to drive brand growth.
2 minute read
