Kate Moran, CEO and cofounder of Sagacity Tea, a small, Vermont-based ready-to-drink tea brand, is considering a consumer-product group (CPG) broker's proposal for the product's launch in several cities along the East Coast of the United States. The commitments in the proposal include various forms of trade promotion, including discounts, coupons, and slotting fees (SFs), the latter being upfront payments to retailers in the form of free goods in return for shelf space. Moran must decide whether to accept the proposal or to pursue another expansion options such as online sales and a pop-up store.

Spreadsheet supplement for case 918527.

Promontory, Inc. is a small, privately-owned firm in the promotional products (specialty advertising) industry. After starting the firm two years ago with the intention of pursuing a high-quality/high-price strategy, the CEO is seeking methods of increasing sales revenues and profitability. He is considering whether and how to increase the size of the sales force, redirect, or redeploy the company's current sales efforts, utilize alternative marketing vehicles, and maximize sales potential. To attain this goal, the firm has bought some customization equipment and attempted to find niches in which it can succeed, by doing the work usually done by suppliers and manufacturers. The case raises numerous general marketing and sales management issues and provides a profile of various approaches to personal selling. At its heart is the appropriate marketing organization for this company's strategy, and especially, the details of execution in the field. These multipronged challenges make the case suitable for courses in Entrepreneurship, Marketing, Sales, Small Business Management, General Management, and Strategy.

Spreadsheet supplement for case 917535.