Too often, brands treat promotions as routine—just plug them into the calendar, offer a discount, and hope for the best. But this “set it and forget it” mentality leads to wasted spend, shrinking margins, and missed opportunities. Without data, gut instincts rule—and gut instincts rarely outperform smart planning.

Too many CPG brands celebrate a sales spike and move on. But here’s the hard truth: without the right analysis, that spike might be a mirage.

We’re diving into the most critical — and most overlooked — question after any promotion: Did it actually work?

In the CPG (consumer packaged goods) world, data is everywhere—but not all brands know how to use it. If you're an emerging CPG brand, chances are you're sitting on a goldmine of untapped information hidden in your shipments, deductions, and trade spend reports.

In this post, we explore how to turn raw CPG data into actionable insights that drive smarter decisions, reduce waste, and grow sales.

Think your deductions process is running smoothly? Let’s put that to the test.

Deductions can quietly eat away at profitability, especially when your team is stuck in manual workflows or misaligned across departments. If any of the signs below sound a little too familiar, it might be time to take a hard look at your process—and more importantly, rework it for efficiency, clarity, and control.

In today’s fast-moving CPG landscape, deductions management remains one of the most painful—and most overlooked—areas for emerging brands. Despite growing complexity in retail and distributor relationships, many teams are still managing deductions manually, with inconsistent processes across sales, accounting, and operations.

If you’ve ever felt like you’re throwing trade dollars into a black hole, you’re not alone. Trade spend is one of the largest budget items for consumer packaged goods (CPG) companies, yet many sales and finance teams still struggle to answer basic questions like: Are we spending in the right places? Which accounts are driving the most ROI? Where are we wasting money?

Trade spend is one of the biggest investments CPG companies make—second only to the cost of goods sold. But here’s the uncomfortable truth: a big chunk of that budget might not be pulling its weight. Are those dollars truly driving growth, or just getting lost in the shuffle?

Let’s start with the basics: What is trade spend visibility—and why does it matter so much? For many CPG brands, this term can feel abstract. But the truth is, trade spend visibility is the foundation for sustainable growth. Without it, brands are essentially flying blind, making critical decisions based on gut feel rather than real data

For many consumer packaged goods (CPG) companies, trade spend is one of the largest budget items—but also one of the easiest to mismanage. Without clear visibility and control, promotions can quickly turn into a black hole of inefficiency, eating into margins without delivering measurable results.

If you’re wondering whether your company is managing trade spend effectively, here are 10 key warning signs that your trade dollars may be going to waste—along with real-world examples of how companies have tackled these challenges.