Should we invest in partnership marketing with retailers first, or should we run external campaigns to drive awareness?

The community consensus is that the sequencing depends on your goal. If your objective is to drive retail sales, do the in-store work first—secure retailer support, visibility, and execution—then follow with external campaigns to pull customers into the store. External campaigns alone are "more hit and miss" without that foundation. However, if your goal is to demonstrate marketing activity to buyers (to secure shelf space or partnerships), targeted external campaigns can work as a proof point. One member noted they took out a billboard in the Channel Islands specifically to show a retailer they were doing something. The key insight: in-store fundamentals first, external campaigns second.