June 17, 2025

61: Is It Worth It? Decoding the Return on Effort in Beer Sales

48 minutes

Why do reps chase some objectives and ghost others? Why do some supplier incentives hit while others flop? In this episode, Bud, Mike, and Ross finally tackle a topic that’s long been part of the conversation but never had a spotlight: Return on Effort.

We break down the real-life decisions reps and team leads make every day—from choosing whether to build a 150-case display, to deciding if that draft swap is worth the relationship capital. It's not just about dollars—it's about trust, time, tradeoffs, and the unspoken math reps do in their heads.

Whether you’re setting up incentives or trying to figure out why your team’s not responding, this one’s for you.

What We Cover:

🔄 Why reps opt in—or opt out—of your programs

📉 How Return on Effort differs from ROI

🤐 When reps know it's not worth it—and stop telling you

🚫 What supplier incentives often miss

🧠 How team leads and managers face their own ROE calculus

🎃 And yes… pumpkin beer, candy yams, and the ghost of Ghost Energy

📬 Got a sales challenge or trade story for us? Send it to [email protected] and we might break it down on a future episode.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and New Background

03:22 Behavioral Economics and Return on Effort

09:32 The Role of Team Leads in Return on Effort

15:21 Advice for Implementing Return on Effort

21:14 Simplifying Incentives for Better Engagement

28:19 Investing Time Wisely in Coaching

36:17 The Challenges of Brand Building

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About Tapped In Sales:

Tapped In Sales is a podcast dedicated to beer distributors and beverage industry professionals who are looking to elevate their sales strategies and drive profitability. Hosted by industry experts Bud Dunn and Mike Hall, we dive deep into real-world stories, actionable insights, and the latest trends to help sales teams and managers unlock their full potential. Each episode blends data, strategy, and motivation, making complex topics easy to understand and implement.

This podcast is powered by VXP Tech – the leading Sales Strategy Management system designed for beer distributors. VXP simplifies the complexities of goal setting, variable compensation, and sales team performance, helping you master your market and grow profits, case by case.

Stay tuned for expert advice, fresh perspectives, and tools to sharpen your sales approach!

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