Marketing groups are retail banners under which independently owned retail businesses offering a common range of products and services can trade.

Without the more formal structure of a franchise, marketing groups offer the retailers are range of benefits including:

Being able to sell for a better price. While you may not want to sell today, at some time you will. Who doesn’t want the best sale price? When you want to sell is important to know you are with a marketing group which truly adds value to your retail business and which facilitates you getting a good price.

Help in running your business. Some groups provide marketing materials while others provide you with business experts who roll up their sleeves and work with you, in your shop, on improving your retail store while others provide both – advice for you to follow and practical help to execute in your business.

Navigating change. How much do you want to change your business? How important is change to you? Some marketing groups chase change while others stick with the traditional. It is important for you to know where you stand as this will guide your choice of the group which is right for you and your business.

Strategy. Retail businesses can be complex if not run right. Some marketing groups, through their business management strategies and personal service, will help you better manage core departments so you have time to grow the business in new areas. If this is what you want to do, be sure to note it on the paper.

Do you sweat the small stuff? If you like to worry about issues you cannot change or minor frustrations instead of bigger picture opportunities then be aware of that. Not all groups sweat the small stuff and therefore not all groups help at the level you may need.

More personal family time. Everyone wants more personal and family time. A good marketing group will help you understand how they can help you achieve that.

Finding new customers. Do you want regular marketing initiatives and advertising for your brand to drive new customers to your shop? While I would expect you to say yes to this because it makes sense, there is a sub question around whether you want to do this marketing or whether you want to be part of a group which does it for you. Some groups do this for you while others do not.

Being part of a brand. Some old retail shingles have lost value. A new marketing group enables retailers to rebrand and get a fresh start.

A marketing group can be as few as three or four businesses getting together to market collectively. The key is to set common goals and agree on consistency and to remain true to the principles of the marketing group.