8 Cheat Codes for Building a CPG Brand Without a Big Budget
The Real CPG Brand-Building Shortcuts No One Talks About
When you’re building a consumer brand from the ground up, it often feels like everyone else has some secret playbook you don’t.
They have the funding, the team, the connections. You’ve got a Google Drive full of half-built decks, a Slack channel called “emergency,” and 87 open tabs on freight rates.
Tell the truth. You know it’s true. I know it’s true. Because so do I.
But I’ve got a secret: the best founders I know — the ones who build traction early, without big budgets or fancy backing — aren’t luckier. They’re more resourceful.
They find shortcuts that look boring from the outside but compound like crazy over time.
They find their cheat codes.
Here are eight of mine.
1️⃣ Use your retail doors as marketing.
When you finally land distribution, it’s tempting to go big — blast your announcement everywhere, run broad national ads, and hope it sticks.
Don’t.
Start small.
If you’re going to run paid ads at all, Geo-target ads around the stores that already carry you.
Run local content that literally says, “Find us at the Whole Foods on Main Street.”
Your best customers aren’t across the country — they’re within ten miles of those doors.
Turn retail into your best marketing channel.
Why it works: You boost velocity in existing doors, which your buyer notices — and you don’t burn cash on awareness outside your footprint.
Pro tip: Layer in user-generated content from that region (e.g., “Tennessee parents love Snack Mates”) to localize authenticity.
Pro-tip - take b-roll video of your product on shelf, take a selfie in front of the store with your family, take a picture with a store employee holding up your product. Share all of that. It creates tons of natural buzz.
2️⃣ Screenshot Every Comment, DM, and Review
Tactic:
Create a Google Drive folder called “Voice of Customer.”
Each week, spend 10 minutes dropping screenshots of great reviews, DMs, and social comments into it.
Tag them by emotion (trust, convenience, kids, protein, price).
When you write ad copy or retail sell sheets, pull phrasing directly from those tags.
Why it works: You’ll write like your customers talk — and buyers love seeing language backed by real feedback.
3️⃣ Treat LinkedIn & TikTok as Distribution Channels
Tactic:
Document, don’t market.
Post one founder story per week (a challenge, mistake, or small win).
Post one process clip per week (behind-the-scenes, team, production, store visit).
Post one customer-facing moment per week (UGC, review, demo).
Why it works: Consistency > virality. The algorithm rewards authentic frequency. And your future investors, buyers, and customers are all watching quietly.
Metric to track: 30 days of consistent posting usually equals 2–3 inbound opportunities (distribution, talent, or investor leads).
4️⃣ Partner Horizontally Before Paying Influencers
Tactic:
Find brands with overlapping audiences but different product categories.
Example: A kids’ protein brand + a clean beverage brand = co-branded lunchbox giveaway.
Swap email mentions or sample inserts.
Co-host a local pop-up or booth share.
Do bundle discounts online.
Why it works: You both acquire new customers for pennies and share authentic reach.
Rule of thumb: Only partner with brands that look good next to you on a shelf or in a photo - and certainly only ones that align with your values.
5️⃣ Audit Packaging Under Retail Lighting
Tactic:
Take your prototype or hard copy of your print proofs directly into the store.
Literally just put it on the shelf.
Step back six feet and take a photo.
Make sure the product is next to your competitor.
If yours disappears, you have a contrast or hierarchy issue.
Fix: Increase logo contrast by 20%, reduce tagline clutter, and push the flavor cue to the top left (where eyes start).
Why it matters: Consumers don’t read — they scan. If your packaging doesn’t pass the three-second test, nothing else matters.
Save yourself thousands on print plates and slow launches by getting the packaging right the first time.
6️⃣ Build Your Wholesale List from Store Locators
Tactic:
Pick three aspirational brands in your category.
Go to each of their websites.
Download or copy their store locator lists into a spreadsheet.
Filter out major chains; keep independents.
Email those stores using a short script:
“Hey [Store Name] Team — We love that you carry “snacks/beverages/brand x.” We make a better-for-you snack with clean ingredients that aligns with your customers and would love to send samples. What’s the best shipping address?”
Goal: 25 emails a day, 5-10 responses, 3-5 conversions.
That’s ~60 new doors a month — without a broker fee. I did this in the early days with a 25% close rate to cold emails I sent. It was magic. It takes a little effort and time, but it opened a ton of doors in those early days.
7️⃣ Send 10 Handwritten Thank-You’s a Week
Tactic:
Every Friday, write quick thank-yous to buyers, brokers, vendors, peers, and store managers.
Keep blank notecards and stamps at your desk.
Write three lines:
Gratitude (“Thanks for giving us a shot in your reset.”)
A quick proof point (“Our sales doubled this month in your region.”)
Human close (“Hope you get some downtime this weekend — you’ve earned it.”)
Why it works: Relationship deposits compound. People remember who appreciates them, not who emails them.
This has been my secret weapon over the last 15 years. No one does this. You will instantly stand out. You don’t have to order custom stationery, but I did for that extra special touch.
8️⃣ Mine Reviews for Product Development
Tactic:
Create a simple “Review Mining” doc.
Columns: Product, Quote, Sentiment (positive/negative), Theme.
Once a quarter, summarize patterns.
“Customers say: wish it had less sugar.”
“Competitor reviews mention packaging leaks.”
“High repeat buyers love smaller pack sizes.”
Next Step: Use these insights to brief your R&D or packaging team. You’ll sound like you did a $30K focus group — for free.
Closing Thoughts
None of these moves require luck, PR agencies, or million-dollar budgets.
They just require discipline, observation, and consistency — the traits that separate founders who survive from founders who scale.
Implement one or two this week.
Track the lift.
Then compound them over time.
That’s how small brands quietly become big ones.
That’s the real cheat code.
If this helped:
→Forward it to another founder who’s in the trenches.
→Leave a quick comment on Substack with which “cheat code” you’re trying first.
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PS: I built a course for founders who are great at making products but need a roadmap for building companies. Scrappy to Scalable is that roadmap — tested, blunt, and built for real operators.
If every company at least did #2 and had a micro voice of the customer program, they'd be significantly more successful. Knowing who your customers are, what they want, and how to speak to them is gold. Most brands skip this to their own detriment.