We interact with the brands the moment our day begins. From the coffee we pick up to start our day to the apps we browse through the whole day to pick things of our choice are from the brand we love. It is some times quite interesting to know what makes these strategies for the brand which led the companies to become indispensable part of our lives. Well if this interests you too, then being a brand manager is your dream job.
Why do we love Netflix, Amazon, Myntra, Nykaa and so many other brands? Clearly, because they have super brand managers who know how to capture our attention. Let us begin with the journey to know how you to become a successful brand manager. Along with that, it is also essential for you to know what is the market demand for the job, average salary, roles and responsibilities and so on before you set your foot into this domain. Let us begin by knowing who a brand manager is!
Let us get started on the journey of becoming a brand manager!
Who is a brand Manager?
Brand Managers are responsible for analyzing brand positioning and consumer insights as well as help in shaping and communicating the vision and mission. They also translate brand elements into plans and go-to-market strategies. Most companies appoint a brand manager to manage and sustain their brands according to market trends.
Intended Audience – This field is not limited to certain kind of people. While formal education in the field is essential for a candidate to make a career in Brand Management, it is not compulsory. It can be said that experience counts more than a degree in this field but formal education becomes necessary to develop certain skills and knowledge after a level of experience has been gained. Any person with enough innovation and strategic planning can get his or her hands on the job of a brand manager.
Let us know what are typical roles and responsibilities of a brand manager.
Roles and responsibilities
- Brand managers manage a team of marketing people working on brand initiatives. And, also lead creative development for motivating the target audience.
- Additionally, They establish performance specifications, cost and price parameters, market applications, and sales estimates.
- Furthermore, Brand managers measure and report the performance of all marketing campaigns, and assess ROI and KPIs. And, they also monitor the market trends, research consumer markets, and competitors’ activities.
- Next, they also control new and ongoing marketing and advertising activities as well as monitor product distribution.
- Lastly, they align the company around the brand’s direction, choices, and tactics.
It is also important to know about the skills that can help you get an edge over others as a brand manager. Let us have a look at them too.
Skills required for being a good brand manager
This field does not require anyone to possess any specific set of prerequisites. However, if you possess these additional skills, you can really get an advantage over others. Some of the skills that you need to have are –
- Be adaptive and flexible
- leverage the Technology
- Additionally, Align with the market demand
- Furthermore, Always do handful of market research
- Keep brainstorming to expand the reach of your brand
- Also, Focus on aesthetics and what your consumer demands
Let us now move to our main question – How do you become a brand manager?
How do you become a brand manager?
There are many ways through which you can land on the job of being a brand manager. Let us have a look at some of the ways through which you can be a brand manager –
An Undergraduate Degree – You can get an undergraduate degree right after completing your class 12th. You can begin your career in this field through this and after getting started, you will be promoted to the position of a brand manager after some time. Some of the degrees which will help you in the process of becoming a brand manager are –
- UG Courses in Brand Management / Luxury Brand Management
- Also, Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA)
- additionally, Bachelor of Management Studies (BMS)
- moreover, Bachelor of Business Studies (BBS)
- also, Bachelor of Mass Media (BMM)
However you need to get specialization too in order to directly secure the high paying job in this sector.
A Specialization Degree – Going for post graduation in this field becomes essential after a point of time. However, it is highly recommended that candidates gain some practical experience of Brand Management, Marketing and Advertising before they go for a master’s degree course. You can go for PGDM in Brand management or a masters in business administration.
Certification Courses – Certifications are indeed the best source to learn as there are no specified qualifications required for earning them such as a 12th class certificate or a specified degree. They have become the modern currency of the 21st century to get a real job in the sector you are most interested in. Some of the popular good certification courses are – VSkills, Coursera and many more.
Learning through online Resources – There are many online resources available like online classes or instructor-led training courses which are offered by online educational sites. They offer interactive classes that can be helpful for clearing your conceptual parts and doubts. They also keep you updated on new changes in the requirements and other updates.
Learning by Doing – You can do a lot of internships or apprenticeship programs to inculcate the required skill into yourself. In fact, this field prefer candidates with a lots of experience in dealing people and managing crisis. You can also do various internships or apprenticeship programs to gain experience in this field because at one point it becomes essential to have practical knowledge along with the theoretical knowledge for getting a job. So, instead of getting a job which is less paid just because you lack experience, you should do a lot of internships or apprenticeship programs.
Let us now look at some of the resources that are provided by VSkills through which you can learn and become a certified brand manager.
Certified Brand Manager – VSkills Certification
This course will teach you about how to develop and manage brand image. The certification tests the candidates on various areas in brand management, product communication, brand portfolio management, brand marketing, long and short term brand portfolio development, developing consumer and customer insight-driven brand marketing strategies and digital management.
Test Details
- Duration: 60 minutes
- No. of questions: 50
- Maximum marks: 50, Passing marks: 25 (50%).
- There is NO negative marking in this module.
- Mode: Online exam.
Benefits of Certification
- Government certification
- additionally, Certification valid for life
- also, Lifelong e-learning access
- moreover, Free Practice Tests
- furthermore, Get tagged as ‘Vskills Certified’ On Monsterindia.com
- also, Get tagged as ‘Vskills Certified’ On
Shine.com
Let us look at what concepts must be covered while learning about brand management.
Concepts covered
- Branding Basics & Nature of Relationship
- also, Building Successful Brands
- additionally, Brand Names and Brand Extensions
- furthermore, Co-Branding and Corporate Branding
- also, Brand Associations and Brand Image
- in addition, Brand Loyalty & Brand Equity
- subsequently, Brand Management Process
- also, Brand Planning and Brand Potential
- moreover, Consumer Search for Brand Information
- furthermore, Added Values Beyond Functionalism
- subsequently, Brand Positioning Strategies
- Brand Architecture and Brand Portfolio
- also, Brand Benefits and Attributes
- furthermore, Advertising and Branding
- moreover, Brand Evaluation and Planning
- also, Protecting Brands
- in addition, Legal Perspectives in Branding
- furthermore, Online Branding
- subsequently, Business to Business Branding
- lastly, Social Media Branding
Let us have a look at some other resources as well.
Reference Books
Reference Books can provide benefits to candidates to learn and understand things more accurately. For the Certified Brand Manager exam, there are various books available which you can find online or in libraries. Some of the books are as follows:
- Designing Brand Identity: An Essential Guide for the Whole Branding Team Book by Alina Wheeler
- And, Advanced brand management Book by Paul Temporal
Vskills Online Tutorials
Vskills Certified Brand Manager provides candidates access to prepare for the exam using the online learning tutorials or material for a lifetime. The online material for this is regularly updated. Moreover, the e-learning that is provided comes with hard copy material for helping candidates to improve and update the learning curve for getting better opportunities.
Free practice tests
Vskills provide you free test papers and paid test series which will keep evaluating your preparation. Taking the test series will help you identify what parts of the syllabus are strong from your side and on which parts you are required to put more efforts. Since, clearing the exam is not the end, you have to apply the concepts practically to secure your dream job. Take a free practice test now!
Let us now move on to one more important aspect that you need to know about this field before you decide to get into this domain – Market demand and Average Salary.
Market Demand and Average salary for a brand manager
An effective brand strategy can bring new opportunities & leverage the brand success. A Certified Brand Manager will find employment in marketing, advertising, brand management & social media departments of various companies. Certified Brand Manager find employment in Top MNC’s and organizations like Lava Mobiles, Info Edge, Lintas India, Ogilvy & Mather Ltd, Mudra Communications Ltd, McCann-Erickson India.
Some of the top recruiting areas of brand managers include:
- E-Commerce Companies
- also, Tech-Based Startups
- subsequently, Service Aggregator Companies
- furthermore, Advertising and Marketing Agencies
- additionally, PR Agencies
- moreover, Telecoms
- and, Marketing Departments of Companies etc.
Starting salaries in Marketing and Brand Management are quite low but experienced candidates can demand a fat paycheck in this field. Plus, this is a highly target-based domain and entry-level candidates including Executives and Analysts are usually offered high incentives on top of their CTCs.
Types of Job roles
The job of a brand manager is not an on the desk job, they are required to be very active in strategizing and implementing the plans very much quickly. Because a delay would mean losing a lot of customers in this fast moving world, where consumer shifts to another brand without any second thought. In this sector, some of the job roles that you can expect are –
- Management Trainee / Intern
- Additionally, Market Research Analyst / Executive
- Assistant Marketing / Brand Manager
- Furthermore, Marketing / Brand Manager
- Marketing Director / Head of Department
Let us now look at what are the advantages and disadvantages of becoming a brand manager.
Advantages of being a brand manager
- Firstly, Brand Management is a fast-paced and charming field.
- Additionally, It offers good fortune and prospects for growth.
- Also, The field supports creative freedom and strategizing.
- Furthermore, Opportunities to work with great and creative minds increases learning opportunities.
- Moreover, One of the best fields of socializing and networking with people.
Disadvantages
- firstly, strict project deadlines demand extra working hours.
- moreover, Professionals usually face a disturbed work-life balance.
- Additionally, The job can be stressful and confusing
- And, High attrition rates in entry-level jobs.
- furthermore, Not for candidates who are not good at communication skills.
How can one be a good Brand Manager?
According to us, there are 2 main types of Brand Managers: the ones who think like business builders; and those who are just “air traffic controllers” who deliver feedback and make sure the projects are implemented. For sure the first category is more appreciated because they are always thinking how to understand customers and make them happy. How to find insights and make the right mix to tap into consumers need states. How to fight in a competitive market in order to survive, grow and gain market share.
Make sure your brand truly connects with your customers and ensure you get feedback on a regular basis. As a brand coordinator, you are a hybrid who makes use of both strategic skills to win over the customer and the tactical skills to execute project solutions like a pro. In order to make people love the brand, you must gain a holistic view of the process that delivers top notch creative work to your potential clients.
Hence, give a boost to your career by becoming a certified brand manager. Hurry up and try a free practice test now!
