What is a brand manager?
A brand manager is a marketing professional responsible for developing and maintaining a brand's identity, image, and reputation. They oversee all aspects of a brand, from advertising and marketing campaigns to product design and packaging. Brand managers ensure that a brand is consistent across all channels and touchpoints and resonates with the target audience.
Why hire a brand manager?
There are several reasons why a brand manager is a valuable asset to any business. Here are some of the key benefits:
Helps with overall conversion
A brand manager can help increase conversions by creating a consistent brand message that resonates with the target audience. By understanding the brand's unique selling proposition, they can develop marketing campaigns highlighting its strengths and differentiating it from competitors. This can lead to higher conversion rates and increased revenue.
Helps with messaging consistency
A brand manager ensures that a brand's message is consistent across all channels, including social media, advertising, and packaging. This consistency helps build brand awareness and trust with consumers. It also ensures that customers receive a clear message about the brand and its values, which can help to establish a loyal customer base.
Helps you get closer to your target audience
A brand strategist is responsible for understanding the target audience and creating campaigns that resonate with them. By understanding the target audience's needs, wants, and pain points, they can develop campaigns that speak directly to them. This can help businesses build a loyal customer base and increase revenue.
When to hire a brand manager?
Knowing when to hire a brand manager is crucial. Here are some scenarios where hiring a brand marketer could be beneficial:
When you start a business
Starting a business is challenging, and having a brand manager on board from the beginning can help set the tone for the brand. A brand manager can help develop the brand's identity and create marketing campaigns that resonate with the target audience.
When you pivot a business
If your business is going through a significant change, such as a rebrand, a brand manager can help ensure the brand remains consistent throughout the transition. They can help develop messaging that explains the change to customers and ensures that the brand's identity remains intact.
To attract younger audiences
If you're looking to target younger generations, hiring a brand manager can ensure your brand resonates with this demographic. They can help develop campaigns and messaging that speak directly to younger audiences and builds brand loyalty.
When launching a new product
Launching a new product is an exciting time for any business but it can also be challenging. A brand manager can help ensure that the new product aligns with the brand's identity and develops campaigns that highlight the product's unique selling proposition.
When your business doesn't meet customer expectations
If customers don't perceive your business in the way you'd like, hiring a brand manager can help. They can help develop campaigns and messaging that address misconceptions and create a positive brand perception.
How to hire a brand manager
Hiring a brand manager is an important decision, and finding the right fit for your business is crucial. Here are some steps to follow when hiring a brand manager:
Set your goals
Before hiring a brand manager, it's important to define your goals. What do you want to achieve with your brand? Are you looking to increase revenue, build brand awareness, or target a new demographic? Once you've defined your goals, you can develop a job description outlining the required skills and experience.
Post your job
Once you've developed a brand manager job description, it's time to post your job. You can post it on a job site (like Indeed, for example), but keep in mind this will likely imply a pretty lengthy recruitment process, as there's no filtering on who can actually send an application to your job.
You can also post your job on freelance websites like Guru and UpWork, but the quality of the freelancers there isn't always easy to check before you make the actual hiring.
You can also ask your network for recommendations, and that's a quick way to hire someone who's worked with your peers.
However, if you want to be absolutely certain you work with a brand manager who has a proven track record of success, Mayple is your best bet. We only work with vetted professionals and we can match you with someone right for your business in a matter of days.
Ensure they fit your business and audience
When reviewing applications and conducting interviews, it's important to consider both the candidate's skills and experience and how well they align with your business's values and target audience. Look for candidates who have experience working with brands similar to yours or who have experience in your industry.
Ensure they have the right skills
When hiring a brand manager, it's crucial to ensure they possess the necessary skills for the job. Here are some essential skills to look for:
Branding
Look for a candidate with experience in developing and managing brand identities. They should have a deep understanding of brand values, brand voice, and visual identity. A strong branding skillset will ensure the brand manager or branding freelancer can develop consistent messaging that resonates with the target audience.
Marketing understanding
A brand manager should be skilled in developing and executing marketing strategies. This includes conducting market research, identifying target audiences, creating promotional materials, and managing social media channels.
They should have a thorough understanding of various marketing channels and be able to adapt to new trends and platforms. Furthermore, they should know how to integrate branding strategy into marketing plans, so that branding efforts move past the "documentation" phase into actual implementation.
Furthermore, a good brand manager should also have a solid understanding of market research and how to incorporate findings into their strategies.
Strong communication skills
They should have excellent written and verbal communication skills. A brand manager should be able to develop clear and concise messaging for different channels, such as social media, email campaigns, and print materials. They should also be able to effectively communicate with internal teams and external partners.
Creativity
A brand manager should have a creative mindset to develop unique and engaging brand campaigns. They should be able to develop concepts that stand out from competitors and resonate with the target audience. A creative brand manager can also develop buzz and viral marketing campaigns.
Analytical skills and strategic thinking
They should be able to develop long-term brand strategies that align with business goals. A brand manager should be able to develop a comprehensive plan that outlines the brand's mission, vision, and objectives. They should be able to track progress and adjust based on performance data.
Analytics
A brand manager should be able to analyze market trends and data to develop effective brand strategies. They should be able to use tools such as Google Analytics to track website traffic, monitor social media engagement, and measure the success of campaigns. By analyzing data, they can optimize campaigns and identify areas for improvement.
Collaboration
They should be able to work collaboratively with multiple departments to ensure consistent brand messaging. A brand manager should be able to communicate effectively with other teams, such as marketing, sales, and product development. By working together, teams can ensure the brand messaging is consistent and aligned with business goals
Project management skills
Although a brand manager doesn't always have to go into the nitty-gritty of branding implementation, good project management skills will help them ensure they have a bird's eye view on how things are done. Furthermore, it will help them collaborate with other members of the marketing team and ensure branding efforts are actually followed through.
Ask the right questions
When interviewing potential candidates, make sure to assess their branding knowledge correctly. Here are some questions you might consider asking:
- What is your marketing experience?
- Can you tell us of a marketing initiative you came up with and which yielded great results for a brand?
- How do you collaborate with marketing managers to ensure brand consistency across different channels?
- How do you collaborate with key stakeholders in the company to ensure your branding guidelines are in line with the overarching business strategy?
- Have you ever done any product launches?
- What are some innovative strategies you appreciate in other companies' branding?
- How do you align branding with social media strategies?
- How do you align pricing strategies with branding?
- How do you keep track of consumer trends - and how do you incorporate them in your strategy?
- How do you measure the success of marketing campaigns?
- How do you analyze the public perception of a brand?
- Do you have previous experience in our industry?
How much does a brand manager cost?
Generally, a brand manager will cost between $5,000 and $6,500 per month, but the price can vary depending on several factors, such as their level of experience and expertise, their geographic location, and the size and scope of your business.
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