Question

Topic: Career/Training

Ideas On How To Land In Brand Management

Posted by khullarsfromc on 5/27/2010 at 5:34 PM ET 500 Points
I am an unemployed Business Development Manager with a passion for marketing. I long to be in brand management for a CPG company. I have never even gotten an interview and my conclusion is that because my MBA is not from a top rated school. I have communicated to a local company, Alberto Culver for the last six years; have sent power point presentations of my ideas to many people. I can’t even find a sales job and now it has gotten to a point where I need to find a job, whether it is gas station or McDonalds. I thought I ask the community for some ideas and offer something in return.
1) Does anybody have some ideas for me on what should I do?
2) Rather than having to work in a gas station would prefer to offer my services for free or almost free to anybody looking for marketing help. To get an idea on my marketing thought process, please view my profile and questions I have answered.Any takers out there. My email is khullarsfromc@yahoo.com.What you will get is somebody whose heart mind and soul is in marketing. Thank you.
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RESPONSES

  • Posted on 5/27/2010 at 6:14 PM Accepted
    CPG companies are trying to do more with less today, like everyone else. And they have a large pool of marketing talent from which to select -- including MBAs from all the top business schools. But you already know that.

    My suggestion, if you're really serious about this, is to identify an important need at a consumer products company and take it upon yourself to research the market and develop a solution that will address their need. Treat this as a marketing consulting project, down to the final report that lays out your solution and the rationale.

    When you've finished the project and are convinced it's your best work, find someone at the target company and ask them who the right person is for your pitch; and set up the meeting. This isn't to interview for a job. It's to offer them a no-strings-attached solution to their biggest problem.

    I've seen this approach work many times ... and land a job for the person who really embraces it.

    You might want to get your hands on a copy of The Potato Chip Difference : How to apply leading edge marketing strategies to landing the job you want. (Link: https://bit.ly/9Zq3jh ) The book explains this approach in more detail.
  • Posted by khullarsfromc on 5/28/2010 at 9:24 AM Author
    Thank you everybody for responding and please keep the suggestions coming. Michael-Here is what I have done so far. I have researched their St. Ives line quite a bit and I know from their Investor Conference calls and other news that they are not doing very well with this brand. To try to come up with a solution, I researched skincare in the library and in retail stores. Library data is rather limited and little aged. I found Packaged Facts in the library and I saw in that report that Facial Anti-aging is the only category that is growing and projected to grow for the next few years. I also know that they don’t have anti-aging facial products. Based on that I sent to VP, Marketing Skincare, CEO and HR Director my suggestions.( US mail and emailed Power Point Presentations) No response. Michael-I have some questions for you and anybody who can answer.
    Considering lack of data and not really knowing what issue they have with their St. Ives line (pricing, positioning, shelf space or what), how do you try to come up with a solution. I have spent lot of time in the library and you can find data on the market share, but no data on the problem. I am sure they have done some research on the problem. I would just love to get my hands on the problem and will be honored to try to come up with a solution, but not knowing any of that makes it hard to try to come up with a solution. Please suggest how I go about trying to know the problem before I try to come up with a solution.
    I am on LinkedIn and have posted my resume on the job boards. I will check out Score as well.
  • Posted on 5/28/2010 at 11:41 AM Accepted
    Quick response: Stop messing around in the library and get out into stores. Talk to the aisle clerks. Talk to competitive sales reps when you come across them. Even talk to some consumers who are in the aisle (carefully, so you don't offend anyone). Even take some pictures to show what you're finding. (Again, be careful. Most major chains don't like people taking pictures in their stores.)

    The answer to the company's problem is NOT in the library. It's in the market. It's either that the retailers are not supporting them, or the consumers are not buying (not aware? not satisfied with previous experience? a price issue?), or both. You need to figure out which and why.

    How does their packaging compare to competition? What about distribution? Are they in Wal-Mart? (More than 30% of most HBA categories are sold at Wal-Mart.) How is their shelf space and positioning?

    This is a real-world marketing situation, not an academic case study. And when marketing execs are considering who to hire, they usually want people who are action-oriented, not academics. (Apologies in advance to all the academics who believe that they are action-oriented!)
  • Posted by khullarsfromc on 5/28/2010 at 12:23 PM Author
    Micael-thank you and i am off to stores right now and will keep everybody posted.Considering the fact that VP Mareketing at my intended company didn't respond,after finishing my report,how should i handle the delivery of the report.Thank you again
  • Posted by Peter (henna gaijin) on 5/28/2010 at 5:09 PM Accepted
    Be aware of desperation. You are sounding a bit desperate, and if the potential companies believe you are desperate, it will not look good for you. Even if you are desperate, make sure it does not show.

    Are you working through other channels towards your desired company? Have you tried to make contact with other with other people besides the folks in marketing? Having a drink with anyone that works there and getting some information could be useful. So if you know anyone there, make sure you talk to them. And friends of friends who work there. And so on.
  • Posted by khullarsfromc on 5/28/2010 at 5:20 PM Author
    Peter-I have tried linking up with people through LinkedIn and through my Alumni assocation.But it didn't materialize into anything meaningful.
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