Helpers

Below are dozens of Practical Tips decks for Marketing students about to graduate & folks in a Marketing-related work roles. This page has grown on a ‘by-request’ basis, so I’ve taken a colleague’s advice to add a Table of Contents + suggestions which ‘types’ or readers – or Readers in which situations- might find each deck most relevant.

Hope these Helpers do help you out.

Table Of Contents / List Of Decks:

(i) Briefs & NDA’s: applies esp to Advertising, Freelance, Research, Entrepreneurs, Promotion/Graphics Agency

(ii) Client Attendee Conducts: Research, Brand, Advertising- any client about to attend a live research session

(iii) General Tips on Professionalism: anyone shifting to a career in North American Business management

(iv) Conclusions vs Recommendations: Research staff; Marketing, CRM or Sales Analyst; Marketing Trainee.

(v) SMART Objectives; and

(vi) Wise Objectives (give them SPACE): decks v and vi especially apply to Marketing Managers, Entrepreneurs.

(vii) Networking Tips: Entrepreneurs, grads, folks in transition to a career in Marketing or Business Management

(viii) Preparing a Pitch Q&A: anyone doing a presentation to management, client or potential client

(ix) Preparing to do Observation research: Research and Marketing staffers.

(x) Preparing to do a Market Test: Research or Research Agency, R&D, Marketing or Brand Management

(xi) Calculating Margin: crucial for Sales Analysts or Account Manager, Brand or Marketing Management, Entrepreneur

(xii) Calculating End Price: crucial for Brand Manager, R&D, Research staffer, Sales Analyst, Merchandising Dept staffer

(xiii) Choosing a Channel Partner- for new-to-market item: R&D, Research, Sales, Marketing, Entrepreneurs.

(xiv) Practical Sample Criteria: Research, R&D, Marketing, Agencies

(xv) Pitching a Retail Buyer: Marketing, Sales, Entrepreneurs.

(xvi) Forecasting: Junior Marketing staffer, Sales Support, Sales or Logistics Analyst, Sales Account Manager

(xvii) Price Of Entry expectations: anyone about to enter a Marketing or Management role in North America

(xviii) Targets & Avatars: Research, Marketing, Ad Agencies, Entrepreneurs.

(xix) Product Launch meetings: Marketing & Sales Support staffers, Event Planning Agencies.

(xx) Calculating Market Size: Entrepreneurs, Marketing and Sales Staff, Sales Support Analyst.

(xxi) Incremental Growth: Marketing, Entrepreneurs, Business Analyst/ Financial Analyst.

(xxii) Logistics 101 for FMCG: Logistics, Marketing, Sales, Sales Support esp in Fast Moving Consumer Goods categories.

(xxiii) Case & Pallet Design: Logistics, Marketing, R&D, Graphics.

(xxiv) Market Analysis: Primary & Secondary Research sources. R&D, Marketing, Business Analysts, Entrepreneurs.

(xxv) Practical B2B Targeting

(xxvi) Business Writing

…and here we go!…

(i) Briefs and NDA’s:

(ii) Client Attendee Conduct at Professional Research Sessions

(iii) General Tips on Professionalism:

(iv) Conclusions and Recommendations; how do they differ?

Are you preparing a Findings Report? Wondering how Conclusions differ from Recommendations? This may help:

(v) Are you drafting SMART Objectives? This may help:

(vi) Even if your Marketing Objectives are S.M.A.R.T., they should also be wise!

To ensure Objectives are wise, conquer the final frontier- SPACE!

(vii) Networking soon?

Tips on preparing for a networking meeting:

(viii) Preparing a Pitch?

Troublesome questions a client or partner may ask, shouldn’t surprise you! Many are quite predictable. Tips on preparing for The ‘Question and Answer’ portion of a Pitch – whether a Research Proposal, New Media Campaign, Distribution effort, Promotion idea, etc.

(ix) Preparing to do Observation Research?

(x) Preparing to conduct a Market Test?

(xi) Calculating Margin?

Reality Check for Marketing, Sales or Research Professionals & Entrepreneurs: you won’t always have ‘the analysis people’ with you in meetings, Pitches, ie when decisions are being made. Learn to calculate Margin for yourself. A Metric this crucial to success in marketing, is a metric you had better know how to calculate!

(xii) Calculating End -Price

Regrettably, I’ve been in meetings in which senior attendees with lofty titles & salaries had no clue how to calculate End Price. Incredible that one can earn an SVP Title in a sophisticated FMCG firm, without grasping how ‘consumer’ pricing on their own items is even determined, even if they already know its Cost of Goods. I’d bet many such executives somehow kept their elite hands clean from such ‘details’ for their entire privileged careers, no doubt thinking such ‘drudgery’ is best left to their firm’s ‘little people’.

You & I live in a world where “Make it so, Numbah One” is a TV line, not a work reality, here’s a basic: how to calculate End Price – with examples.

(xiii) Ready to Go To Market with a new line or item? Look before your leap! Choosing a Channel Partner– ‘fit factors’ to consider:

(xiv) Ready to request or undertake new Primary Research? Consider reviewing some quick guidelines to ensure you’re using Practical Sample Criteria.

(xv) Preparing to meet a Retail Buyer? Some practical front-line tips to help you prepare and find a win-win.

(xvi) Doing a forecast? Not the most glorious role a marketer tends to fulfill, admittedly. But it is a vital role, so here are some considerations and tips.

(xvii) Price Of Entry: which conduct expectations might a boss not feel she must explain to you? Some behaviours are just expected. A manager or marketer should learn these in school (Ethics courses, Professionalism policies, etc); nonetheless, here’s a STARTER list of some conduct expectations that, if ignored, may result in a Career-Limiting Move (‘CLM’).

NB: It wins you no rewards for abiding by these behaviours, but if you do NOT abide by them, you will end or sideline your career. Abiding by them keeps you in the game– it’s merely the ‘Price Of Entry’.

(xviii) Targets And Avatars: a quick recap of how to define a Target and some examples; some uses of Avatars for those in Marketing related roles.

(xix) Preparing for a Product Launch Meeting? It’s a big burden that brings risks –but also excitement and many possibilities. Some tips are here:

(xx) Have you been asked to calculate the Size of a Market or Category? You have 2 methods; here are some tips:

(xxi) Incremental Sales: If preparing to launch a New Entry, you will likely be asked “What % of sales will be incremental?” It’s a risky topic b/c of ‘baseline sales’ assumptions (the status quo) AND b/c of cannibalization rate. Be familiar with the risks of discussing Incremental Sales Volume!

(xxii) Logistics 101: Basic info on options to deliver your goods to customers and some factors to consider:

(xxiii) Case & Pallet Design: Deciding how many units/case? case dimensions? want to know how many units per truck?

(xxiv) Market Analysis: Primary & Secondary sources. If studying a new geographic market, Target or category, you may benefit (and save time) by first reading this.

(xxv) Practical B2B Targeting

B2B targets

Business Writing isn’t like arts or academic writing…