All You Need to Know About Being a Brand Manager

“Products are made in a factory but brands are created in the mind.” – Walter Landor

This quote gives us an accurate gist of how exactly a Brand Manager can influence your business and give it a turn.  There is a common misconception about the word “brand”. Contrary to popular belief, a brand is not only limited to the colour scheme, logo, website, & the product itself. It is beyond that.

In today’s age of social media and Digitalisation, it is very important to understand what a brand is and how to create brand value. If we look around, we see a lot of options to choose from, and effective brand management ensures a loyal customer base for your brand to accelerate its growth. This is where a Brand Manager can do wonders for you.

A Brand Manager is like the captain of a Ship, steering the company towards success and maintaining its presence online and also in the minds of thousands of people.

What is Brand Management?

As rightly said by Philip Kotler, “ Brand Management should be centred around the idea that a brand is essentially a promise to a customer, and the company behind a brand, has a responsibility to fulfil that promise.”

Many people are confused between marketing and brand management. Even though they both accelerate the engagement of the website or landing pages and eventually drive sales of a product. But if we are specific, they both have slightly different roles & responsibilities.

Brand Management brings a brand to life and builds strong brand establishments. Whereas, Marketing is focused on specific campaigns, awareness, and leads. Even though they both have slightly different roles, still they both work simultaneously with each other’s KPIs.

Creating a brand is a slow climb, it requires a thorough understanding of the target market. As it requires a strong relationship with the target audience and evaluation to maintain it. Successful brand management calls for strategy, and positive brand integrity to sustain it.

Who is a Brand Manager?

A Brand Manager is someone who comes up with marketing strategies to build & maintain a positive brand image which eventually sets the company apart along with building an enduring relationship with the customers.

They play a vital role in establishing the brand image, bringing leads to the organisation and building a loyal consumer base. They are in charge of the entire brand strategy and have hands-on experience in all brand-related activities.

How to Become a Brand Manager?

• Qualification Required: To become a Brand Manager, You need to complete a Bachelor’s degree in Management, Commerce, Business, or a related field. After Bachelor’s, you can go for a Master’s degree in Marketing or Brand Management such as an MBA. You can also go for a diploma or certifications to add more value to your knowledge base.

• Skills Required: During your work role as a Brand Manager, you will come across multiple challenges, and the below-mentioned skills will help you sail through them.

Soft Skills
Communication	Presentation
Creativity	Networking
Critical Thinking	Conflict Resolution
Market Analysis	Decision Making

Technical Skills
Data Analytics	UI/UX (Basic)
Photo & Video Editing	Google Analytics

• Experience Required: Securing a job right after graduating is the most difficult task. You can first go for an internship. Your experience during the internship will help you secure a full-time job. During the entry-level positions, the fundamentals of practical brand management are taught. And after gaining experience of 3-5 years, you can move ahead on to the position of Brand Manager.

What are the Roles & Responsibilities of a Brand Manager?

A Brand Manager is responsible for managing multiple marketing initiatives, and building an online presence on all the platforms, which will eventually bring brand awareness, sales, and traffic.

As Jeff Bezos once said- “A brand for a company is like a reputation for a person. You earn a reputation by trying to do hard things well.” This sums up the most basic yet the most important task of a Brand Manager. Let’s dive into the detailed responsibilities of a Brand Manager:

• Responsible for making annual and quarterly marketing strategies
• Making a report of all the marketing campaigns and ensure that they are in line with the overall brand positioning
• Conducting Market research to understand consumer trends, preferences, and competitors
• Building and maintaining positive relationships with the media, influencers, and other stakeholders to enhance brand reputation
• Monitoring and analysing the performance of marketing initiatives to identify areas for improvement and optimise strategies

What is the Salary and Future Scope of a Brand Manager?

The salary of a Brand Manager can vary depending on factors such as industry, level of experience, and company size. However, a Brand Manager earns a competitive salary.

• According to the data from Glassdoor, their salary varies from ₹ 8 LPA to ₹ 21 LPA.

As for future scope, the Brand Manager is a crucial function within companies across various industries. With the increasing demand for brand perception and consumer loyalty, the demand for skilled Brand Managers is likely to grow. As the business world continues to grow globally and new organisations keep emerging to give a strong competition to already existing big sharks in the market, the need for effective brand management will only grow in the upcoming years.

Brand Managers who constantly upgrade their skills and analyse the market trend, are likely to have a promising career. Also, down the line, with more experience, they can be eligible for the role of Senior Brand Manager or even Marketing Director.

Epilogue

The job of a Brand Manager is very crucial and considered as one of the most important jobs in every industry. They are responsible for maintaining the whole reputation of the company. From developing strategic brand initiatives to executing marketing campaigns. With competitive salaries and promising career aspects, it offers exciting opportunities for individuals with a passion for creativity, strategic thinking, and consumer engagement.