An overview, followed by lots of detail, on Assent's workshops. These courses are based on expert research into consumer marketing best practice

1. © Copyright Assent Consulting Group
MARKETING COURSES SPECIFICALLY
DESIGNED FOR CONSUMER MARKETERS
using content based on expert research, and best-practice learning methods

2. © Copyright Assent Consulting Group
This document has been designed to provide an at-a-glance and
detailed views of the courses, capabilities and disciplines that Assent
supports and trains. In producing this, Assent recognises that every
client is unique. In taking a client’s managers and brief for training,
Assent respects the different industries, categories and channels
each client works in, and the different stages in their careers that each
Manager has reached.
All courses are taught at entry, intermediate and advanced levels
(101, 201 and 301 for short), and within these levels, the modules
that are taught are further customised depending on the industry,
category and experience of the Manager. This level of customisation
for a complex topic such as Strategic Marketing is possible because
Assent has worked with over 80 Fortune 500 companies in the past 10
years and trained over a thousand managers. This has provided the
basis for modularising and customising the content, and the learning
methods, to a high level.
ABOUT THIS DOWNLOAD

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MARKETING COURSES WHY IS IT IMPORTANT?
1.0 Market intelligence and research
Identify how to grow your brand via an understanding of the
category and competitive sets in which your brand performs.
It is impossible to determine which activities will deliver future
growth and evaluate or prioritise them if you can’t understand the
where you are now position of your brand(s).
2.0 Targeting and positioning
Learn how to define the group of consumers and what position
your brand must own to capture the greatest sales opportunities.
A strategic footprint for your brand(s) ensures that your brand
activities deliver a consistent brand message that differentiates and
gives the “reason why” for your target consumer.
3.0 Consumer insight and development
Acquire the skills to identify and develop consumer insights that
maximise the success of your brand and its activities.
A meaningful consumer insight provides the bond that connects
consumers with a brand. It identifies a role for your brand(s) within
consumers’ lives, thus creates demand, and drives base sales and
incremental growth.
4.0 Communication and promotion
Develop integrated communications and promotional plans to
deliver your brand objectives and develop your brand plan.
Successful product innovation enables both brands and portfolios
to maintain and build scale by delivering news and addressing
consumers’ needs. Organic and baseline growth may be okay, but
incremental and blue-ocean growth usually comes from innovation.
OVERVIEW
OF ALL COURSES FOR MARKETERS
* 201 is the short-form way that Assent explains intermediate level courses.
Courses are also tailored for both content and instructional design for more
junior and more senior Managers. We refer to the more junior workshops as
101 and the more senior workshops as 301. Please contact Assent if you would
like to see the content for 101 and 301 versions of the workshops above.
DEFINITION
MARKETING 201
© Copyright Assent Consulting Group

4. © Copyright Assent Consulting Group
MARKETING COURSES WHY IS IT IMPORTANT?
6.0 Marketing Plans
Brand and Portfolio strategy and planning tools
Determine, select, prioritise the direction and activities to grow
your brand over one to three years.
To create a clear vision and direction for your brand(s) to build brand
equity and performance, generate long lists of opportunities, and
identify threats. Planning is essential to ensure monies are spent
wisely and activities optimised.
7.0 Thinking big on a small budget
Develop small budget communication plans to build your brand
equity and performance.
When a big budget media plan isn’t feasible, you are often still
expected to achieve your brand targets. “B” and “C” brands can
grow on $75K budgets. And some “A” brands can benefit from some
“budget” techniques.
OVERVIEW
OF ALL COURSES FOR MARKETERS
5.0 Product innovation and NPD
Determine the number and type of product innovation activities
and identify process requirements to successfully achieve your
brand target.
Successful product innovation enables both brands and portfolios
to maintain and build scale by delivering news and addressing
consumers’ needs. Organic and baseline growth may be okay, but
incremental and blue-ocean growth usually comes from innovation.
      

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Monitor your brand’s performance and identify key performance drivers to get to the “so what”
MARKETING COURSES
IN DETAIL
1.0 MARKET INTELLIGENCE AND RESEARCH
Objective
Objective
Content
Content
By the end of the
module, you should
be able to:
By the end of the
module, you should
be able to:
101 Foundation
• The role of data in brand management
• Understand your market structure
• Market intelligence: its role, types, core measures and reporting, when to use
• Market research: role, types and core methodologies, how to use
• Conduct fundamental analysis of your brand(s)
• Identify key performance drivers and get to the “so what”
• Present key findings
• Use checklists to ensure you understand your brand
201 Intermediate
Identify how to grow your brand via an understanding of the category and competitive sets in
which your brand performs
• Scorecards to map market structures
• Best practice brand health indicators: role, types and core measures
• Market research: best practice briefs, reports, methodologies; using and implementing findings,
interfacing with agencies
• Identify past and potential brand value levers
• Develop hypothesis and make complex connections
• Know which questions to ask
• Use process tools to identify “value/growth” drivers for your brand(s)

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Chart profitable portfolio growth via understanding of the category and competitive set dynamicsObjective
Content
By the end of the
module, you should
be able to:
301 Advanced
• Define and redefine categories by consumer and shopper research
• Validate and challenge category health indicators; including shopper and in-store
• Understand emerging forms of research
• Hire and manage market intelligence providers and research agencies •
• Direct complex portfolio analysis
• Identify upcoming category need states
• Coach hypothesis development
• Be confident in all research tools available
• Manage agency relationships
MARKETING COURSES
IN DETAIL
1.0 MARKET INTELLIGENCE AND RESEARCH
It is impossible to determine which activities will deliver future growth and evaluate or prioritise
them if you can’t understand the where you are now position of your brand(s).
1. What role does the category and my brand play within consumers’ lives?
2. Where will my growth come from?
3. What need states does my brand currently address?
4. What does my brand need to do to grow incrementally?
5. Which competitors represent the greatest threat and could beat me to it?
Why is it important?
Five questions you will be able
to answer after attending this
module

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MARKETING COURSES
IN DETAIL
2.0 TARGETING AND POSITIONING
Appreciate the importance of defining your brand’s consumer and the role your brand playsObjective
Content
By the end of the
module, you should
be able to:
101 Foundation
Targeting
• Approaches for targeting new consumers vs retaining core users
• The main different types of target consumer tools
Positioning
• Understand brand positioning and differentiation tools
• The key elements of brand positioning explained
• How you can use positioning as a Brand Manager
Targeting
• Understand a typical target consumer
• Recognise different approaches to defining your target consumer
• Understand when to target vs when to segment
• Support your manager in analysing target and segmentation data – where available
Positioning
• Appreciate the importance and recognise the key elements of brand positioning
• Attain a greater knowledge of where product features “fit” into the brand world
• Use templates and checklists to position a typical brand

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MARKETING COURSES
IN DETAIL
2.0 TARGETING AND POSITIONING
Learn how to define the group of consumers and what position your brand must own to capture
the greatest sales opportunities
Objective
Content
By the end of the
module, you should
be able to:
201 Intermediate
Targeting
• Processes for consumer segmentation vs targeting tools
• How to select the optimum target
Positioning
• Determine the type and extent of your brand’s competitive advantage
• Position and reposition your brand
• How successful line extensions work – and how to avoid failure
Targeting
• Make the distinction between target consumer vs core user
• Evaluate all possible targets and identify the immediate sales opportunity for your brand(s)
• Make your target real to support better briefs, stimulate agencies and successfully deliver your
brand activities
Positioning
• Develop a brand positioning from scratch
• Identify your competitor’s unique selling points
• Recognise when repositioning is required
• Know what good looks like for a professionally positioned brand
• Use a process flow

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MARKETING COURSES
IN DETAIL
2.0 TARGETING AND POSITIONING
Determine the best approach to segment your brands and balance different brand positions
across your portfolio to capture the greatest sales opportunities
Objective
Content
By the end of the
module, you should
be able to:
301 Advanced
Segmentation
• Consumer segmentation to identify the most relevant targeting approach
Positioning
• Clarify brand differentiation versus portfolio strategies
• Best practice models to identify portfolio positioning gaps
• Process to help you revisit your portfolio/brand positioning
• Best practice positioning models
Segmentation
• Determine which segmentation technique is best for your brands; geo/demo/psycho/need states
• Understand when your primary target consumers see your brand as less relevant
• Know when to challenge proposed consumer target and definition
• Coach your team to identify the longer term (5-10 year) sales opportunity for your brand(s)
Positioning
• Know when your brand positioning(s) lacks salience and relevance
• Understand how to balance different positions across your portfolio to avoid cannibalisation
• Identify the best brand positioning model
• Coach your team to develop ownable brand positionings based on observed best practice

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MARKETING COURSES
IN DETAIL
2.0 TARGETING AND POSITIONING
A strategic footprint for your brand(s) ensures that your brand activities deliver a consistent brand
message that differentiates and gives the “reason why” for your target consumer.
1. Which group of users (heavy, medium, light or lapsed/non-) represent the greatest growth
opportunity for my brand(s)?
2. What do my target consumers look like?
3. What can my brand own, that no other can?
4. How do my target consumers currently interact with my brand(s) and how do I want them to
interact with my brand in the future?
5. Do my consumers perceive my brand offering as being differentiated vs other brands in my
competitive set?
Why is it important?
Five questions you will be able
to answer after attending this
module

11. © Copyright Assent Consulting Group
MARKETING COURSES
IN DETAIL
3.0 CONSUMER INSIGHT AND DEVELOPMENT
Understand the role and assist in the development of consumer insightsObjective
Content
By the end of the
module, you should
be able to:
101 Foundation
• The role and importance of consumer insights
• Case study – from consumer facts to insight through to the consumer connection
• Understand the importance of consumer insights
• Gather relevant brand information to assist in the development of consumer insights
• Use checklists and processes to ensure you can support your manager
Acquire the skills to identify and develop consumer insights to maximise the success of your
brand activities
Objective
Content
By the end of the
module, you should
be able to:
102 Intermediate
• Learn how to identify brand objectives and problems
• Pros and cons when developing insights plus where to look, how to think, what to describe
• Acquire an insight development process
• How to know when you’ve hit the sweet spot
• Gather exhaustive consumer usage, attitudes and behaviours towards your brand
• Develop relevant consumer insights (sweet spots) that your brand is able to address
• Put in place processes to ensure your brand can maintain its relevance

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MARKETING COURSES
IN DETAIL
3.0 CONSUMER INSIGHT AND DEVELOPMENT
Recognise and champion best practice approaches to prioritise key insights and activities to
achieve portfolio objectives
Objective
Content
By the end of the
module, you should
be able to:
301 Advanced
• How to define category objectives and identify your gaps
• Best practice process flow to developing insights for category growth
• Tools to prioritise and evaluate key insights and activities
• Coach and critique your team to develop meaningful insights
• Develop big idea insights to identify additional usage opportunities and deliver incremental,
step-change growth
A meaningful consumer insight provides the bond that connects consumers with a brand. It
identifies a role for your brand(s) within consumers’ lives, thus creates demand, and drives base
sales and incremental growth.
1. What is the current role of my brand in consumers’ lives and is it big enough to get my number?
2. What is the role of my competitor in consumers’ lives, how does this differ from our brand(s),
and, will they take share?
3. Is there a major consumer need which my brand/portfolio currently does not address, but could
in the future?
4. How do I develop a powerful insight which will maximise the effect of my marketing activities?
5. When is an insight strategic?
Why is it important?
Five questions you will be able
to answer after attending this
module

13. © Copyright Assent Consulting Group
MARKETING COURSES
IN DETAIL
4.0 COMMUNICATION AND PROMOTION
Learn how to assist your manager in the development and execution of brand communication
and promotions
Develop integrated communications and promotional plans to deliver your brand objectives and
develop your brand plan
Objective
Objective
Content
Content
By the end of the
module, you should
be able to:
By the end of the
module, you should
be able to:
101 Foundation
201 Intermediate
• FMCG types and roles of communication and promotional mix elements
• The importance of consistent and integrated communication to leverage investment
• Checklists and templates for managing minor communication more thoroughly
• Templates and thought processes to build a communication strategy for your brand
• Processes to develop communication
• Checklists to maintain integrated marketing communications across all marketing mix elements
• Checklists to review and give feedback to optimise agency work
• Assist your manager with the development and execution of brand communication activities
• Manage minor brand communication activity
• Provide sales support to build in-store integration with your campaign
• Develop focused communication briefs
• Manage the communication process with your agencies
• Provide constructive feedback to your agencies
• Deliver an integrated communication and promotional campaign for your brand

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MARKETING COURSES
IN DETAIL
Direct your team and agencies to deliver outstanding communication plans for each brand within
your portfolio. Acquire both base and incremental growth
Objective
Content
By the end of the
module, you should
be able to:
• Best practice management of the communication process
• Optimise the agency role and integrate with strategy development
• Integrate marketing communications
• How to “get” the role of new media
• How to motivate your agencies to give you their best resources
• Direct your team and agencies to deliver outstanding communication and promotional
campaigns for each brand within your portfolio
• Drive your brand positioning and communication apart
• Acquire incremental, as well as base growth
4.0 COMMUNICATION AND PROMOTION
301 Advanced
To ensure a focused, persuasive and consistent brand message is delivered via the appropriate
consumer touch-points. This achieves the desired consumer response and delivers a return on
investment for your brand(s).
1. Which mix elements are most relevant to my target consumer?
2. How can I get the best work from my agencies?
3. How do I deliver a consistent message across all elements of the marketing mix?
4. What are the critical milestones within the communication development process?
5. How do I optimise my ROI?
Why is it important?
Five questions you will be able
to answer after attending this
module

15. © Copyright Assent Consulting Group
MARKETING COURSES
IN DETAIL
5.0 PRODUCT INNOVATION AND NPD
Identify different types of product innovation and be familiar with the key NPD process phases
Determine the number and type of product innovation activities and identify process
requirements to successfully achieve your brand target
Objective
Objective
Content
Content
By the end of the
module, you should
be able to:
By the end of the
module, you should
be able to:
101 Foundation
201 Intermediate
• Different roles and types of product innovation
• Overview of the key product innovation process phases
• Skills to manage tasks or parts of the NPD process
• Processes, templates, checklists to build a one- to three-year innovation program for your brand
• Best practice approach to take an idea to market
• Techniques to engage cross-functional stakeholders
• Understand the roles of each type of product innovation
• Assist your manager during the development and delivery of product innovation
• Understand the big-picture of NPD
• Identify the appropriate type of innovation for your brand
• Develop a one-to three-year funnel of new product development activities
• Identify key stakeholder requirements at each stage of the innovation process

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MARKETING COURSES
IN DETAIL
5.0 PRODUCT INNOVATION AND NPD
Prioritise and optimise the product innovation activities across your portfolio to successfully
maintain and grow your category over a five-year period
Objective
Content
By the end of the
module, you should
be able to:
301 Advanced
• Processes and templates to build a three- to five-year portfolio innovation program
• Best practice management of your portfolio product innovation funnel
• Techniques to review and improve your innovation success rate
• Identify an optimal one- to five-year product innovation program for your portfolio
• Influence key stakeholders for support and approval to progress through the innovation process
• Improve the number and impact of product innovation successes
Successful product innovation enables both brands and portfolios to maintain and build scale by
delivering news and addressing consumers’ needs. Organic and base-line growth may be okay,
but incremental and blue-ocean growth usually comes from innovation.
1. Have I planned for the right type of product innovation for my brand to grow?
2. How do I make sure my line extension won’t fail?
3. Will I run out of growth next year, or the year after if I don’t have NPD in my plan?
4. How do I prioritise all the innovation ideas on my brand?
5. What milestones are important in the development of a new product?
Why is it important?
Five questions you will be able
to answer after attending this
module

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MARKETING COURSES
IN DETAIL
6.0 MARKETING PLANS – BRAND AND PORTFOLIO STRATEGY AND PLANNING TOOLS
Not introduced until the 201 Intermediate Workshop
Determine, select, prioritise the direction and activities to grow your brand over one to three
years
Objective
Content
By the end of the
module, you should
be able to:
101 Foundation
201 Intermediate
• Templates and techniques in brand strategy development and planning
• How to use situation audit information to optimise opportunities, avoid threats and create
strategy
• Training in setting objectives and strategies to maintain and build brand equity and growth
• Techniques to determine how to use your mix
• Develop a brand strategy and plan which is easily understood and successfully executed
• Take advantages of emerging opportunities
• Address competitive threats to your brand’s growth

18. © Copyright Assent Consulting Group
MARKETING COURSES
IN DETAIL
6.0 MARKETING PLANS – BRAND AND PORTFOLIO STRATEGY AND PLANNING TOOLS
Determine, select, prioritise the direction and activities to grow your portfolio over one to three
years
Objective
Content
By the end of the
module, you should
be able to:
301 Advanced
• Templates and techniques for portfolio strategy development and planning
• How to audit your current approach to brand and portfolio planning
• How to introduce processes to take your plan to the next level
• Attain more accountability and impact in spend
• Learn how to build a balanced, broad and/or deep portfolio
• Develop a portfolio strategy and plan with different roles and objectives for each brand
• Drive brands apart
• Coach your marketing team to think more strategically
• Ensure your team and agencies understand their roles in delivering their plans
To create a clear vision and direction for your brand(s) to build brand equity and performance,
generate long lists of opportunities, and identify threats. Planning is essential to ensure monies
are spent wisely and activities optimised.
1. What is the role of my brand within the business portfolio?
2. What is the vision for my brand(s)?
3. What activities do I need to develop and implement in order to achieve my brand goals and
objectives?
4. What resources will I need to grow both brands and portfolios?
5. What are the key health indicators and scorecards to track performance and ROI?
Why is it important?
Five questions you will be able
to answer after attending this
module

19. © Copyright Assent Consulting Group
MARKETING COURSES
IN DETAIL
7.0 THINKING BIG ON A SMALL BUDGET
Assist your manager in the development and execution of a low budget communication plan
Develop small budget communication plans to build your brand equity and performance
Objective
Objective
Content
Content
By the end of the
module, you should
be able to:
By the end of the
module, you should
be able to:
101 Foundation
201 Intermediate
• The 42 low budget communication techniques
• How to develop a low budget communication plan
• Case study: tuna fish
• How to position your brand for cut through
• Techniques to review objectives
• Exercise: creative thinking for non-creatives
• Checklist and examples: bargain communication options
• Case studies: alcohol, soup
• Assist your manager in developing and executing a low budget communication plan
• Write a mini communication plan for a small brand
• Understand that great campaigns in FMCG can start below $100K
• Determine realistic communication objectives
• Identify and evaluate a number of low cost communication options
• Deliver an achievable communication plan
• Motivate yourself to do more with less

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MARKETING COURSES
IN DETAIL
7.0 THINKING BIG ON A SMALL BUDGET
Build brand equities for all brands – even the ones with tiny budgetsObjective
Content
By the end of the
module, you should
be able to:
301 Advanced
• How to target set with small budgets
• Techniques to change big budget mindsets
• Approaches to challenge team and agency creativity
• Techniques to identify low cost options for more ROI
• Determine achievable portfolio business targets
• Direct your team to deliver relevant, multi-faceted, low budget communication plans
• Get better work from your agencies
• Salvage “C” brands with low budgets
When a big budget media plan isn’t feasible, you are often still expected to achieve your brand
targets. “B” and “C” brands can grow on $75K budgets. And some “A” brands can benefit from
some “budget” techniques.
1. How do I maintain my SOV?
2. How do I keep my brand top of mind?
3. How do I address my brand objectives with little spend?
4. How do I spend less to get more?
5. How do I make my brand look bigger?
Why is it important?
Five questions you will be able
to answer after attending this
module

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YOUR QUESTIONS ANSWERED
Next Steps and Contact Us
Other Downloads Available
If you would like to discuss any of these
workshops or approaches, please contact
us on the details below.
PHONE: +61 2 9591 1223
EMAIL: info@AssentCG.com
What is the easiest way to
access Assent’s courses and
workshops?
Workshops can be done one-on-one for
one day, either face-to-face in your offices,
at Assent’s offices, or online using Skype
for Business. The most important delivery
approach is the one that suits the client most.
Please don’t hesitate to contact us if you
have any need for professional development
in the future.
• Course Overview – Sales
• Sample Tools
• Competencies and Capabilities
Please refer to
www.AssentCG.com for
questions you may have