This document provides an overview of intermediate-level sales courses offered by Assent Consulting Group related to channel, category, and key customer management. The courses are designed to provide sales managers with the skills and knowledge to effectively manage channels, categories, shoppers, and key customers. Specific courses covered include metrics and data analysis, shopper marketing, category management and range reviews, channel planning and management, category planning including new products, and major customer planning. The document outlines the objectives, content, and important questions addressed in each course.

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OVERVIEW OF ALL COURSES FOR SALES MANAGERS
Channel, Category and Key Customer Courses

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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.
Only the course outlines for Intermediate levels (201) are shown in
this document. Please contact Assent for more information of 101
and 301 levels.
ABOUT THIS DOCUMENT

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The category plan and category management provide guiderails for
insufficient use of funds and lays out how your company will grow
the category.
CHANNEL, CATEGORY AND
KEY CUSTOMER COURSES
WHY IS IT IMPORTANT?
1.0 Metrics and data for Channel Marketers
Identify which datasets are needed and how to use them to
correctly understand Shoppers, occasions, retail activations, and
ROI.
This module is the basis for category planning, range reviews, to
avoid deletions and to find blue ocean/white space in stores and in
the Shoppers’ path to purchase.
2.0 Shopper marketing
Have a clear view of who the Shopper is and how he/she shops
the category.
With so many purchase decisions being made in store, the focus on
the differences between Shopper and Consumers is becoming more
critical. With the advent of eCommerce and online research pre-
visiting the store, this is becoming truer than ever.
3.0 Category management and range reviews
Provide the basis of a robust category plan, range reviews and
leverage this in A, B, C, large stores and all medium-small channel
store formats.
OVERVIEW
OF ALL COURSES FOR SALES MANAGERS
* 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

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CHANNEL, CATEGORY AND
KEY CUSTOMER COURSES
WHY IS IT IMPORTANT?
6.0 Major Customer planning, management and joint
business planning – template
Ensure that all Customers support all major changes to categories,
layouts and new products.
Understand exactly how aligned your business and the
Customer’s business is in price, promotion, ranging, new product
development, and the overall corporate intent of both Firms.
Write objectives that are a win/win/win for the Customer,
Shopper…and your Firm.
Includes major customer plan template.
A great deal of the activities and initiatives that fail in store do so
because of inadequate Retailer support. However, this is also caused
by suppliers launching and leaving or attempting over-complicated,
non-customer centric activities to support their brands and
categories.
OVERVIEW
OF ALL COURSES FOR SALES MANAGERS
5.0 Category planning (includes new products)
Increase the success of new products and reduce the failure rate.
Ensure BPPCA is optimised to sell more to more Shoppers on
more occasions.
Newproductdevelopmentisstillahigh-riskactivity,butnearlyalllarge
consumer goods firms still invest heavily in it. Retailers and execution
by supplier salesforce and Retailer staff remains problematic, and
Channel Marketers are responsible and accountable for consulting
and preventing suboptimal execution.
4.0 Channel planning, strategy and management
Have an 18-month to two-year plan in place to manage the
groups of Retailers in the channel better, and determine the best
use of: money, data, salesforce time, merchandising/promotional
materials, and key focus areas/pillars of growth.
Includes a Channel planning tool and templates, tools and
checklists.
Plans are accepted as something Managers need to have. But
planning, the process of producing the plan, is often only template-
driven and done cursorily, or just quickly to meet a particular budget
number. The process of planning is done to flush out to identify all
opportunities, and then prioritise the quick wins, the medium-term
wins and the big wins that will require the business to change the
way it invests its time, money and data.

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CHANNEL, CATEGORY AND
KEY CUSTOMER COURSES
WHY IS IT IMPORTANT?
8.0 Channel marketing for eCommerce and online
Understanding how shoppers behave differently online.
Leveraging the measurability of online promotions.
Ensuring that the online channel is fully optimised and is omni-
channel for all shopper occasions and typologies.
(Participants need to attend the general eCommerce awareness
workshops done by Assent before attending this module)
Significant (+$100 million) opportunities are being exploited by
Assent clients that invest in the 11 areas of eCommerce currently
available.
OVERVIEW
OF ALL COURSES FOR SALES MANAGERS
7.0 Key Customer planning
Understanding exactly how aligned the two businesses are in
price, promotion, ranging, new product development, and the
overall corporate intent of both businesses.
Writing objectives that are a win/win for the Customer
Action grids to execute more than just promotion periods and
one-year plans…to a two to three-year horizon.
Significant improvement to both businesses’ performance takes
time and is driven by systematic identification of opportunities that
favour both companies.
      

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Identify which datasets are needed and how to use them to correctly understand Shoppers,
occasions, retail activation, and return on investment (ROI)
SALES COURSES
IN DETAIL
1.0 METRICS AND DATA FOR CHANNEL MARKETERS
Objective
Content
By the end of the
module, you should
be able to:
201 Intermediate
• Understanding category, shopper and in-store activation metrics, including ROI on executions
• Measuring the Zero and First Moments of Truth
• Prioritise outlet typologies using a fact basis
• Prioritise Shopper typologies for your portfolio
• Prioritise Shopper missions for your portfolio
• Identify your “as is” scorecards
• Identify any gaps in data that you may have, that are critical to completing category plans and
range reviews and your channel strategy plan
• Know which questions to ask of data providers
• Use process-tools to identify “value/growth” drivers in your categories, and with your Shoppers

7. © Copyright Assent Consulting Group
1.0 METRICS AND DATA FOR CHANNEL MARKETERS
This module is the basis for category planning, range reviews, to avoid deletions, and to find blue
ocean/white space in stores and in the Shoppers’ path to purchase.
1. Which outlet/store typologies are we to invest in and why?
2. Where is our “shopper of interest” and what’s the best way to activate against them and their
shopper mission?
3. Which Shopper missions/types are we strong and weak with?
4. What is the role of my brand and category in their purchase behaviour (e.g. modify re-buy,
distress purchase, treat, gifting)?
5. Where are the gaps in the range?
6. What will grow the category, as opposed to just my brand?
7. How to measure all four Moments of Truth, particularly ZMOT and FMOT?
Why is it important?
Questions you will be able to
answer after attending this
module
SALES COURSES
IN DETAIL

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• Have a clear view of who the Shopper is and how he/she shops the category
• Understand how he/she behaves and responds to ZMOT and FMOT activities
Objective
Content
By the end of the
module, you should
be able to:
201 Intermediate
• Understanding how the Shopper shops different categories, and how the Shoppers of different
retailers behave
• Typologies of Shoppers and how they differ to Consumers
• Target the development and execution of activities correctly
• Provide guidance to Brand Managers and Key Account Managers on how to write their plans on
the Shopper
• Provide guidance to Retailers on simplifying the category, the flow, and reducing unnecessary
clutter (SKUs end products)
2.0 SHOPPER MARKETING
With so many purchase decisions being made in store, the focus on the differences between
shopper and consumers is becoming more critical. With the advent of eCommerce and online
research pre-visiting the store, this is becoming truer than ever.
1. Who is our ideal Shopper?
2. What are the occasions that we need to own, and the occasions that we could own?
3. Do we have the right range to satisfy the Shopper and the occasion?
4. Are pricing and promotions working for these Shoppers, their occasion, and the role that the
brand/SKU plays in these?
Why is it important?
Questions you will be able to
answer after attending this
module
SALES COURSES
IN DETAIL

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3.0 CATEGORY MANAGEMENT AND RANGE REVIEWS
Provide the basis of a robust category plan, range reviews and leverage this in A, B, C, large stores
and all medium-small channel store formats
Objective
Content
By the end of the
module, you should
be able to:
201 Intermediate
• Understand how best to use processes and templates to develop: best practice range reviews,
category plans that grow the cake and not just one brand’s slice
• Target via executions, Shopper typologies, missions and occasions
• Optimising range reviews; defending deletions, and dealing with “one in, one out” Retailer
policies
• Pricing – processes and tools to identify optimum price strategy and brand pack price channel
architecture (BPPCA)
• Understand what good looks like in category planning (and have a “best in class” plan)
• Avoid the common traps of anti-Retailer category plans, too much data, too much about your
brand, only activations that grow your slice of the “pie”, overly complex activations, ineffective
promotions
• Make specific recommendations around promotional types, spend, guidelines and guardrails
• Make specific recommendations around assortment/range
• Make specific recommendations around price
SALES COURSES
IN DETAIL

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3.0 CATEGORY MANAGEMENT AND RANGE REVIEWS
The category plan and category management provide guiderails for insufficient use of funds and
lays out how your company will grow the category.
1. How can we convince the Key Customers and our managers to use funds more effectively?
2. What is the optimal promotional program?
3. What is the optimal merchandising program?
4. What is the optimal range?
5. What are the price points that we must stay above, and that we could hit?
6. Where are we now with the category?
7. Where do we want to be?
8. How will we get there (Price, VA Promotion, Assortment/Range, Retailer-sponsorship etc)?
Why is it important?
Questions you will be able to
answer after attending this
module
SALES COURSES
IN DETAIL

11. © Copyright Assent Consulting Group
4.0 CHANNEL PLANNING, STRATEGY AND MANAGEMENT
Have an 18-month to two-year plan in place to manage the groups of Retailers in the channel
better, and determine the best use of: money, data, salesforce time, merchandising/promotional
materials, and key focus areas/pillars of growth. Includes a Channel planning tool and templates,
tools and checklists.
Objective
Content
By the end of the
module, you should
be able to:
201 Intermediate
• Leverage metrics from Shopper, category and activation execution
• Identify white space in the category – Shopper missions, outlet types and in eCommerce
• Prioritise opportunities for growing the category and engagement
• Develop Action Grids for executions
• Talk convincingly about where the organisation should continue to maintain its focus, what it
should do more of, and what it should do less of
• Present credible business cases around investment, money, data, salesforce time, materials
• Have a written down, signed-off set of objectives for sub-channels such as mass merchants,
small stores, large stores, eCommerce
SALES COURSES
IN DETAIL

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4.0 CHANNEL PLANNING, STRATEGY AND MANAGEMENT
Plans are accepted as something Managers need to have. But planning, the process of producing
the plan, is often only template-driven and done cursorily, or just quickly to meet a particular
budget number. The process of planning is done to flush out to identify all opportunities, and
then prioritise the quick wins, the medium-term wins and the big wins that will require the
business to change the way it invests its time, money and data.
1. Where are we now in the outlet universe sub-channels that we manage?
2. Where new emerging channels such as eCommerce are so we can find new Customers and
new growth?
3. What our position is re all types of investment (money, data, time, headcount, materials)?
4. Where we want to be with the sub-channels and our investment profile?
5. How we will know when we are achieving ROI?
6. How we will hit our targets for growth in each sub-channel?
Why is it important?
Questions you will be able to
answer after attending this
module
SALES COURSES
IN DETAIL

13. © Copyright Assent Consulting Group
5.0 CATEGORY PLANNING (includes new products)
• Increase the success of new products, and reduce the failure rate
• Ensure that BPPCA is optimised to sell more to more Shoppers on more occasions
Objective
Content
By the end of the
module, you should
be able to:
201 Intermediate
• Identifying and addressing the challenges of introducing new lines to ever-shrinking space in store
• Ensuring Marketing and Innovation are in the loop re Shopper and Retailer needs
• Ensuring incremental growth from new products
• Engaging stakeholders in your company around category requirements and guidelines from
Retailers
• Make specific recommendations to Brand, R&D/Innovation and Key Customers about how best to
lodge new products
• Predict (very early) and prevent failure
• Provide compelling business cases to engage Retailers and prevent “one in, one out” type policies
being deployed against your category
SALES COURSES
IN DETAIL

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5.0 CATEGORY PLANNING (includes new products)
New product development is still a high-risk activity, but nearly all large consumer goods firms
still invest heavily in it. Retailers and execution by supplier salesforce and Retailer staff remains
problematic, and Channel Marketers are responsible and accountable for consulting and preventing
suboptimal execution.
1. What types of new products are needed in the category by Shoppers and Retailers?
2. Where should the new product sit in the store and in the range and on the shelf?
3. What role will they play in the Consumer and Shopper’s purchases and path to purchase?
4. What is the best way to talk to Shoppers about this product in store and online?
5. Who is going to buy it and re-buy it and refer it to friends?
6. How best do we engage Retailers?
Why is it important?
Questions you will be able to
answer after attending this
module
SALES COURSES
IN DETAIL

15. © Copyright Assent Consulting Group
6.0 MAJOR CUSTOMER PLANNING, MANAGEMENT AND JOINT BUSINESS PLANNING
• Ensure that all Retailers support all major changes to categories, layouts and new products
• Reduce crowded categories and confusing layouts
• Increase the success of new launches
• Understand exactly how aligned your business and the Customer’s business is in price,
promotion, ranging, new product development, and the overall corporate intent of both Firms
• Write objectives that are a win/win/win for the Customer, Shopper…and your Firm
• Action Grids to execute more than just promotion periods and one-year plans…building to a
two to three-year horizon
Objective
Content
201 Intermediate
• Ensuring that all the initiatives are bought into and properly supported by Customers
• Learning how to build business cases to take to range reviews, and how to introduce initiatives
requiring major store format layouts or significant aisle changes
• Penetrating operations and in-store teams in Retailers (including Merchandising Managers)
• Understanding exactly how aligned your business and the Customer’s business is in price,
promotion, ranging, new product development, and the overall corporate intent of both Firms
• Writing objectives that are a win/win/win for the Customer, Shopper…and your Firm
• Action Grids to execute more than just promotion periods and one-year plans…building to a
two to three-year horizon
By the end of the
module, you should
be able to:
• Engage with Retailers better
• Minimise the risk of failure
• Support Key Customer Managers in preparing for their presentations and preparing for
accidental deletion
• Have a roadmap to engaging Retailers at multi-levels in their organisation – Operations,
Merchandising and Buying
SALES COURSES
IN DETAIL

16. © Copyright Assent Consulting Group
A great deal of the activities and initiatives that fail in store do so because of inadequate Retailer
support. However, this is also caused by suppliers launching and leaving or attempting over-
complicated, non-customer centric activities to support their brands and categories.
1. Are we aligned with the Customer and the sub-channel at the moment for each of our
categories?
2. What is the Customer’s driving force for this category and the different formats of its stores?
3. What role does our category play in the Customer’s businesses and in their different store
types?
4. What will it take to ensure new products success and major category initiatives such as relays
are properly done?
5. Are our Contract Matrices working and being optimised?
6. Are our Field Management/State roles reaching out correctly to the right Retailer roles?
Why is it important?
Questions you will be able to
answer after attending this
module
6.0 MAJOR CUSTOMER PLANNING, MANAGEMENT AND JOINT BUSINESS PLANNING
SALES COURSES
IN DETAIL

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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 – Marketing
• Sample Tools
• Competencies and Capabilities
Please refer to
www.AssentCG.com for
questions you may have