Branding and Positioning
Establishing and maintaining the customer/client’s value perception of the product/service/offering and organization.
Level 1 Introductory: Demonstrates introductory understanding and ability and, with guidance, applies the competency in a few, simple situations. Can direct people to the appropriate source for further information.
BEHAVIORS
- Demonstrates an understanding of basic principles of segmentation and targeting, e.g. segment profiles, target groups, techniques for measuring segment attractiveness.
- Demonstrates an understanding of basic principles of positioning and branding, e.g. naming, design, symbols, value statements.
- Demonstrates an understanding of the current and desired positioning of the product or service.
- Demonstrates awareness of the Unique Selling Point of the product or service to differentiate it from the competition.
- Uses simple tools such as product position maps to visualize and interpret the organization’s position and brand relative to competitors.
QUESTIONS
- Tell us about a time when you used simple tools to visualize and interpret an organization’s position and brand relative to competitors.
Probing Questions
* What was the situation?
* What was your role?
* What tools did you use to quickly visualize and interpret an organization’s position and brand relative to competitors?
* How was this information used?
- Please tell us of a time you were asked to identify segment profiles and provide a profile description.
Probing Questions
* What information did you use?
* How did you obtain the information?
* Who did you present the information to?
* What were the results?
Level 2 Basic: Demonstrates basic knowledge and ability and, with guidance, can apply the competency in common situations that present limited difficulties.
BEHAVIORS
- Uses customer data to segment the market,
- Uses segmentation data to identify the target segments to pursue.
- Uses market analyses (e.g. PEST, SWOT) to identify the desired position of the product/service.
- Assists in the development of value propositions.
- Quantifies brand equity based on information gathered through market research.
- Monitors brand awareness/performance to identify possible changes in brand strategy.
QUESTIONS
- Describe a situation where you were required to use market analysis to identify the desired position of a product or service.
Probing Questions
* What was the situation?
* What was your role?
* What market analysis tools or approaches were used?
* What did you determine as the desired position of a product or service?
* How was your proposal received by the principal stakeholders?
- Tell us a time when you gathered information through market research to quantify brand equity.
Probing Questions
* What was the situation?
* What was your role?
* How did you identify the pertinent market research?
* What did the information from the market research indicate?
* How was this information used by the organization?
Level 3 Intermediate: Demonstrates solid knowledge and ability, and can apply the competency, with minimal or no guidance, in the full range of typical situations. Would require guidance to handle novel or more complex situations.
BEHAVIORS
- Identifies and evaluates potential brand and positioning scenarios.
- Prepares position statements for each brand to appeal to each targeted segment.
- Identifies strategies to exploit growth opportunities for the brand.
- Monitors brand performance indicators and adapt strategies as required.
- Coordinates brand support activities across the organizations.
- Monitors customer and market data to forecast the need to adapt segmentation and targeting strategies.
QUESTIONS
- Describe a situation when you developed and applied a value proposition as a strategy to achieve or enhance a market position.
Probing Questions
* What was the product/service?
* What was your role in the process?
* What were the value propositions?
* What were the impacts of the value propositions on the market position of the product/service?
- Tell us about a time when you monitored brand performance indicators and adapted strategies in response to those indicators.
Probing Questions
* What was the situation?
* What were your responsibilities?
* What were the key brand performance indicators that you were monitoring?
* What were your findings?
* What was the impact of your findings on branding strategies?
Level 4 Advanced: Demonstrates advanced knowledge and ability and can apply the competency in new or complex situations. Guides other professionals.
BEHAVIORS
- Directs and coordinates a portfolio of brands through the implementation of the brand strategy.
- Coaches others in building brand equity, managing the brand effectively, and the need for brand innovation.
- Balances the needs of the individual brands and prioritizes across the branding portfolio to achieve overall objectives.
- Creates brand strategies aligned with the organizational strategy and profit objectives.
- Develops and applies value propositions as a strategy to achieve the desired market position.
- Selects operating target segments that are most profitable as well as best aligned with the organization’s long-term strategy.
QUESTIONS
- Describe a situation where you coached others in product commercialization and brand innovation.
Probing Questions
* What was the situation?
* Who were the people being coached?
* What were the key interventions that you made?
* What were the outcomes of those interventions?
- Tell us about a time when you revised pricing strategies as necessary to accommodate changing market situations.
Probing Questions
* What was the situation?
* What were the changing market situations that you were trying to address?
* What were the revisions that you made to pricing strategies?
* What was the outcome of these interventions?
Level 5 Expert: Demonstrates expert knowledge and ability, and can apply the competency in the most complex situations. Develops new approaches, methods or policies in the area. Is recognized as an expert, internally and/or externally.
BEHAVIORS
- Approves the development of brand strategies across the organization.
- Develops internal brand awareness that reinforces the organization’s chosen positioning and builds customer loyalty and brand equity.
- Influences organizational strategy formulation and investment decisions based on current and forecasted brand value.
- Promotes an innovative approach to research and development of brands throughout the organization.
- Plays a lead role in identifying new business opportunities and partnerships consistent with brand strategy.
QUESTIONS
- Tell us about a situation when you developed internal brand awareness that reinforced the organization’s chosen positioning and built customer loyalty and brand equity.
Probing Questions
* What was the situation?
* What were your organizational responsibilities?
* What was the internal brand awareness initiative that you developed?
* How was the internal brand awareness initiative implemented?
* What were the results of this initiative?
- Describe a scenario where you played the lead role in identifying new business opportunities and partnerships to support your organization’s brand strategy.
Probing Questions
* What was the market situation you dealt with?
* What business or partnership opportunities did you identify?
* How were they connected to the existing brand strategy?
* Were any of the opportunities you considered pursued by the organization and what was the impact?