Brand Manager: What is the cost of hiring?

Why hire a brand manager?

The need for new staff can affect both your existing team and your bottom line.

A great brand manager hire can help your business:

• Perform routine market research and plan new marketing initiatives
• Assist in product development, pricing and release to ensure consistency in the market
• Review analytics for product launches and marketing initiatives

Deciding between a full-time vs freelance brand manager

For employers that don’t require a full-time employee to manage their image and branding, freelance brand managers are available both in person and on the internet. Freelancers may also be the optimal choice for businesses that are only looking for temporary management. Employers who hire freelance employees for limited hours may save money on payroll costs and employee benefits. 

For larger businesses that require full-time management of their branding, it may be cheaper to hire someone in a full-time capacity. Freelancers typically have a higher hourly rate than full-time employees, so employers can save money hiring a full-time manager. Actual employees also have a higher degree of accountability for their work. 

What are the variations of brand managers?

There are a few positions that fill marketing roles in companies. These include: 

• Brand managers: Brand managers are usually responsible for ensuring the company’s products and services are in line with the company’s projected image. They also monitor marketing trends to improve the business’s sales.
• Public relations managers: Public relations managers work to keep avenues of communication between the community and the company open. They listen to feedback presented by consumers and utilize it to improve products, services and company policies. 
• Advertising managers: Advertising managers work to spread the word about their company’s products and services through digital and traditional media, such as billboards, social media ads and paper advertisements. 
• Social media managers: Social media managers use social media accounts on sites such as Facebook and Twitter to engage the company’s target audience . They make frequent posts to raise awareness of the product and respond to feedback from the community. 

Where to find brand managers

To find the right brand manager for your business, consider trying out a few recruiting strategies:

• Post a help wanted sign: Posting help wanted signs and flyers at your office building and around the neighborhood can increase awareness of the position and attract potential candidates. 
• Network with current brand managers: Having connections with current brand managers may generate leads for new hires. 
• Search the internet: There may be individuals with experience advertising themselves online who are looking for brand manager positions.
• Promote or hire from within: There may already be people in your company who have the required experience for the position. Conduct interviews with potential candidates within the company to see if they’re a fit for the job.
• Post your job online: Try posting your brand manager job on Indeed to find and attract quality brand manager candidates.

Skills to look for in a great Brand Manager

A great Brand Manager candidate will have the following skills and attributes as well as work experience that reflects:

• Able to interpret analytics
• Collaborates across all departments
• MBA or equivalent marketing certifications
• Data and fact-driven style
• Friendly management of vendors and clients
• Instinctive feeling towards future trends

Writing a brand manager job description

A thoughtful description is important to find a qualified brand manager. A brand manager job description includes a compelling summary of the role, a detailed list of duties and responsibilities and the required and preferred skills for the position.

When writing your brand manager job description, consider including some or all of the following keywords to improve the visibility of your job posting . These are the most popular search terms leading to clicks on brand manager jobs, according to Indeed data:

• Marketing
• Brand manager
• Marketing manager
• Manager
• Cannabis
• Creative
• Brand marketing
• Associate brand manager
• Social media
• Management

Interviewing brand manager candidates

Strong candidates for brand manager positions will be confident answering questions regarding:

• Previous launches of products and marketing campaigns
• Providing analytical insight to management for review
• Developing relationships across numerous departments to execute a task

Need help coming up with interview questions? See our list of brand manager interview questions for examples (with sample answers).