The consumer packaged goods (CPG) industry requires highly strategic marketing to be successful, which requires a highly skilled marketing team. Any CPG marketer joining your team should have insight into the industry, know how to make your brand stand apart, and leverage consumer insights into their campaigns. The problem? Finding experienced marketers in this field can sometimes feel like discovering a needle in a haystack.
Thankfully, we have significant experience in this area and have no shortage of hiring tips – whether you’re seeking to fill full-time roles or freelance or consulting opportunities.
CPG marketing refers to businesses’ tactics and strategies for promoting and selling packaged goods. The average person regularly consumes these products, such as beverages, clothes, makeup, and household products. Because of their frequent use, they have a high turnover, which leads to high-volume sales despite lower profit margins. These unique distinctions make hiring talent with CPG marketing experience all the more important.
CPG marketing presents unique challenges and characteristics your new hire should be familiar with. For example, these marketers will be dealing with stiff competition. Many brands typically compete for consumers’ attention and space on the shelf, so you need your brand to stand out. You also only have a few seconds when a customer looks at your product packaging to convey what it is and convince them to buy it.
As such, brand awareness is one of the most important aspects of CPG marketing. Building strong recognition and empowering customer loyalty is important, as consumers generally stick with the brands they know and trust.
Marketers will also have to factor in retail dynamics. Placement in retail environments will significantly impact sales, so your marketers may also have to develop strategies for shelf placement, effective packaging design, and in-store promotions.
Marketers in the CPG industry should also have a firm grasp of consumer insights and understand buyer psychology. They’ll have to collect and analyze how consumers interact with products and use these insights to tailor the marketing strategies.
Building a solid marketing team requires a blend of skills with team members who know how to navigate the changing landscape and can stay on top of CPG marketing trends. Here are some essential skills you should look for when hiring CPG marketing talent:
Consumer insights. This is perhaps the most important skill for a CPG marketer to have. Understanding customer needs and behaviors is critical for creating compelling packaging and messaging. You’ll need someone who can research and utilize focus groups, engage in social listening, and conduct surveys to inform marketing strategies.
Collaboration and communication. Collaboration is crucial the CPG industry, but not all marketers are experienced in working with larger teams across the organization. Look for candidates who have experience working closely with stakeholders in sales, supply chain management, and product development.
Creativity. With so many brands competing for consumer’s attention, marketers will need to unlock their inspiration to make a brand “pop.” Creativity is vital for capturing consumers’ attention while driving brand growth.
Retail and distribution knowledge. Depending on the CPG marketing role, it can be critical to understand retail channels, supply chains, and distribution networks to optimize product availability, promotional strategies, and shelf placement. Marketers often need to be aware of how products get into brick-and-mortar stores and online marketplaces so they can adjust their marketing strategy as necessary.
Identifying top CPG marketing talent will require a strategic approach to recruiting. Here are some steps to help you find the best candidates for your marketing team:
When you finally narrow down your list of candidates, you’ll need to ask specific questions to gauge whether or not they’d be a good fit. Here are some questions to help you get started:
Recruiting CPG marketing talent is difficult because of the industry’s uniqueness. It can help to have a knowledgeable staffing firm on your side who has experience recruiting these specialized candidates. That’s where 24 Seven steps in. We have niche experience sourcing and hiring CPG marketing candidates. Our recruiters have years of experience in the CPG industry, and we know what to look for when recruiting the perfect marketing candidate, whether you need a full-time employee or a contractor.