"Crossing the Bridge From Theory to Application"

Considered by many to be the "Best-in-Class" Category Management workshop available in the industry.

This program is a Hands-on, Real-World interactive training workshop. The most comprehensive program in the industry.

Do You:

• Want to learn advanced Category Management skills, and gain a competitive advantage?
  
• Understand the theory, but continually ask yourself "Now Where Do I Begin?"
  
• Want an in-depth, hands-on training program, one that teaches you the "A to Z" of Category Management?
  
• Want to learn how to write actionable and measurable strategies and tactics?
  
• Have new employees or want to ensure that your current team members have the skills that will propel them to the top 1% in the industry?

"Then The Category Management School was
designed especially for you."

When you complete the 3 ½ day training program, you will have improved your computer skills, your analytical thought process, and your ability to think strategically. You will also have a greater understanding of consumer behavior and how to use the elements of the marketing mix (4P's) to write powerful category plans. By the end of this workshop, you will have developed (and your team will have presented) a Category Management plan: transforming the raw data (internal, syndicated POS and consumer data), populating templates and creating a final strategic plan with tactical elements that will grow the category’s sales and profits.

The program is driven by a case study, which is broken into a series of exercises, that facilitates the HANDS - ON training approach, versus lecture oriented. Because computers will be used to develop the case study category plan, intermediate skills** with either Excel or Lotus spreadsheets are required. You will spend a minimum of one day building formulas and processing information utilizing these tools.

Part I:
The Theory of Category Management

• We will spend one quarter of the first day reviewing the theory of Category Management. This will ensure that everybody has the same basic understanding before we begin the advanced segments.
  

• How to select, initiate and work with retailers/vendors.
• The ground rules for the partnership.
• The data sources and issues associated (accuracy and applicability) with the data (internal, external syndicated and consumer panel). Not all data is good data. Learn the differences so that you can make more informed decisions.
• Basic elements of formula(s) (Turns, Days of Supply, Profit, Margin, CTM, GMROII and GMROS to name a few) so that you understand which is the most effective element to improve.
• Populate worksheets in the Category Management template with data. Also, learn shortcuts to reduce the amount of time required to populate the templates.
• Quick and easy ways to double check the data and calculations, to ensure accuracy (note: 5 of 6 category plans have at least one data/calculation error - we will teach you how to prevent them / find them).
  

• Learn how to read and develop strategic plans from quadrant charts.
• Learn how to use consumer information to improve your category’s performance.
• Learn why people shop and the consumer decision process.
• Conduct a S.W.O.T. analysis. As part of the analysis, you will spend one morning conducting competitive store walks from the consumers' perspective.
• How to write hard, powerful, impactful "WOW" statements.
• How to write actionable and measurable strategies and tactics.
• Develop strategic roles and positions of the categories.
  
• Develop multi-level scorecards.
  
• Individually, then collaborating with your team, you will complete and present the strategies and tactics of the case study.