INNOVARA MARKETING ASSESSMENT ("IMA")

INNOVARA SALES MANAGEMENT ASSESSMENT ("ISMA")

Why are such assessments important and why are they relevant or needed?

How good are my Sales Managers and Marketing staff? How do they compare with their peers in industry? Where can I get an objective feedback on their skill levels? What are their development needs, particularly those that will ensure that our strategic needs are met in the middle term? Which managers are able to mentor and coach on which skill sets? These are some of the questions, company leaders, sales and marketing executives and their HR Directors would like answers to so that they are able to optimize their human resources.

The Innovara Marketing Assessment (“IMA”) has been developed to answer such questions. Anchored on Best Practices of Market Leaders, Innovara has identified and profiled up to 9 core competencies (Marketing Knowledge, Strategic Thinking Skills, Tactical Marketing Skills, Customer Focus, Creativity/Innovation skills, Communication Skills, Financial Skills, Market and Brand Leadership mentality and Marketing Mentorship Skills) critical to functional marketing excellence.

The Innovara Sales Management Assessment (“ISMA”) identifies and profiles up to 10 sales management competencies for all levels of sales management in 1st and 2nd line sales management (e.g. District Managers up through business unit managers, general managers and national sales managers). ISMAs can be customized to include other competencies or skills of specific interest to the company as well as to modify any of the above to be aligned to company definitions. The results enable the organization to benchmark the capabilities and development needs of sales managers against industry standards and expectations. These benchmarks are premised on worldwide data collected by Innovara that enables objective industry and position comparisons. The results can be used in many ways, from individual and group development planning and competency modeling to identifying where improvements may be needed across the organization, to individuals being assessed for promotion and/or recruitment.

Download an overview of "The Innovara Sales Management Assessment ('ISMA')" in PDF format (256 KB). PDF files require Adobe® Acrobat Reader®, a free download from Adobe.

In both assessments, the results enable the organization to benchmark the capabilities and development needs of its marketing organization against industry standards and expectations. The standards/expectations are premised on US and worldwide data collated by Innovara that enable objective industry benchmarking. The results can be used in many ways, from individual and group development planning and competency modeling to identifying where improvements may be needed across the organization.

Who should be assessed?

IMAs and ISMAs are used to identify key marketing and sales management development needs at all levels of the organization, from Vice Presidents and General Managers to entry level marketing and sales managers or other personnel.

What outcomes can be expected?

Individual and group results are compared to functional and industry benchmarks, with strengths and weaknesses identified accordingly. Depending upon one’s profile, both in terms of individual competency and combinations of competency scores, specific development recommendations are made. The IMA/ISMA process results in an individual report and development program based upon those areas of priority identified as well as a group report, scattergraphs to easily visualize development needs and strengths and a formal group development plan. There is also a post-assessment presentation and working meeting to discuss how results of the assessment may best be leveraged into organizational strategies and managerial development planning, improved cross functional communications and teamwork, increased customer focus and competiveness, recruitment programs and practices, more effective mentoring, other activities for improved performance, and more.

For more information on Innovara assessment programs, please fill out this information request form.