Business Office

Developing a Marketing Plan       BTBM_MPL

One of the interesting areas of confusion in business is that people tend to think of marketing as selling: then they immediately back off from the subject because they do not see themselves as salespeople. Truth is, marketing is the strategic side of how to determine if there is a demand for specific products or services in order to develop the concepts and thus create something to sell in the future. The course has a specific theme to explain marketing essentials: it also offers opportunity to discuss and analyze specific applications to put a practical spin on theory.

To make projects more exciting and not specific to project management, the intent is to allow individuals to propose their own project, something that they are hoping to achieve in their future: a landscaping business, a horse riding and stables business, a cleaning business, and so on. It is also an option to think about a type of business that the student wants to work for, so they have an opportunity to prepare a compelling case for an employment arrangement. This makes the course a little more challenging to teach, but it also helps to keep the course fresh and relevant.

Marketing is a complex subject – we only skim over the top of what is of itself a degree program at university. Regardless of your role in an organization or a project, the intent is to give you the building blocks you need to understand how what you do affects the bigger picture and how you can maximize your contribution by exploring the following topics:

Introduction:

  • Target Marketing and Market Segmentation
  • Market Research • Research Process and Methods
  • Understanding Consumer Behaviour • Influencing Consumer Behaviour
  • The International Marketing Mix • International Products
  • Small Business and the Marketing Mix • Small Business Products

Products:

  • Developing New Products • Product Mortality Rates
  • The Product Life Cycle • Identifying Products

Promotion:

  • Promoting Products and Services • Advertising Promotions
  • Personal Selling Promotions • Selling Promotions

Pricing:

  • Pricing Objectives and Tools • Pricing Strategies and Tactics
  • Distribution Mix • Physical Distribution

Ethics:

  • Ethics in the Workplace • Social Responsibility
  • Implementing Social Responsibility Programs
  • The Rise of International Business • International Business Management
  • Barriers to Trade • Overcoming Barriers to Trade

Introduction to Marketing

  • What is Marketing - Marketing Mix - Business Accountability

Target Marketing and Market Segmentation

  • Geographic Variables - Demographic Variables - Psychographic Variables - Product-Use Variables

Market Research • Research Process and Methods

  • Observation – Survey - Focus Group - Experimentation

Understanding Consumer Behaviour • Influencing Consumer Behaviour

  • The Consumer Buying Process - Problem/Need Recognition - Information Seeking
  • Evaluation of Alternatives - Purchase Decision - Post-Purchase Evaluation

The International Marketing Mix • International Products

  • International Pricing - International Promotion - International Distribution

Small Business and the Marketing Mix • Small Business Products

  • Small Business Pricing - Small Business Promotion - Small Business Distribution

Individual Projects:

  • PowerPoint marketing plan (narrative)
  • Excel Marketing Plan (numerical analysis)

What is a Product?

  • Features and Benefits - Classifying Goods and Services - The Product Mix

Developing New Products • Product Mortality Rates

  • Speed to Market - The Seven-Step Development Process

The Product Life Cycle

  • The Stages in the Product Life Cycle

Identifying Products

  • Branding Products - Brand Loyalty - E-Business Branding
  • Trademarks, Patents, and Copyrights - Packaging and Labeling Products

Individual Projects:

  • SWOT Analysis

Promoting Products and Services

  • Promotional Objective - Promotional Strategies - The Promotional Mix

Advertising Promotions

  • Advertising Media - Personal Selling Promotions - Sales Promotions - Publicity and Public Relations

Personal Selling Promotions

  • Advertising Media - Personal Selling Promotions - Sales Promotions - Publicity and Public Relations

Selling Promotions

  • Advertising Media - Personal Selling Promotions - Sales Promotions - Publicity and Public Relations

Pricing Objectives and Tools

  • Profit-Maximizing Objectives - Pricing for E-business Objectives - Market Share Objectives
  • Other Pricing Objectives - Price-Setting Tools - Break-Even Analysis

Pricing Strategies and Tactics

  • Pricing Existing Products - Fixed Versus Dynamic Pricing for E-business - Price Lining
  • Psychological Pricing - Discounting

Distribution Mix

  • Intermediaries and Distribution Channels - Distribution Strategies – Wholesaling - Retailing

Physical Distribution

  • Customer-Service Operations - Warehousing Operations - Transportation Operations

Ethics in the Workplace

  • Influences on Ethics - Assessing Ethical Behaviour - Project Organization
  • Company Practices and Business Ethics

Social Responsibility

  • Responsibility Toward the Environment - Responsibility Toward Customers
  • Responsibility Toward Employees - Responsibility Toward Investors

Implementing Social Responsibility Programs

  • Approaches to Social Responsibility - Managing Social Responsibility Programs
  • Social Responsibility and Small Business

The Rise of International Business

  • The Contemporary Global Economy - The Major World Marketplaces - Exchange Rates
  • Exchange Rates and Competition - Forms of Competitive Advantage - Balance of Trade and Payments

International Business Management

  • “Going International” - Gauging International Demand - Adapting to Customer Needs
  • Exporters and Importers - International & Multinational - International Organizational Structure

Barriers to Trade

  • Social and Cultural Differences - Economic Differences - Legal and Political Differences

Overcoming Barriers to Trade

  • Trade Agreements - General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade - World Trade Organization - European Union - North American Free Trade Agreement - Other Free Trade Agreements

Learning Formats       BTBM_MPL

This course is currently available in a classroom setting (public or company private) with approximately 30 contact hours.

PDF – Certificate Of Completion

This course offers a certificate of completion that identifies the course, the student, and a brief description of the course. To receive a certificate the student must have attended at least 80% of the course sessions. This personalized certificate is forwarded to the student by Email.

PDF – Course Notebook

This course includes a notebook in PDF format that provides the minimum knowledge the student must master in order to obtain the certificate. In the notebook you will find references to other study materials. Students receive the notebook by Email when their registration is confirmed.

PDF – Program Overview

An overview of this study program can be downloaded from the website by right-clicking on the program link on the enquiry page.

PDF – Current Training Schedule

A list of upcoming training sessions can be downloaded from the website by right-clicking on the schedule link on the enquiry page.

Registration – Service Providers

To register for any training course please look on the enquiry link page of your service provider (from where you accessed this website). On the page you will find a registration request form where you can order the course that you are interested in. The availability dates will be provided to you, along with payment instructions if you decide to go ahead.