Overview

Marketing plays a vital role in business growth. It is a broad general management responsibility and not specific to marketing specialists alone. Customer-oriented and competitive marketing strategies are critical to business success. This course explores the core concepts and tools of contemporary marketing management—including market segmentation, brand positioning, distribution channel design and communications to develop an effective customer-centric marketing strategy. Through the course, you will be exposed to a variety of analytical approaches, tools and techniques that we can use in thinking about strategic issues. The various modules in this course will enable you to apply the learning from the various concepts and frameworks to your workplace. The goal of this course is to enable you to take effective decisions and become better managers at your workplace.

Syllabus

Introduction to Marketing Strategy

Marketing plays a vital role in business growth. It is a broad general management responsibility and not specific to marketing specialists alone. Customer-oriented and competitive marketing strategies are critical to business success. This course explores contemporary marketing management—including market segmentation, brand positioning, distribution channel design and communications to develop an effective customer-centric marketing strategy. This module covers the drivers of marketing decisions: how to build a marketing plan; consumer behavior and the buying process; and segmentation, targeting, positioning, and branding. You’ll learn market segmentation and target selection, and apply strategy frameworks to evaluate internal capabilities, customer dynamics, collaborative partnerships, competitive forces, and the broader economic climate.

Branding Fundamentals

In this module we cover branding fundamentals—what a brand is, key terminology, the Brand Resonance Pyramid, and how points of parity and points of difference shape branding strategy.

Shaping the Portfolio: Crafting Product Strategies for Competitive Edge

This week, we will delve into the tactics of creating value for customers. You will learn about value residing in various products and service categories through the Product Level Hierarchy framework. We will also discuss the strategic approaches in product lines, and analyze the Product Lifecycle Cycle (PLC).

Designing Efficient Distribution and Channel Strategies

This week we will explore how businesses can deliver value to customers. We will delve into what are marketing channels, the role of intermediaries, and understand how to set a channel strategy. Participants will understand the potential channel conflicts that would arise within distribution channels, and gain insights into optimizing channel management for effective product delivery.

Crafting Communication Strategies to Connect with Customers

This week, we will develop a comprehensive understanding of the 6M framework and the elements that constitute the Marketing Communications Mix. Participants will also learn about the strategies for integrated marketing communications and effective communication for target audiences.

Pricing Strategies to Capture and Maximize Value

This week we will delve into the critical aspects of pricing in the marketing context, exploring the foundations of pricing strategies, understanding price sensitivity, and emphasizing the principles of value pricing. Participants will gain insights into the strategic decisions involved in setting prices, aligning them with customer perceptions, and creating value-driven pricing models.