Varsity College Marketing Management Course

INTRODUCTION

Successful marketing today ensures survival in an increasingly competitive environment and a dynamic approach to marketing marks the success of leading companies worldwide.

This short learning programme (SLP) emphasises the development of skills required to analyse and solve marketing challenges. Based on recognised theoretical principles, it focuses on practical Strategic Marketing applications. This enables students to put their learning into practice immediately – and maintain their critically important competitive edge.

WHO SHOULD ATTEND

Those requiring skills necessary to analyse and solve marketing challenges to achieve a strategic advantage.
Those wishing to broaden their career expertise from sales to marketing and enhance their earning potential.
Graduates wanting to add a recognised job-related programme to their CV to enable them to enter the marketing sphere.
Owners of small businesses who recognise the importance of marketing for the success of their businesses in the global context.
Anyone wishing to function effectively in the marketing environment.

DURATION AND MODE OF DELIVERY

Marketing Management is offered as a distance programme and duration ranges from 5 months.

WHAT IS THE BENIFIT OF DISTANCE STUDIES

The distance delivery mode provides the student with the opportunity to study in the comfort of their home and to plan the study workload according to their individual pace.

The study material, which has been carefully designed with distance students’ needs in mind, entails the following:

A module guide designed to lead the student through the textbook. It includes questions and answers for practice and revision.
An online learning portal, containing interactive, media rich activities for students to engage with in order to deepen their understanding of the subject matter.
An online tutor who maintains the human experience of the learning process.

Students will be provided with the added value of face to face sessions. These sessions are highly recommended, as they provide the opportunity for rich discussion and conceptual explanation and to meet fellow students with whom to network. Students who attend face to face sessions are more likely to be motivated and to remain committed to their studies. However, should students not be able to attend any face to face sessions, the module guide, textbook and online facilitation will provide the necessary support for student success.

PROGRAMMES MATERIAL

The short learning programme fee includes all programme material, which becomes the property of the student. This material constitutes a valuable source of ongoing reference.

PROGRAMME EVALUATION

Students will be required to complete tests, assignments and an examination.

PROGRAMME OVERVIEW

Aims to provide students with the knowledge and skills to create and implement creative marketing strategies.
Enables students to familiarise themselves with the mechanics of the various frameworks and processes in use today.
Equips students to apply marketing principles in a practical and profitable way.
Assists students to manage information flowing in from an increasingly complex and ever changing environment.

Product Strategy

Definition of the term “product”.
The core, tangible and intangible levels at which the product should be described.
Various marketing decisions made about a product during the course of its development and growth, including branding, packaging and design.
How new product ideas are generated, screened and evaluated.
The strategic implications of the new product launch.
Managing products through the life cycle from introduction to maturity to decline.
Implications of the marketing mix at each stage.

Pricing Strategy

Pricing objectives.
The influence that price setting has on a business and non-profit organisation.
Decisions that need to be made when changing prices as a result of either a competitive reaction or the result of a determined strategy.
Pricing tactics and tools in common use.

Distribution Strategy

The concept of a marketing channel and the various roles, risks and responsibilities of each “player” within the channel.
The evolution and dynamics of various types of channels and tactics used in the management of these channels.
The physical, logistical and distribution issues involved in the moving of goods from place of supply to place of consumption.
Marketing channel decisions.

Promotional Strategy

Advertising, Sales Promotion, Personal Selling and Public Relations are the main tools which an organisation can use to communicate its offerings and promises to the market.
An in-depth look at the effective use of the main tools to achieve the right marketing communication blend.
The communication model and its applications.

Advertising and Promotions

The process of planning a campaign and setting objectives.
Deciding on the media and message approach and measuring outputs.
Tactics and best practices in the Advertising, Public Relations and Sales Management domains and their integration into a cohesive Marketing Communication strategy.

Customer Relationship Management

Customer service and customer service driven marketing strategies as key issues in South Africa and internationally.
The role of Customer Relationship Management in achieving differentiation in the market place.
Customer service quality and the principles of customer service: measurement, service recovery and achieving customer service effectiveness.

Creating Competitive Advantage

Competitor analysis and competitive strategies.

Strategy Development

Identification of different strategies and how to present these ideas as business plans.
The role of marketing in the solution process.
The development of marketing action plans.

THE INDEPENDENT INSTITUTE OF EDUCATION (THE IIE) – ACCREDITED BY THE BRITISH ACCREDITATION COUNCIL

The IIE has been internationally recognised and accredited by the British Accreditation Council (BAC). The BAC has been responsible for setting standards within the independent further and higher education sector for 25 years. Their accreditation is held by hundreds of college in the UK and overseas. They provide the leading mark of educational quality for the sector, which is used by students, parents, agencies and beyond as a guarantee of standards. For more information please visit http://www.the-bac.org