Marketing serves as the crucial business function that identifies customer needs, devises products and services to meet those needs, selects the most suitable stakeholders to serve, and develops programs to influence these stakeholders.

This training course is designed to concentrate on:

• Addressing the significant decisions encountered by marketing and brand management leaders as they align organizational resources with marketplace dynamics.
• Analyzing contemporary challenges in marketing and brand management, along with frameworks for effective management.
• Exploring best practices, principles, tools, and techniques for overseeing marketing and brand activities.
• Applying marketing and branding theories to real-world challenges faced by participants, including managing the balance between demand and supply, comprehending and responding to buyer behaviors, and cultivating relationships.

The training program integrates presentations that encompass both theoretical concepts and industry best practices, complemented by practical sessions aligned with adult learning principles and a learner-centered approach.

Throughout the course, participants will engage in hands-on applications to reinforce the skills they acquire. The training methodology incorporates small and large group activities, videos, case studies, peer interactions, brainstorming sessions, role plays, and discussions.

Dedicated time will be allocated for individual and small group work to address specific challenges participants may encounter. This personalized approach ensures that participants depart with newfound ideas and skills ready for immediate implementation within their respective teams.

Encouraging active reflection and discussion on personal professional issues and experiences is a key aspect. The training is designed to be 60% experiential and 40% theoretical.

Each participant will receive a comprehensive course manual containing an introduction to the training, slides, an overview, background information, exercises, and ample space for personal notes.

This Mini MBA training course caters to executives holding marketing responsibilities and individuals aspiring to grasp the intricacies of strategic marketing decision-making. It is tailored for:

• Regional and Country Managers
• Marketing Managers and Marketing Directors
• Brand Managers and Directors
• Customer Relationship Managers and Executives
• Customer Service Managers and Executives
• Business Development Managers and Executives
• Marketing Strategists and Planners
• Specialists in Digital Brand Management, Digital Marketing, Social Media, and SEO
• Researchers and Data Analysts
• Professionals in PR, Public Affairs, Community Relations, Media Relations, and Reputation Management.

Day 1: Strategic Marketing Management

• Overview of fundamental marketing concepts and the marketing process
• Analytical methods for assessing marketing opportunities
• Strategies for product and service management, including product families and lines
• Designing pricing strategies to optimize volumes, revenues, or profits
• Strategic distribution decisions for efficient and cost-effective product delivery
• Development of effective promotion strategies to engage consumers, customers, and clients

Day 2: Brand Management

• Crafting an impactful brand identity
• Brand naming options for product families and product lines
• Building support for the brand through champions, ambassadors, celebrities, and influencers
• Ensuring brand protection over time by monitoring stakeholder experiences and perceptions
• Knowing when to refresh the brand
• Reputation management for organizations

Day 3: Managing Stakeholders

• Understanding B2C decision-making and buyer behaviors
• Understanding B2B decision-making and buyer behaviors
• Mapping, segmenting, and prioritizing stakeholders
• Creating buyer behaviors
• Relationship management using customer journey maps
• Enhancing customer experience through guiding customers on their journey

Day 4: Managing Marketing Communication Activities

• Key marketing tools and channels
• Digital marketing and social media marketing
• Relationship management with the media
• New product and service development
• Product life cycle management
• Frameworks for creating an effective marketing plan

Day 5: Evaluation & Finance for Marketers

• Developing essential marketing KPIs to measure outputs, outcomes, value, and differentiation
• The financial cycle: creating marketing forecasts and budgets
• Interpreting financial information, including P&L accounts, balance sheets, and cash-flow
• Demonstrating return on investment for executives
• Investment decision-making
• Action planning