Marketing for Non-Marketing Managers

Course Overview
Understanding marketing is essential for every manager, as it plays a pivotal role in driving business success. This course is designed to provide managers, regardless of their function, with the practical knowledge and skills necessary to make informed marketing decisions. It covers crucial concepts such as market segmentation, competitive forces, the marketing mix, pricing strategies, and the product life cycle, all of which are directly tied to business performance. Rather than delving into theoretical complexities, this course offers a hands-on approach to understanding marketing models and their real-world applications.

Course Objectives

Upon completion, participants will:

• Gain a solid understanding of core marketing models and techniques.
• Learn how to segment markets effectively, including using tools like the family life cycle and product diffusion curve.
• Understand competitive forces and how to apply Porter’s Five Forces model.
• Master the essentials of the marketing mix, including pricing, sales promotion, and packaging.
• Be familiar with strategic models such as AIDA, DAGMAR, and the Growth Share Matrix.
• Apply marketing principles to real-world business challenges, with a focus on enhancing profitability and customer engagement.

Course Outline

Day 1: Key Marketing Models and Techniques

• Introduction to marketing segmentation
• Using family life cycle as a segmentation basis
• Understanding product diffusion and its role in segmentation

Day 2: Positioning and Segmentation Success

• Different types of market positioning
• Common reasons for segmentation failure and how to overcome them
• Practical steps for effective segmentation

Day 3: Analyzing Market Forces and the Marketing Mix

• Understanding Porter’s Five Competitive Forces
• The components of the marketing mix (product, price, place, promotion)
• Developing effective pricing strategies
• The role of communication, sales promotion, and packaging in marketing

Day 4: Developing Communication Strategies

• Key stages in creating advertising strategies
• Applying the AIDA and DAGMAR models to communication
• Branding strategies and their importance
• Using the Growth Share Matrix for portfolio analysis

Day 5: Product Strategy and Lifecycle Management

• Differentiating between benefits and features
• Understanding product market strategies
• Exploring the product life cycle and its critiques
• The importance of test marketing

Day 6: Consumer Behavior

• The psychology behind consumer decision-making
• Key factors influencing consumer behavior
• Navigating the consumer decision-making process

Day 7: Digital Marketing

• Overview of digital marketing and its relevance
• Exploring various digital marketing channels and platforms
• Social media marketing and search engine optimization (SEO)

Day 8: Market Research

• The value of market research in decision-making
• Types of market research and their applications
• Techniques for collecting and analyzing market data

Day 9: Global Marketing

• Key considerations when expanding into international markets
• Developing global marketing strategies
• Overcoming challenges in global marketing

Day 10: Ethical Marketing Practices

• Ethical considerations in marketing strategies
• Corporate social responsibility and its impact on brand image
• Addressing ethical dilemmas in marketing

This course is tailored for non-marketing managers who want to build a solid understanding of marketing principles to better contribute to their organization's strategy. It equips participants with the tools and insights necessary to apply marketing techniques that enhance business outcomes, foster growth, and create lasting customer value.