Marketing
Instructor:
Tim Calkins
Year 1
Marketing fundamentals
Marketing is the process of connecting products, services and ideas to customer
needs. Every business has to think about marketing; an organization will only succeed
to the extent it profitably meets customer needs.
In this session, we explore why marketing matters and review the core theories of
marketing. These include segmentation, targeting and positioning, the four "P's"
and differentiation. The class will discuss the two ways companies compete and how
you can understand what your customers want. The class also will discuss why every
customer is not a good customer.
Year 2
Using marketing strategy to build a business
For many business executives, the core business challenge is simple: grow a well-established
business. In this session, the class will discuss how executives can use marketing
to drive growth over time.
The session begins by highlighting why established businesses are so important;
new businesses are exciting, but established businesses usually matter more. Next,
the session presents a model for thinking about established business growth. Finally,
the class reviews strategies for building an established business.
During the class, the class will discuss how pricing and promotions can play a role
in building profits. The class also will discuss when particular strategies generally
will work and when they will not; there is no perfect strategy for every business.
Year 3
Building strong brands
Brands are incredibly important. For many businesses, the brand is the most valuable
company asset. A strong brand can help build and differentiate a business. A weak
brand is a major problem. The program defines branding and explains why brands matters
so much.
The class will focus on positioning, a tool for defining how your brand competes
in the marketplace. Understanding positioning is essential for building a strong
brand. The class also covers brand portfolio strategy.
Finally, the class explains how to create a strong marketing plan. Marketing plans
are important tools for building brands and businesses. This session clearly lays
out how to create a good plan that will help your business.