ALI Plus-Marketing (APMK1-CE)

<P>An effective marketing plan is a road map to success for businesses, both large and small. Learn how to express a marketing strategy in a comprehensive and coherent marketing plan. Examine how strategies and plans change at each stage in the life cycle of a product, service, or concept. Class instruction emphasizes effectively accumulating relevant data; competition analysis; product naming and pricing; and product positioning, promotion, and distribution. This highly interactive course makes extensive use of case studies, and students prepare model marketing plans.</P>

<p>Today&#8217;s most successful marketers don&#8217;t rely on only one method of <br><br>marketing to maximize sales opportunities. This course gives marketers <br><br>and account executives a practical blueprint for developing integrated <br><br>marketing communication plans that include advertising, promotion, <br><br>direct marketing, sales, public relations, event marketing, and new <br><br>electronic media. This dynamic marketing model requires a completely <br><br>different approach to marketing planning and budgeting, and clients and <br><br>agencies increasingly are seeking managers with just such expertise.</p>

<P>Study the fundamental marketing concepts at work in today&#8217;s business environment. Explore the most relevant areas of consumer marketing, including situation analysis, the development of marketing objectives and strategies, the marketing mix, research, target marketing and segmentation, product development, and forecasting and budgeting. Discuss marketing language, retailing, wholesaling, promotion, and advertising functions; examine their interplay and timing; and learn how they propel a business. Consider the role of consumers&#8217;&nbsp;changing lifestyles, current developments in the global market, and laws that affect marketing. This course features case studies and guest speakers.</P>

<p>Discover the most effective ways to adapt your business&#8217;s current <br><br>marketing strategy to the latest developments in online, Wi-Fi, <br><br>wireless, video-on-demand, and streaming media. Through a combination of<br><br> online and offline research and discussion, explore the realm of <br><br>digital marketing, beginning with an overview of its scope and purpose. <br><br>Survey today&#8217;s digital marketing tools and their impact on business, <br><br>analyze methods for consumer segmentation, and examine the development <br><br>and use of digital marketing plans. Guest speakers are featured, as <br><br>scheduling permits. As a final project, use at least three of the tools <br><br>covered in class to create a digital deployment plan to market a product<br><br> or service.</p>

<p>To be a successful marketer or public relations professional, it is <br><br>essential to present ideas clearly and persuasively. Learn how to pitch <br><br>an account, ask for a raise, or sell your idea to a room full of people.<br><br> Improve your platform presence, overcome nervousness, connect with your<br><br> audience, organize your material, pace your presentation, and field <br><br>difficult questions. Topics include body language, speech patterns, <br><br>canned versus impromptu communication styles, the art of answering <br><br>questions, effective presentations, and visual aids. Benefit from <br><br>before-and-after presentation videotaping with constructive feedback and<br><br> improve your presentation skills.</p>

<P>Today's marketers must think strategically and consider consumer insights, digital versus traditional media, and social media while determining how and when sales, PR, metrics, and analytics fit into building the business. Learn how agency strategic planners assess brands, develop customer insights, and create marketing strategies, including a simple framework to develop meaningful business-building strategies for your brand, program, or yourself. Using real-world case studies, examine the consequences of both good and bad strategies and simulate the experience of selling strategies to key decision makers. This course is designed for new and experienced strategic planners, account executives, and marketing professionals who want to develop their strategic skills.</P>