Qualification: CERTIFICATE IN MARKETING VBS002

Become a Marketing Expert

A successful career in marketing depends very much on the most appropriate training. An outgoing personality, organized and communicative is an asset, but education is a key factor for success. This course provides a solid foundation for working in marketing, either in your own business, or in someone else's. The right combination of knowledge, skill, and personality will always be in high demand; so if you need the skills and knowledge, this course is a legitimate step in the right direction.

Marketing is the art of convincing. It goes beyond just selling, and requires an open and trustful relationship, even in that short period of time when the sale happens, between salesperson and client. Learn the basics of the art of marketing in this certificate.

COURSE STRUCTURE AND CONTENTS

The certificate requires successful completion (including passing the associated exams) of each of six modules, THREE core modules:

E Commerce
Sales Skills
Advertising and Promotions

plus any THREE of the following:

Management
Project Management
Event Management
Marketing Systems
Marketing Psychology

Duration: 600 hours

LESSONS WITHIN E-COMMERCE AND ADVERTISING AND PROMOTIONS MODULES:

1. E-commerce

There are 8 lessons in this module:

Introduction: What is e-commerce, scope of e commerce. E commerce problems & advantages, security, using the internet, contract law, How different electronic payment systems work (eg. credit card, bank transfer etc)
Success & Failure: What makes a web site commercially successful? Relaxing with technology, what can go wrong, site visibility, interactivity of a site, etc
Promotional Strategies: Internet differences; Internet code of conduct, marketing management, target marketing, categories of url's (search engines, ffa's, directories etc)
Optimizing Web Site Potential: Monitoring visitors, Ground rules keep changing, Meta tags, Evaluation services, Submission services, etc
Increasing Web Site Exposure: Developing a marketing plan, Promoting a site, Forms of advertising, Types of Marketing (Affiliate marketing; Free Content Marketing; Drive in Marketing, Buzz Marketing and User Group Marketing.)
Automating Supply of Goods, Services and Cash flow: Ways to process payment; Ways to supply goods or services.
Managing Constant Change: Ways to keep information up to date, Resource Planning, Information Currency vs Cash Currency, etc.
Dealing with E Commerce Problems: Learning from mistakes (others & yours)

2. Advertising and Promotions

There are ten lessons in this module, as follows:

nalysing the Market
Target Marketing
Display and Display Techniques
Advertising and Promotions Strategy
New Product Development
Sales Techniques - General
Writing Advertisement
Electronic Marketing -Telephone & Email
Direct Mailing
Exhibitions & Shows

3. Sales Skills

There are twelve lessons in this course; as outlined below:

Presentation and selling: Personality. "Never judge a book by its cover." A wise old saying! but people who buy do make judgements especially about sales people. Dress and grooming are top priority in selling. As well you must learn how to develop a selling personality.
Communication and Conversational selling: Learn the art of written and verbal communication in easy to understand terms.
Marketing (Buyer analysis and motivation): Presentation of products to consumers and motivating them to buy.
Management (Hierachy): Dealing with upper management; learn how to get your point across. How to be assertive and positive when dealing with your superiors.
Helping the Product Sell Itself
Know your product and pre planning: Through observation, reading and listening get to know your products (pre planning is essential in today's complex society).
Selling made as simple as A B C: The procedure of selling.
"The Opening" (getting the attention of the buyer): Creating the right atmosphere for a sale to take place.
"Closing a Sale" (overcoming objections): Buyers will tend to look elsewhere unless a salesman can close a sale in an appropriate amount of time. Learn the secrets.
Stress Management: Learn the art of relaxation through stress management techniques.
The Law and Selling
Report Assessment Writing: Salespeople need to have the ability and skill to write a condensed and accurate report on which management will comprehend and act upon.

ELECTIVES

Management

There are 6 lessons as follows:1. Introduction & Organizational Structures

2. Management Theories & Procedures
3. Problem Solving & Decision Making
4. Management Styles & External Influences
5. Employing People & Interview Skills
6. Staff Management

Project Management

There are nine lessons as follows:

1. Introduction

Understanding what project management is, and what its applications might be.
2. Project Identification
Identification and defining projects which need management.
3. Project Planning
Developing a strategy and framework for the plan.
4. Project Implementation
Managers duties during implementation, developing a Preparation Control Chart,
Regulating implementation.
5. Project Completion & Evaluation
Dangers in this stage, Steps in Project completion, Declaring a project sustainable,
Developing an evaluation method.
6. Technical Project Management Skills
Preparing a proposal, budget control/management, steps in drawing up a
post project appraisal.
7. Leadership Skills
Styles of leadership, leadership principles and methods.
8. Improving Key Personnel Skills
Listening skills, Negotiation skills, Conflict management.
9. Major Assignment
Developing full documentation for a project.

Event Management

There are 9 lessons as follows:

Scope and Nature of Event Management
Developing the Concept
Physical an Human Resources
Project Logistics
Marketing an Event
Financial Management
Risk Management
Staging the Event
After the Event

Marketing Systems

There are 10 lessons as follows:
1. Marketing Systems
2. Retailing Systems and Strategies
3. Wholesale Systems and Strategies
4. Product Presentation and Packaging
5. Negotiation Skills
6. Marketing Organisations
7. International Marketing I
8. International Marketing II
9. Analysing the Market
10. The Market Mix

Marketing Psychology

There are eight lessons in this module as follows:

People as Consumers Understanding the types of psychological "rewards" gained by a person through buying. Distinguishing between consumers, customers and buyers?
Market Segmentation Understanding market segments and applying the concept of target marketing.
Internal Influences -Perception & Personality Consumer self image, difference threshold, trait theory of personality, etc.
Internal Influences -Motivation and Awareness Customer satisfaction, the way complaints are dealt with, stimulus generalisation and stimulus discrimination, etc
Social Influences Family Influences, Social groups, Developmental Influences, Peer Group Influences (Work and Leisure), Social Class and Culture
Consumerism Deceptive advertising, sensitivity to consumer needs, variation between perception and reality.
Communication and Persuasion Message Evaluation, Selection & Execution
Deciding to Buy Why people shop, or do not shop; surveying the market place.

How Do You Determine Business Success

There are lots of different ways to judge business success. You might consider the level of profit or the rate of growth as good indicators.
For some businesses, success might be judged by longevity and sustainability.
Business success, however, is also relative to the industry you are in and the size of the business. A good profit margin in one industry, might be unworkable high in another industry. A large business in one industry might be less viable than a small one in a different industry, and vice versa.

Another way to consider how well you are doing is to look at your competitors. Look at the competitors who are doing well, but also look at those who are not doing well. We can learn from the good examples set by others, but we can also learn from what others are doing badly.

Things to consider:

How are they marketing their products? Look at their advertising – is it traditional, modern, controversial, friendly, cute, or perhaps mysterious? Do they make people feel special, valued, or maybe important?
Observe what they do. Are you doing the same? Could you do better? A recent trend in television advertising has seen references to bizarre things or songs song which appear to have nothing whatsoever to do with the product. BUT because such adverts are so bizarre, they make people remember them because they don’t make sense. This is an approach that can be risky. But how many times have you watched an advert that related directly to a product and you forgot what the advert was intended to promote within minutes of watching it? Advertising can be a tricky balancing act. Advertisements need to strike the right balance between attracting attention and turning this into customer sales. Pay careful attention to the words you use in adverts. Reviewing the successful advertisements of competitors can really help.
Where are they marketing their products? Paper media, social media, online, TV advertising, radio advertising, press releases, and so on.
What products are they selling?
Do they have a wide product range?
Do they change their products or services regularly or stick to the same products and services?
Have they rebranded their products recently? Did this work?
Are their products new and innovative or traditional and welcoming?
Where do they sell their products? In a shop, online, by catalogue, through the websites of other people, by making sales calls.
Do they offer discounts, special offers, two for the price of one, buy one get one free offers, loyalty cards, or some other form of incentive?

There are many factors to look at. You do not have to be the same as your competitors. In fact, being a little different can help to give you an edge – to help you stand out from the crowd. Many coffee shops now offer a loyalty card. For example, buy nine cups of coffee and get the tenth cup free. There are so many coffee shops doing this, that customers could quite easily get bored. So, if you are the owner of a coffee shop, why not think of something different? Perhaps offer a free upgrade to a more fancy coffee, a larger sized drink, or maybe give a free cake or pastry one morning a week.

A general store could give away a bar of chocolate with every milkshake purchased.

A coffee shop could do the same.

It doesn’t have to be an expensive chocolate, biscuit, or cake that you offer for free, most people will consider it to be a warm gesture regardless of the cost. However, doing something like this can just make you that little bit different from your competitors. If people have an enjoyable experience they are likely to recall it and revisit when in the vicinity.