executive MBA subject 09

Marketing

Year 1, term C. 3.5 ECTS, about 88 hours, 4 parts. Part 1 is free.

task, condition, standard

What you will be able to do

Task, condition and standard

Task

Write a marketing plan for one product in one market.

Condition

Given customer data, competitor information and a budget.

Standard

Segments, target, positioning, mix and measures are consistent and the budget adds up.

Who it is for: Managers who must win and keep customers.

how this subject works

Free entry, voice and your learning style

Part 1 is free to try. Read it, listen to it and answer it before you decide. Join the programme, or this subject on its own, to open the other parts.

Listen. Every part has a Listen button that reads it aloud.
Speak or type. Answer each part by talking (press Speak) or by typing. Your answers stay on this device only.
Learn your way. Every part has a See, Hear, Do and Read-and-write route. Not sure which suits you? Take the eight-question learning-style check.

4 parts

The parts, with worked examples

Part 1 Developing marketing plans 22 hApply: plan

A marketing plan answers: where are we, where do we want to be, how do we get there, and how will we know.

Situation: customers, competitors, company
Objectives: specific and measurable
Actions, budget and measures

Worked example: Worked-example figures, in your currency. Goal: grow sales from 2.0m to 2.4m, a 20% rise. Average order 400, so 1,000 more orders are needed.

Activity: Write SMART objectives for a product and turn one into a number of orders.

Standard: Objectives are specific and measurable and the order count is correct.

Learn your way

See. Sketch "developing marketing plans" as a picture: boxes, arrows and the key number.
Hear. Press Listen, or explain the worked example aloud to someone.
Do. Do the activity with your own work or a practice case.
Read and write. Write the idea in three lines in your own words below.

Your answer. Write SMART objectives for a product and turn one into a number of orders.

Part 2 Segmentation, targeting, positioning and customer behaviour 22 hAnalyse: choose

Not every customer is worth chasing. Split the market, choose the segments you can serve best, and give them a clear reason to choose you.

Segment by needs and behaviour, not only by age
Target where you can win and earn
Positioning: for whom, what benefit, why believe

Worked example: Worked-example figures, in your currency. Segment A: 5,000 buyers, 40% reachable, margin 50 each. Segment B: 20,000 buyers, 10% reachable, margin 30. A gives 5,000 x 0.4 x 50 = 100,000; B gives 20,000 x 0.1 x 30 = 60,000. Target A.

Activity: Score three segments by size, reach and margin and choose one.

Standard: Scores correct and the choice follows from them.

Learn your way

See. Sketch "segmentation, targeting, positioning and customer behaviour" as a picture: boxes, arrows and the key number.
Hear. Press Listen, or explain the worked example aloud to someone.
Do. Do the activity with your own work or a practice case.
Read and write. Write the idea in three lines in your own words below.

Your answer. Score three segments by size, reach and margin and choose one.

Part 3 Marketing mix and brand strategy 22 hApply: design

Product, price, place and promotion must fit the target and the positioning. A brand is the promise that ties them together.

Price fits value and positioning
Place is where the target buys
Promotion says the same promise everywhere

Worked example: Worked-example figures, in your currency. A premium positioning with a discount price confuses buyers. Raising price from 80 to 95 and adding a guarantee keeps the premium promise; sales fall 5% but margin per unit rises from 20 to 35.

Activity: Design the four parts of the mix for your chosen segment.

Standard: Each part fits the positioning and one trade-off is explained.

Learn your way

See. Sketch "marketing mix and brand strategy" as a picture: boxes, arrows and the key number.
Hear. Press Listen, or explain the worked example aloud to someone.
Do. Do the activity with your own work or a practice case.
Read and write. Write the idea in three lines in your own words below.

Your answer. Design the four parts of the mix for your chosen segment.

Part 4 Managing the customer and digital marketing 22 hEvaluate: measure

Keeping customers usually costs less than finding new ones. Digital channels let you measure cost per customer and lifetime value.

Customer acquisition cost = spend / new customers
Lifetime value = margin per year x years kept
Grow where lifetime value is well above acquisition cost

Worked example: Worked-example figures, in your currency. Spend 10,000 to win 200 customers: 50 each. Each brings 30 margin a year and stays 4 years: lifetime value 120. 120 is well above 50, so keep investing.

Activity: Calculate acquisition cost and lifetime value for two channels.

Standard: Both figures correct and the better channel chosen.

Learn your way

See. Sketch "managing the customer and digital marketing" as a picture: boxes, arrows and the key number.
Hear. Press Listen, or explain the worked example aloud to someone.
Do. Do the activity with your own work or a practice case.
Read and write. Write the idea in three lines in your own words below.

Your answer. Calculate acquisition cost and lifetime value for two channels.

ten checks

Check yourself

Say or write your answer first, then read the model answer.

Q1. Name the four questions a plan answers.
Model answer: Where are we, where to go, how to get there, how will we know. (Covered in part 1: Developing marketing plans.)
Q2. Grow 2.0m to 2.4m with 400 per order. Extra orders?
Model answer: 1,000. (Covered in part 1: Developing marketing plans.)
Q3. Why not segment only by age?
Model answer: Needs and behaviour predict buying better. (Covered in part 2: Segmentation, targeting, positioning and customer behaviour.)
Q4. 5,000 buyers, 40% reach, margin 50. Value?
Model answer: 100,000. (Covered in part 2: Segmentation, targeting, positioning and customer behaviour.)
Q5. Three parts of a positioning statement?
Model answer: For whom, what benefit, why believe. (Covered in part 2: Segmentation, targeting, positioning and customer behaviour.)
Q6. Name the four parts of the mix.
Model answer: Product, price, place, promotion. (Covered in part 3: Marketing mix and brand strategy.)
Q7. Why can a low price hurt a premium brand?
Model answer: It contradicts the promise and confuses buyers. (Covered in part 3: Marketing mix and brand strategy.)
Q8. 10,000 spent for 200 customers. Acquisition cost?
Model answer: 50. (Covered in part 4: Managing the customer and digital marketing.)
Q9. 30 margin a year for 4 years. Lifetime value?
Model answer: 120. (Covered in part 4: Managing the customer and digital marketing.)
Q10. When should you keep investing in a channel?
Model answer: When lifetime value is well above acquisition cost. (Covered in part 4: Managing the customer and digital marketing.)

slides L1 to L7

The seven-level ladder, slide by slide

Slide 1: L1 What marketing is. Winning and keeping customers. Speaker note: Say: put "what marketing is" in one sentence and give one example from work. Check: ask one learner to say it back in their own words. Mistake: moving on before the numbers are clear.
Slide 2: L2 Planning. Situation, goals, actions. Speaker note: Say: put "planning" in one sentence and give one example from work. Check: ask one learner to say it back in their own words. Mistake: moving on before the numbers are clear.
Slide 3: L3 Segments. Needs and behaviour. Speaker note: Say: put "segments" in one sentence and give one example from work. Check: ask one learner to say it back in their own words. Mistake: moving on before the numbers are clear.
Slide 4: L4 Targeting and positioning. Where to win and why. Speaker note: Say: put "targeting and positioning" in one sentence and give one example from work. Check: ask one learner to say it back in their own words. Mistake: moving on before the numbers are clear.
Slide 5: L5 Mix and brand. Four parts, one promise. Speaker note: Say: put "mix and brand" in one sentence and give one example from work. Check: ask one learner to say it back in their own words. Mistake: moving on before the numbers are clear.
Slide 6: L6 Customer value. Acquisition cost and lifetime value. Speaker note: Say: put "customer value" in one sentence and give one example from work. Check: ask one learner to say it back in their own words. Mistake: moving on before the numbers are clear.
Slide 7: L7 Marketing leadership. Plans that tie to the business strategy. Speaker note: Say: put "marketing leadership" in one sentence and give one example from work. Check: ask one learner to say it back in their own words. Mistake: moving on before the numbers are clear.

how it is judged

Marking rubric

Marking rubric (Not yet, Meets, Exceeds)
Criterion	Not yet	Meets	Exceeds
Accuracy	Several figures or facts are wrong.	Main figures are correct and the working is shown.	Figures are correct and checked a second way.
Use of marketing tools	Tools are named but not used.	The right tools are used for each step.	Tools are adapted to the case and their limits are stated.
Recommendation	No clear answer.	A clear answer backed by the analysis.	A clear answer that also says what would change it.
Communication	Hard to follow.	Answer first, clear and short.	Clear, short and persuasive under questions.

jobs this leads to

Where this takes you

Marketing manager. Plans and runs campaigns.
Brand manager. Keeps the brand promise consistent.
Growth or digital marketer. Measures and grows channels.

language

Choose your language

This subject is in English first. Choose any language and the page is translated for you by machine, with the English kept as the official text.

Keep going

All subjects Previous: Corporate Social Responsibility Next: Strategy and Business Models for Emerging Markets

Draft for review. Not live. Credit values are aligned with the European credit system for orientation only and are not an accreditation.