flagship course

Business and Marketing Practice

Plan a small business and market it with clear customers, offers, prices and measured results, using honest claims and simple numbers.

about this course

What you will be able to do

L4 Practitioner8 modules · 39 h lessons plus practice

Plan a small business and market it with clear customers, offers, prices and measured results, using honest claims and simple numbers.

Define a customer, a need and an offer.
Apply the marketing mix of product, price, place and promotion.
Analyse sales and costs to find profit.
Evaluate channels by cost per customer.
Create a 90-day marketing plan.

Task, condition and standard

Task

Build a one-page business plan and a 90-day marketing plan for a small venture, and run two weeks of measured marketing.

Condition

About 10 weeks part-time. A real or practice business, a phone, a spreadsheet, a mentor.

Standard

Claims are true, numbers are sourced, break-even is calculated, cost per customer is measured for at least two channels, and the plan has weekly measures.

Who it is for: Founders, shop owners, students, freelancers, home-based sellers. Requirements: Basic arithmetic. Materials: lesson text, templates, rubric, check with answers.

lesson by lesson

8 modules with worked examples

Module 1 Choose the customer and the need 4 hDefine

Describe one customer by who, where, how often they buy and what they spend.
Write the need in the customer words.
Talk to ten likely customers and note what they pay now.
Name two alternatives the customer already uses.

Worked example. A home tiffin seller targets office workers within 3 km who spend Rs 120 a day on lunch and want less oil.

Activity. Interview ten customers and write a customer profile.

Standard to meet. Write a profile that gives the place, spend, need and two alternatives.

Module 2 Shape the offer 5 hCreate

State what you sell, to whom, and the one reason to choose it.
Test the offer with ten people before building more.
Keep the first offer small: one product or one package.
Write a promise you can keep every time.

Worked example. Offer: 5-day lunch box, fixed menu, delivered by 12:30; 6 of 10 people say they would try it for a week.

Activity. Write an offer and test it with ten people.

Standard to meet. Show that at least a stated share of testers would try it, and make the promise specific.

Module 3 Costs, price and break-even 6 hApply

List fixed costs per month and variable cost per unit.
Set price from cost plus margin and compare with alternatives.
Calculate break-even units: fixed cost divided by price minus variable cost.
Check that price still leaves margin after discounts.

Worked example. Fixed cost Rs 6,000 a month, price Rs 100, variable cost Rs 60; break-even is 6,000 / 40 = 150 boxes a month.

Activity. Calculate cost, price and break-even for your venture.

Standard to meet. Show the break-even with every cost line listed.

Module 4 The marketing mix 5 hApply

Describe product, price, place and promotion in one line each.
Choose where customers can find and buy easily.
Pick promotion that fits the customer, such as a local group, a shop board or a short video.
Keep the four parts consistent with each other.

Worked example. A budget snack seller places stalls near a coaching centre, prices at Rs 20, and promotes through a class group.

Activity. Write the mix for your offer.

Standard to meet. Write all four parts, and fit them to the customer.

Module 5 Honest messages and rules 4 hEvaluate

Make only claims you can prove, with a source.
Show price, quantity and conditions clearly.
Follow consumer protection and advertising rules in India.
Respect permission before sending messages to customers.

Worked example. The claim best in town is changed to made fresh each morning, which you can show with a daily prep photo.

Activity. Rewrite five claims so each can be proved.

Standard to meet. Support each claim with evidence, or remove it.

Module 6 Channels and cost per customer 6 hAnalyse

Choose two channels to test, such as a messaging group and a flyer.
Track spend and new customers for each channel.
Divide spend by customers to get cost per customer.
Stop the costlier channel if results stay poor.

Worked example. Flyers: Rs 500 spent, 5 customers, Rs 100 each. Messaging group: Rs 200 spent, 8 customers, Rs 25 each.

Activity. Run two channels for two weeks and compare.

Standard to meet. Cost per customer is calculated for both channels.

Module 7 Sales, repeat buyers and feedback 4 hEvaluate

Count sales per week and the share who buy again.
Ask each customer one question after purchase.
Note complaints and fix the most common one.
Compare actual sales with your break-even.

Worked example. Of 40 customers, 14 bought again within 30 days, a repeat rate of 35%.

Activity. Collect feedback and repeat data from 20 customers.

Standard to meet. Repeat rate and top complaint are recorded.

Module 8 Capstone: 90-day plan 5 hCreate

Write the one-page business plan with customer, offer, price and break-even.
Set weekly targets for sales and cost per customer.
Plan the budget by channel and week.
List risks and what you will do if sales fall short.

Worked example. Target: 150 boxes a month by week 8, marketing spend capped at Rs 1,500, reviewed every Sunday.

Activity. Present the plan and two weeks of results.

Standard to meet. Plan has weekly numbers and results are compared with targets.

assessment

How you are checked

Evidence: the work product from each module, kept in one folder with dates. A mentor and two peers mark it with this rubric. Pass: no criterion at 'Not yet'.

Marking rubric
Criterion	Not yet	Meets	Exceeds
Plan	Missing or unclear	Meets the stated check	Customer, offer, price and break-even all stated with numbers
Measurement	Guessing	Evidence kept	Cost per customer tracked weekly for each channel
Records	Gaps	Complete	Complete and reviewed by a peer
Safety and ethics	Overlooked	Followed	Followed and taught to others

Ten-question check, with model answers

Q1. Why name the alternatives?

Model answer: Because you compete with what customers already do. (Covered in module 1: Choose the customer and the need. To pass that module: Write a profile that gives the place, spend, need and two alternatives.)

Q2. Why keep the first offer small?

Model answer: It is easier to deliver well and to learn from. (Covered in module 2: Shape the offer. To pass that module: Show that at least a stated share of testers would try it, and make the promise specific.)

Q3. What does break-even tell you?

Model answer: How many units you must sell to cover costs. (Covered in module 3: Costs, price and break-even. To pass that module: Show the break-even with every cost line listed.)

Q4. Why must the four parts match?

Model answer: A mismatch, like a premium price in a low-income area, loses sales. (Covered in module 4: The marketing mix. To pass that module: Write all four parts, and fit them to the customer.)

Q5. Why avoid claims you cannot prove?

Model answer: They mislead customers and can break the law. (Covered in module 5: Honest messages and rules. To pass that module: Support each claim with evidence, or remove it.)

Q6. How do you find cost per customer?

Model answer: Spend on a channel divided by the customers it brought. (Covered in module 6: Channels and cost per customer. To pass that module: Cost per customer is calculated for both channels.)

Q7. Why track repeat buyers?

Model answer: They cost less than new customers and show real satisfaction. (Covered in module 7: Sales, repeat buyers and feedback. To pass that module: Repeat rate and top complaint are recorded.)

Q8. What makes a plan measurable?

Model answer: Weekly numbers you can compare with results. (Covered in module 8: Capstone: 90-day plan. To pass that module: Plan has weekly numbers and results are compared with targets.)

Q9. Why test an offer before scaling?

Model answer: It shows demand before you spend much. (Covered in: Task, condition and standard, near the top of this page.)

Q10. Why review numbers every week?

Model answer: Problems are caught early, while they are cheap to fix. (Covered in: Task, condition and standard, near the top of this page.)

seven levels

Your ladder, L1 to L7

This course sits at L4 Practitioner. Each level adds to the one below.

L1 Basic. Know basic business words.
L2 Awareness. Explain customer, offer and price.
L3 Foundation. Cost and price a small offer.
L4 Practitioner. Run and market a small venture alone.
L5 Specialist. Lead a team and a marketing budget.
L6 Advanced. Lead marketing strategy across products.
L7 Super expert. Set strategy and standards for a business unit.

Slide by slide

Seven slides, one per level. Open each for the slide text and the speaker notes.

Slide 1 L1 Basic: Basic business words

Define 10 basic business words and use each in a sentence.

Speaker notes. Teacher asks learners to define cost, price and profit. Covered in module 8, Capstone: 90-day plan.

Slide 2 L2 Awareness: Customer, offer and price

Explain customer, offer and price with one real example, and name 3 customer needs.

Speaker notes. Learner describes a local shop's offer. Covered in module 4, The marketing mix.

Slide 3 L3 Foundation: Cost and price an offer

Cost and price a small offer, with a break-even point worked out correctly.

Speaker notes. Teacher checks the sums on one worked sheet. Covered in module 3.

Slide 4 L4 Practitioner: Run a small venture

Run and market a small venture alone for 30 days with a record of cost per customer.

Speaker notes. Teacher reviews the 30-day record. Covered in module 6.

Slide 5 L5 Specialist: Lead a team and budget

Lead a team of 3 with a marketing budget, comparing 3 channels by cost per customer.

Speaker notes. Teacher checks the channel comparison table.

Slide 6 L6 Advanced: Lead marketing strategy

Lead a marketing strategy for 3 products with honest messages and a 90-day plan. Check local rules with an expert for advertising law.

Speaker notes. Teacher tests each message for a claim that can be shown.

Slide 7 L7 Super expert: Set unit standards

Set strategy and standards for a business unit, with 5 measures reviewed each quarter.

Speaker notes. Teacher reviews the measures and one quarterly review.

jobs this leads to

Where this takes you

Small business owner
Marketing assistant
Sales executive
Digital marketing associate
Business development associate

ten locations and global

Your place

Local rules change licences, data handling, pricing words and names of bodies. Check them for your place before you act.

India (Bengaluru)

Language: English, Hindi, Kannada. Currency: INR. Data rule for what you publish: Digital Personal Data Protection Act 2023. Skills frame to cite: National Skills Qualifications Framework (NSQF) and the national credit framework.

Netherlands (Eindhoven area)

Language: Dutch, English. Currency: EUR. Data rule for what you publish: EU GDPR (Dutch: AVG), supervised by the Autoriteit Persoonsgegevens. Skills frame to cite: the Dutch qualification framework (NLQF) linked to the European Qualifications Framework.

UAE (Dubai and Abu Dhabi)

Language: Arabic, English. Currency: AED. Data rule for what you publish: Federal Decree-Law No. 45 of 2021 (personal data protection). Skills frame to cite: the emirate education and training regulators (for example KHDA in Dubai) and the national qualifications framework.

Brazil (Sao Paulo)

Language: Portuguese (Spanish and English support). Currency: BRL. Data rule for what you publish: LGPD (Lei Geral de Protecao de Dados). Skills frame to cite: the national technical-education catalogue and the national S-system training bodies.

Canada (Toronto)

Language: English, French. Currency: CAD. Data rule for what you publish: PIPEDA, with provincial rules where they apply. Skills frame to cite: the provincial colleges framework and the national credential-recognition guidance.

United States

Language: English, Spanish. Currency: USD. Data rule for what you publish: state privacy laws (for example California), and COPPA for children under 13. Skills frame to cite: state and community-college credit systems.

Singapore

Language: English, Mandarin, Malay, Tamil. Currency: SGD. Data rule for what you publish: Personal Data Protection Act (PDPA). Skills frame to cite: the Singapore national skills frameworks and the national credit system.

Australia

Language: English. Currency: AUD. Data rule for what you publish: the Privacy Act 1988 and the Australian Privacy Principles. Skills frame to cite: the Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) levels.

Hong Kong (Eastern Asia)

Language: Chinese (Cantonese, Mandarin), English. Currency: HKD. Data rule for what you publish: the Personal Data (Privacy) Ordinance. Skills frame to cite: the Hong Kong Qualifications Framework.

Georgia and Israel (Western Asia)

Language: Georgian, Hebrew, Arabic, English. Currency: GEL or ILS. Data rule for what you publish: the personal data law of the country where the learner lives. Skills frame to cite: the national qualifications framework of that country.

Cayman Islands (Caribbean)

Language: English. Currency: KYD. Data rule for what you publish: the Data Protection Act. Skills frame to cite: the local education and training framework.

Mexico

Language: Spanish, English. Currency: MXN. Data rule for what you publish: the federal law on personal data held by private parties. Skills frame to cite: the national competency certification system and the education ministry levels.

Draft

Draft flagship. Own wording. Not live.

All rupee amounts in the worked examples are rounded estimates for practice, not quotes or advice. Prices, tariffs and taxes change by place and over time: check current local figures before you use them.