Workshop on Strategic Marketing Plan

Program overview:

Solid marketing strategy is the foundation of a well-written marketing plan; a marketing plan clarifies the key marketing elements of a business and maps out directions, objectives, and activities for the business and its employees.

This course will look into several aspects of a company’s marketing and promotion plan such as the marketing mix (the 4Ps), the evaluation of marketing opportunities, researching, analyzing and identifying target markets and developing a strategic position for the company in order to implement the strategy.

This program covers everything from preparation and implementation of the marketing plan to measuring and evaluating the results of the organizational marketing efforts.

For whom:

This program is designed for marketing professionals who need to prepare marketing plan, or who are reviewing the effectiveness of current plans. The program is also important for general managers, marketing managers, product and sales managers who are involved in evaluating marketing plans submitted to them by specialists.

Learning objectives:

At the end of the course, participants will be able to: 

• devise a marketing plan that builds on marketing audit findings;
• use marketing audit findings to identify effective strategies and tactics;
• develop the components of the strategic marketing plan;
• identify and implement the different marketing warfare strategies (offensive, defensive and flanking); and
• apply a logical step-by-step process to produce a sound marketing plan.

Course outline:

Day 1: The Marketing Concept

• Scope and Functions
• A New Approach to Marketing: E-Marketing
• Competitive Pressures Changing the World
• The Smart Bomb Strategic Approach
• The Marketing Planning Process
• The Benefits of Planning
• The Marketing Plan Format
• The Marketing Planning Process
• Setting S.M.A.R.T Objectives and Goals
• Linking Marketing Strategy to the Company’s Vision, Mission and Objectives

Day 2: Developing and Executing an E-Marketing Plan

Creating a digital marketing framework: how to execute and measure results

• Digital tools and channels – SEM, SEO and measuring tools such as Google Analytics
• Strategies on choosing the right channel and tools based on your goals
  • Digital display and programmatic advertising
  • Digital Display and Banner Advertising explained
• Digital marketing campaign creation
  • Targeting: contextual targeting and user interest explained – deciding who sees which banners
  • Formats – sizes and formats of banners to give most effective results
• Digital campaign process: using keyword research tools in planning
  • Hands-on approach: how to create a campaign
• Remarketing: using banners to follow users who have shown interest

Day 3: The Business Situation Analysis   

• Understanding the Framework for Competitive Analysis
• Competitive and Customer Analysis
• Environmental Analysis
• SWOT and TOWS Analysis
• Portfolio Analysis and Design (The Boston Consulting Group Matrix)

Day 4: Planning Segmentation, Targeting and Positioning

• Basis for Segmentation
• Benefits of Segmentation
• The Market Segmentation Process
• Effective Positioning
• Creating a Powerful Value Proposition

Day 5: Strategy Development and Tactical Planning Applications

• Considering Different Strategic Alternatives (TOWS Analysis)
• Analyzing Different Marketing Strategies
• The Growth Strategy Matrix
• Factors Shaping the Choice of Strategy
• Blue Ocean versus Red Ocean Strategies
• Tactical Planning Applications
  • Setting the Scene: The Marketing Mix
  • The Components of the Marketing Mix
  • Using The Marketing Mix Model
• Putting It All Together: Writing Your Own Marketing Plan

Training Methodology

Lectures, discussions, exercises, case studies, audio-visual aids will be used to reinforce these teachings/learning methods.