Marketing Foundations

1. Packaging and presenting the goods or services.
2. Making contact with the person you are selling to.
3. Communication ‑ ensuring they understand about the goods or services.
4. Convincing ‑ presenting the "product" in a way which favours you achieving the result you are aiming for.
5. Follow-up ‑ ensuring the "buyer" is satisfied with what they get (in the long term).

Sales can be made by people who are good at b. and d. but poor at a., c. and e. Sales of this kind might be good selling, but they are poor marketing. In the long term, this type of operator is not likely to be successful.

The success or failure of marketing MUST relate to the relationship between supply and demand: Supply being the quantity of a good or service available; demand being how much it is wanted.

If supply is low and demand is high, then marketing is easy (because there is no or little competition).

If supply is high and demand low then marketing can be very difficult.

To become a successful at marketer you must know:

• What the customer wants or needs. You may sell a customer what he or she thinks they need, but does not really need. When the customer decides they don’t really want what they bought, you may lose the chance of the customer returning to buy again!
• How to communicate successfully with the customer. This involves knowing where and how to advertise; how to speak properly, how to read a person's mannerisms (voice and body language) etc.
• Potential that exists for new products or services.
• Changes likely to occur in demand for goods and services.

This course is designed as a program to help you firstly understand the marketing world; then assist you in making decisions and developing skills in marketing.

Lesson Structure

There are 10 lessons in this course:

1. Marketing and the Business What is marketing, and its significance, Considering alternative approaches to business and marketing, Alternative enterprises (eg. goods or services based, sole proprietor or partnership etc).
2. Scope of Marketing Understanding basic economics (eg. supply & demand); the difference between the potential market, available market, target market, and penetrated market for a product/service of your choice; Different advertising approaches, Controlling Growth, Improving Results in Business, etc
3. Target Marketing Understanding the market place; Stages that sellers move through in their approach to a market, What is targeting, Advantages of target marketing as compared to mass marketing and product-differentiated marketing
4. The Marketing Mix and Managing the Marketing Effort Product, price, place, and promotion; Affects and interactions between marketing and other operations of a business.
5. Product Presentation and Packaging Importance of product knowledge, Core, tangible and augmented products; Differences in packaging & presentation for different products.
6. Promotion Communication skills, Merchandising, Shop Floor Layout, Displaying Products, Signs, Understanding Selling and Increasing Sales, Sales Methods, Publicity Marketing, Structuring an Advertisement or Promotion, Advertising budgets, etc
7. Product Pricing and Distribution Pricing, Profitability Ratios, Increasing Turnover, etc
8. Customer Service Methods of assessing customer satisfaction; Significance of Customer Service; Different types of customers in the market place, and how best to approach each; Difference between selling, publicising, marketing and advertising, etc
9. Market Research The research process, What to research, Surveys, Developing and conducting a market research program, where to find useful statistics,
10. Organisations - Structures and Roles Business law; Financial Management, Business Structures, Business terminology, etc.

Each lesson culminates in an assignment which is submitted to the school, marked by the school's tutors and returned to you with any relevant suggestions, comments, and if necessary, extra reading.

Aims

• Discuss the role of marketing in different enterprises.
• Describe the scope of marketing in different enterprises.
• Define the target market for a product or service.
• Determine and manage an appropriate mix of marketing activities for a small enterprise or marketing campaign.
• Evaluate the presentation (including packaging) of a product or service.
• Determine an effective approach to promoting a product or service.
• Compare options for distribution and determine an appropriate price for a product or service.
• Evaluate customer service.
• Conduct relevant market research.
• Consider the impact of internal and external organisation's (including legal authorities) upon the marketing activities of an enterprise.

What qualification will I achieve for completing this course?

This is an individual module course.  The individual module courses are 100 hour long usually and can be taken on their own or as part of a larger program of study. 

If you wish to take an individual module course as a stand alone course, you can elect to sit an optional exam at the end of it. 

If you successfully pass the exam and all assignments, you will receive a Statement of Attainment. You can take examinations at a time and location to suit you.  If you enrol, you will be sent further information on how to arrange examinations at the end of the course. 

If you do not wish to take the exam, you will receive a Course Completion letter when you have passed all assignments. 

There is an assignment at the end of each lesson. So for example, if an individual module course contains ten lessons, you will need to complete ten assignments. Assignments can be sent to us via email, post or fax.

Other qualifications, such as certificates, diplomas etc may require examinations to be taken as part of the overall assessment process.

You can find further information on the examinations process by clicking on the “Enrolment” link above.

You can find further information on other courses by clicking on the “Courses” link above.

More Information on ACS Distance Education and our courses

Who are our tutors?

Our tutors are all highly experienced and professional, knowledgeable in their field of study.  We have staff from around the world, enabling us to gain a wide variety of perspectives.  We have a school in the UK and in Australia. If you would like to have a look at our tutors, then click on the “About Us” in the boxes above and choose “The Staff” option.

Sample Course Notes

Our courses are all written by highly qualified tutors and writers, who also teach on the courses, so know them well.  We strive to update our courses and improve them with new information, methods and knowledge on an ongoing basis.  If you would like to see examples of some of our courses, then choose the “Enrolment” option above, and then click on “Sample Course Notes”.

What learning method should I choose?

We offer three learning methods – e-learning, correspondence and online. If you are not sure which is the right choose for you, then click on the “Learning” box above, then “Learning Methods.”

How Long will it take to complete the course?

This obviously varies from student to student. Some students will have more time for study than others. Some students may work quicker than others, so it is an individual thing.  We estimate that most students will take, for example, 4 – 6 months to complete a 100 hour individual module, but we allow up to 12 months for you to complete it.

Longer courses will obviously take longer.  You can find more information on the length of time required and so on the “Enrolment” box, then selecting “Terms and Conditions of Enrolment.”

What Do Our Students think of us?

If you would like to read comments from our previous students, then choose the “About Us” option above, then “Student Testimonials”.

I don’t think this is the right course for me.

If you’re not sure about this course, then why not look at our wide range of other courses. Click on the “Courses” box above.

You may also wish to design your own course to fit in with exactly what YOU want. To do so, click on the “Enrolment” box, then “Design your Own Course”.

If you would like more advice on a course, then you can contact us and ask a tutor about the courses. You can contact us by calling 0800 328 4723 or +44(0) 384 442752 or emailing info@acsedu.co.uk

Recognition and Accreditation

For more information on our recognition and accreditation, click on “The School”, then “Recognition”.

Who is ACS Distance Education?

If you want to know more about ACS and our history, then please click on “The School”, then “About us.”