Internet Training
Intro to Marketing

Tired of walking the walk, without talking the talk?

Understanding marketing can add a whole new dimension to your design services. Sure, talent is important. But today's business clients are looking for designers who can apply their creative talents in ways that enhance strategic business goals.

This is a three-lesson introductory course for designers who want to understand basic marketing principles and strategies. In each lesson, you'll learn tried-and-true marketing concepts and explore how they affect the design process. You'll gain a solid grasp of the marketing process, understand key terms and concepts that every marketer uses, and pick up smart questions to ask in client meetings.

Roll up your sleeves—you'll gain principles and approaches for solving your customers' problems profitably.

Developer:
Andrew Brenits is the principal of Brenits Graphic Design ... get bio

Define the purpose of marketing and differentiate between product, consumer, and marketing-focused companies.

Analyze and discuss the "seven Ps" of marketing activities: price, place, promotion, product, people, physical evidence, and process.

Identify and analyze the target audience for a company and its products and analyze the effectiveness of three marketing pieces.

Consider appropriate media for marketing a company's products.

Identify how marketing pieces reflect a company's approach to price, place, and product.

Analyze a company or product brand, identifying consistent features and brand messages.

Evaluate a company's business objectives and overall marketing direction at a basic level.

Analyze and discuss how mission, vision, value, and positioning statements set out the goals of a company's marketing initiatives.

Outline:

LESSON 1 Fundamentals of Marketing Lesson One builds key marketing concepts and terminology that every designer should know. Marketing is defined and the evolution of marketing is explored through product-, customer-, and marketing-focused eras. The extensive role that marketing can play throughout a company's business is examined. A case study analyzes a major company's marketing efforts. In the exercise, you'll analyze the marketing media strategy of a company of your choice.

LESSON 2 Principles of Marketing Most marketing initiatives flow from (or enhance) the brand of an existing company or product. Lesson Two begins by addressing the concept of the brand and how companies create a brand experience. The "seven Ps" of marketing are explored—essential elements that shape all marketing activities. You'll understand how issues such as price, place, and promotion work together to shape the business context for your design projects. Then you'll take a look at advertising and sales promotions and the different ways they affect consumer decision-making. This lesson's exercise will test your knowledge of the "seven Ps" and your ability to analyze brands as you research and evaluate marketing strategies.

LESSON 3 Strategies to Market and Sell Lesson Three rounds out your Marketing 101 with a look at the key aspects of business documents that companies use to define their strategy. You'll learn how to interpret key components of a marketing plan from a design perspective, and how to use a mission statement and other business goals to understand your clients' needs. Then you'll learn practical guidelines for any marketing design project, and even look at some tactics to help market yourself as a designer. In the final project, you'll work from a client brief to develop the foundation of a marketing initiative.