Developing a Winning Marketing Strategy

In this course, you will learn how businesses create value for customers. We will examine the process by which Marketing builds on a comprehensive understanding of buyer behavior to create value. You will learn the major elements of the marketing mix -- product policy, channels of distribution, communication, and pricing -- and see how they fit within different analytical frameworks that are useful to managers. This will enhance your understanding of how marketing works in the business world. You will be able to: • Define marketing and describe how marketing creates value • Describe the elements of the marketing mix • Explain how these elements interact to create value for consumers • Use different analytical frameworks to examine how managers solve business problems • Evaluate brand extensions • Develop a marketing plan proposal This course is part of Gies College of Business’ suite of online programs, including the iMBA and iMSM. Learn more about admission into these programs and explore how your Coursera work can be leveraged if accepted into a degree program at https://degrees.giesbusiness.illinois.edu/idegrees/.

• Course Orientation
• You will become familiar with the course, your classmates, and our learning environment. The orientation will also help you obtain the technical skills required for the course.
• Module 1: The Marketing Process
• In this module, you will learn to define "marketing." We will explore consumer needs and see how marketing plays a role in value creation through researching and satisfying of these customer needs.
• Module 2: Segmentation Targeting Positioning
• An important element of the marketing process is the value creation stage. Value creation begins with the process of STP. In this module, you will learn about segmentation, targeting, and positioning and what it accomplishes in the value creation stage.
• Module 3: The Power of Branding
• Effective branding strategy allows companies to distinguish themselves from their competitors in the market. In this module, we will learn how to build a strong brand, explore how brand equity affects profitability, and understand how strong brands can leverage their equity to create successful extensions.
• Module 4: Influencing Consumer Behavior; The Marketing Plan
• In this module, we will study the meaning of consumer behavior and the factors that influence it. We will explore the various factors that impact consumer perception of a product, and those that affect the adoption of a new product. We will also learn about the different variables that influence consumer buying behavior.