The purpose of this course is to develop understanding of the marketing mix. The marketing mix is comprised of the tools available to a marketer in order to optimise the return from the exchange of value with customers and consumers. It does not relate simply to the elements of a product or service - rather it identifies all the variables over which a marketer has control.

This course will examine in depth the different components of the marketing mix and will discuss the way in which these components are controlled and adjusted to make a product or service more competitive.

The course will then proceed with an analysis of each of the key variables of the mix. A product is defined and analysed in terms of a series of levels. Products, including goods and services, are classified for ease in understanding. Every product has a life cycle, and this is evaluated in terms of its importance to marketing managers. The way in which the market adopts a new product is evaluated.

Pricing strategies and tactics are considered in Section 3, including the many factors that affect the price placed on a product or service. The way in which products are made available to customers is by distribution and this is introduced as an important part of customer service. An overview of this important concept is studied in terms of the level of customer service offered, alongside the different methods of distribution.

Promotion, which covers the communication between an organisation and its target audiences, is put into context The physical surroundings in which a service is delivered or a product sold are also considered, along with the people involved in the process of ensuring customer and consumer satisfaction. These must all be brought together to provide a seamless and positive support to every transaction.

This course deals with the components of the marketing mix and looks at ways in which they can be managed to optimise return on investment.

By the end of this course you will be able to:

• identify the components of the marketing mix in the marketing of a product or service
• identify ways in which the variables of the mix can be used to the mutual benefit of the organisation and its clients
• select the appropriate marketing strategy for a product
• identify the benefits provided to the consumer by a product
• identify the characteristics of a service and use these to assess the benefits provided by a service
• use the product life cycle concept as a guide to marketing understanding
• select the appropriate marketing mix strategy for a product offering at different stages of its life cycle
• identify pricing strategies used to make products and services more attractive.

Introduction

Objectives

Section 1: The Marketing Mix

What is the marketing mix?

Variables of the marketing mix

Strategy and tactics

Market selection strategies

Section 2: Products and Services

What is a product?

Types of products

Characteristics of services

Section 3: Product Mix

What is a product mix?

Product life cycle and strategies

Price/promotion strategies for a new product

Diffusion of innovation

Section 4: Pricing

Price setting

Factors affecting price

Section 5: Distribution

Distribution channels

Distribution objectives

Costs of distribution

Section 6: Promotion

The promotional tools

Public relations

Advertising

Sales promotion

Personal selling

Section 7: Physical Evidence, Participants and Process

Physical evidence, personnel and process

Summary

Tutor-marked Question Paper

On completion of your course, you will receive two qualifications:

Qualification 1: Marketing Mix (Byte Size) Certificate

Marketing Mix (Byte Size) Certificate issued by Stonebridge Associated Colleges, entitling you to use the letters SAC Cert after your name.

Qualification 2: Level 1 Marketing Mix (Byte Size) Award

This Course leads to an NCFE Level 1 Award Certificate for successful learners. That means that it is independantly accredited at a level of learning equivalent to level 1 on the National Qualifications Framework (NQF) for England, Wales and Northern Ireland (in which case GCSE's are at levels 1 and 2 and A Levels are at level 3). In accrediting the programme at level 1, NCFE attests that its learning outcomes are at an equivalent level to a level 1 national qualification.

This award has been designed by Stonebridge Associated Colleges to meet specific learners' or employers' requirements. Accreditation by NCFE is a guarantee of quality. It means that this learning programme has been scrutinised and approved by an independent panel of experienced educational professionals and is quality audited biannually by NCFE.

In order to offer our students the most convenient and flexible distance learning courses, Stonebridge Associated College offers you the option to study for your course via two methods:

• 1. Via the traditional paper-based method.
• 2. Through the online method via ElearnUK.

When you study through ElearnUK you can quickly access your course material online and submit all of your question papers to your tutor online, using your unique student account. You have access to all of your course material immediately, and when you submit question papers, your tutor sends you an email containing your results and feedback.

At the end of the course you will receive an award issued by Stonebridge Associated College, and also gain full awarding body accreditation for the course.

With this course you will have unlimited access to your own personal tutor who specialises in their field of study. It is your personal tutor's role to ensure that you receive constructive feedback and to deal with any queries you may have. You are more than welcome to telephone, fax or email your personal tutor.

You will also have access to a dedicated and friendly team of administrators and course advisors who offer sound and professional guidance and advice when you need it. This ensures that you will never feel neglected and that you will always succeed!

There is no experience or previous qualifications required for enrolment on this course. It is available to all students, of all academic backgrounds.

This is only an approximate figure and is dependant upon how much time you can dedicate to your studies and how well you grasp the learning concepts in the course material. Furthermore, at the end of each lesson there is a question paper that needs to be completed and returned to your tutor. You should allow at least 1 - 2 hours of study to complete each question paper.

The approximate amount of time required to complete the course is: 20 hrs.

Assessment Method

After each lesson there will be a question paper, which needs to be completed and submitted to your personal tutor for marking. This method of continual assessment ensures that your personal tutor can consistently monitor your progress and provide you with assistance throughout the duration of the course.

What's Included

• All study materials
• Study Guide
• Full Tutor and Admin support
• The course fee includes the awarding body registration and certification fee (valued at up to £30.00).

What is NCFE

NCFE is the UK's longest established awarding body, recognised as a highly professional and responsive organisation, committed to maintaining excellent customer service and a friendly approach.

NCFE is recognised as an awarding body by the qualification regulators ('regulators') for England, Wales and Northern Ireland. The regulators are the Office of the Qualifications and Examinations Regulator (Ofqual) in England, the Department for Children, Education, Lifelong Learning and Skills (DCELLS) in Wales and the Council for Curriculum, Examinations and Assessment (CCEA) in Northern Ireland.

Accreditation by NCFE is a guarantee of quality. It means that a learning programme has been scrutinised and approved by an independent panel of experienced educational professionals and is quality audited biannually by NCFE. Learners successfully completing NCFE accredited programmes receive an externally accredited and nationally recognised NCFE certificate.

For more information on this award, click here

Below you will find a list of courses that previous students have taken to complement their course. We hope that this list will give you some idea of the types of progression courses we offer, or alternative course options that may be of interest to you.

• Creating Quality Social Work Environments (Byte Size) - This Social Care - Skills Course has been structured so that students can choose exactly the area they need to develop by setting their own learning priorities. These courses can be used by qualified social workers ...
  Read More »
• Administration and Control (Byte Size) - What do you think of when someone says the word "management" Perhaps you think of a factory with employees toiling away on the "shop floor" watched over and directed by the "management" in their white coats ...
  Read More »
• Advertising (Byte Size) - In this course we look in depth at Advertising, one of the main tools of contemporary marketing communications of the promotional mix. After completing this course, you should be able to: ...
  Read More »
• Business Communication (Byte Size) - Communication is essential in all business. It is important at all levels and in all areas of organisations what ever they do and where ever they are. In this course we look at some basic communication ...
  Read More »
• Business Contracts (Byte Size) - In this course you will be introduced to the law of contracts. If there is one pervasive activity in the world of commerce it is involvement in contract. All of the following are achieved through the ...
  Read More »
• Communication in Marketing (Byte Size) - The marketing departments of today have developed from a more narrowly focused function, that initially included only advertising and sales, to include public relations and sales promotion. Just as finance is concerned with money in all ...
  Read More »