The Marketing Plan

Go to Course: https://www.coursera.org/learn/marketingplan

Introduction

### Course Review: The Marketing Plan If you’re looking to gain practical skills in developing a marketing plan for your business idea, Coursera’s course titled **The Marketing Plan** is an excellent choice. This course offers a comprehensive exploration of the critical elements that constitute a successful marketing strategy, culminating in the creation of your personalized marketing plan that can be applied right after completion. #### Course Overview **The Marketing Plan** is structured to guide learners through the essential stages of creating a marketing plan. What sets this course apart is its practical approach; rather than a purely theoretical exploration, learners engage in peer-graded assignments each week that build toward completing their marketing plan. Throughout the course, participants have the unique option to develop the plan for their own product or service idea or to use the Nissan Leaf case study, which serves as a valuable reference point. #### Syllabus Breakdown 1. **Analysis** The course begins by grounding you in the fundamentals of marketing. In this section, you will not only review core concepts but also delve into setting clear and actionable objectives for your marketing plan. The integration of the Nissan Leaf case study here sets a real-world context that enriches your understanding of marketing strategies in action. 2. **Marketing Strategy** Moving forward, this part of the course focuses on honing in on target market segments and developing a positioning strategy that aligns with your brand. This section is crucial, as it helps clarify whether your approach will focus on attracting new customers or nurturing existing ones, a pivotal decision in any marketing undertaking. 3. **Marketing Mix Implementation** This third phase thrusts you into the practical application of your learning. You'll explore the 4 P’s of marketing—Product, Price, Place, and Promotion—and decide where to allocate your resources effectively. This section empowers you with the insights to devise a tangible action plan that reflects the theoretical concepts learned in previous weeks. 4. **Expected Results** Concluding the course, you’ll learn how to measure your marketing plan’s success using metrics. Developing a profit and loss account is one of the highlights of this section, empowering you to forecast financial returns and assess the efficacy of your marketing strategies. #### Recommendations Overall, **The Marketing Plan** course on Coursera is highly recommended for both aspiring marketers and entrepreneurs. Its blend of theoretical knowledge, practical assignments, and peer collaboration creates a rich learning environment. By the end of the course, you’ll not only have a robust marketing plan to take forward but also a deeper understanding of the marketing principles that drive successful businesses. For those eager to apply their skills in a practical setting, or for students who need a structured approach to learning about marketing without overwhelming theoretical jargon, this course serves as a priceless resource. Whether you're developing a startup idea or looking to sharpen your existing marketing skills, enrolling in **The Marketing Plan** could be a pivotal step in achieving your professional goals.

Syllabus

Analysis

Welcome to the analysis section of The Marketing Plan course. Here you will principally learn the basics of marketing and reinforce anything you have previously learned on this very broad discipline. Then, you will learn how to set objectives and what type of objectives you should include in your plan. You will also be introduced to the Nissan Leaf case - a case that we will refer to frequently throughout the course, and one you may use for your weekly assignments.

Welcome to the marketing strategy part of the course. Here, you will learn how to identify the best target segment for your brand, product or service and also how to position your company in order to best reach them. You will also begin to understand the benefits and drawbacks of trying to attract new customers or retain existing ones.

Welcome to the third part of The Marketing Plan - the marketing mix implementation. This is the action phase. Here, you will use the lessons learned in modules one and two to decide where you are going to invest your time and money, in regards to marketing. You will become familiar with the 4 P's of marketing and also learn how to effectively price your product or service. Finally, you will begin to understand which channel or combination of channels are best suited to marketing your brand.

Welcome to the final part of The Marketing Plan course - the expected results. Here, you will use metrics to make realistic estimates to how successful your marketing plan has been. This is document that will be used to test whether or not your marketing plan has been successful in the future. You will, most importantly, learn how to produce a profit and loss account, which will predict, and ultimately judge, the financial success of your marketing strategy and implementation.