We know that MiniMBA training makes marketers better. 31,000+ marketing professionals have now taken MiniMBA in Marketing and alumni say they feel more confident (97%) and more effective in their role (94%).
But in recent years we’ve seen increased demand for MiniMBA in team settings, with organisations enrolling large groups in team training or making our courses part of their onboarding process.
So, we’ve taken a look at some of the top issues reported by CMOs globally – and exactly how MiniMBA in Marketing can help. We’ve pinpointed which elements of the course combat which key challenge, so you’ll know exactly what to expect if you enrol your team.
You’ll also hear from some of our corporate alumni about the difference MiniMBA has made in their organisation.
Other key organisational challenges we cover in this series:
- Improve marketing effectiveness
- Build a more customer-centric organisation
- Better communication and more consistency within my team
Challenge: Take a more strategic approach to marketing
Solution: MiniMBA’s three-stage process aligns teams under one strategic workflow
Marketing effectiveness hinges on good strategy – but it’s easy to lose sight of that when you’ve got day-to-day operations pulling your team in different directions. In a recent report from Gartner, 61% of CMOs admit their plans are driven by operational needs, such as prioritising work, rather than strategy.
MiniMBA helps marketing leaders take a more strategic approach by embedding a streamlined marketing workflow that puts strategy at the centre of everything… literally.
Dividing the marketing journey into three stages: Diagnosis, Strategy and Tactical Execution; MiniMBA creates a tight, repeatable process. Every action taken by your team should fit neatly into one of these three pots. If it doesn’t, it’s likely a waste of resource and/or taking you off track.
Here’s how it works:
Diagnosis (understanding your consumers, business and landscape) gives you everything you need to build an impactful Strategy. Once you finalise that strategy, it becomes your team bible – guiding all the choices you make next in Tactical Execution. Everyone knows exactly where they are in the process, and what’s needed to successfully move the business on to the next stage.
So how does MiniMBA in Marketing set teams up to achieve this in practice? Across 10 modules, course professor Mark Ritson lays out a blueprint that can be applied to any marketing environment.
In modules 1-3, teams examine the best ways to research and dissect your market. For example, when to use qualitative or quantitative methods, the right research techniques to use in each situation and how to properly brief market research agencies to ensure that data is not just interesting, but actionable.
This means teams can start each marketing cycle in the right way, and design research architectures that combine the right blend of methods for maximum reward.
With Diagnosis complete, we move into the Strategy stage – armed with all the business and consumer insights a marketing team needs to build out a winning plan.
Modules 4-6 cover the fundamentals of marketing strategy: targeting, positioning and objectives. Mark Ritson teaches all of the key frameworks to meet different business needs, so teams will have the full spectrum of tools at their disposal. At this point in the process, the data gathered in your research will clearly illuminate the best path forward, so teams can be united and confident in their strategic plan of attack.
Finally, we have Tactical Execution (aka the 4Ps). When executing any marketing plan, there will be noise around technology, exciting new opportunities may arise, and circumstances in or outside the business can change. The beauty of a good strategy is that it guides your hand. Modules 7-10 will show marketing teams how to feed your strategy through to everything from pricing to communications – to ensure every part of the marketing operation is working in unison. With every tactical decision that needs to be made, teams will be able to ask and answer: does this help us deliver our strategy?
MiniMBA’s three-part process is immutable. Whether you’re working with media mix modelling or micro-influencers, trade shows or pay-per-click; Diagnosis feeds Strategy, which feeds the choices you make around Tactical Execution.
The outcome of those strategically-guided choices feeds into your next Diagnosis and the cycle continues…
By creating a common understanding of the marketing journey and using the same language around process, you’ll also build confidence and buy-in to strategic thinking. At its simplest meaning, strategy is a plan to create a desired outcome. That’s all marketing really is. When everything you do informs or delivers on strategy – and you do it right – you will see business results.
Here’s what our alumni say about the strategic impact MiniMBA has made in their organisation:
MiniMBA gives you a framework for excellent marketing that is repeatable, scalable, and channel agnostic
“MiniMBA gives you a framework for excellent marketing that is repeatable, scalable, and channel agnostic. It works across sectors and business sizes and gives you the tools you need to excel in any marketing role.”
– Director of Client Partnerships, Chaptr
I’ve learned how to link marketing to how a business can grow
“I’ve learned how to link marketing to how a business can grow and make profit from its customers. It’s made me a better and more confident marketer, hands-down. Practical from day one.”
– Strategy and Brand Development Manager, Rewardsco
the course reminds you that communications are just 8% of the overall marketing strategy
“If you’ve lost your marketing mojo or feel like your approach to strategy lacks structure, this course is exactly what you need. Fun, concise, and surprisingly comprehensive, it reminds you that communications are just 8% of the overall marketing strategy. MiniMBA helps you focus on what matters so you can ditch the fluff that doesn’t.”
– Marketing Manager, Payzone Ireland
Mark Ritson strips away all the fluff and teaches you proper strategic marketing – the kind that actually drives business results
“It’s like having someone hand you the blueprint for how marketing should work, with no buzzwords – just clear, actionable insights that you can use immediately. Mark Ritson strips away all the fluff and teaches you proper strategic marketing – the kind that actually drives business results.
“Instead of diving straight into tactics, you’ll learn how to craft a proper strategy. If you’re looking for quick fixes or the latest digital hacks, this isn’t it. But if you’re ready to build a solid foundation in marketing, commit to the work, and elevate your strategic thinking, I can’t think of a better investment in professional development.”
– VP of Marketing and Growth, Madex.ai
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