Section A

Site: eLearn 2022 Semester 2 Printed by: Farai Mandonye

Module: Strategic Marketing Date: Thursday, 4 August 2022, 3:16 PM
Book: Section A
 Table of contents

1. SECTION A: GENERAL INFORMATION

1.1. Programme Structure
1.2. Overall Programme Purpose and Outcomes
1.3. Programme Purpose
1.4. Programme Outcomes
1.5. Strategic Marketing (SM303D) overall purpose and module outcomes
1.6. Module purpose
1.7. Module outcomes:
1.8. Study tips
1.9. Tips for achieving good marks in your assessments
1.10. Academic ethics
1.11. Planning your Strategic Marketing studies
1.12. Learning process per study unit
1.13. Student Support at your fingertips
1.14. Your checklist for your learning process
 1. SECTION A: GENERAL INFORMATION

Word of Welcome

Welcome to Strategic Marketing. You have successfully completed the Fundamentals of

Marketing and Principles of Marketing modules, which are both critically important to lay the
foundation for this final marketing module, namely Strategic Marketing. In this module the
primary focus is on strategic marketing and how to develop a strategic marketing plan. Any
organisation – regardless of how small or how big, and regardless of whether it is a small local
start-up or a mammoth global enterprise, needs to have an effective marketing strategy to be
more successful. The role of strategic marketing is to determine what the organisation’s existing
position is, where it wants to go and how it will get there.
 1.1. Programme Structure

To view a brief summary of your Programme, please click here: Link to Programme Diagram for Diploma in Marketing Management
 1.2. Overall Programme Purpose and Outcomes

Once you have completed the modules successfully and achieved the module outcomes covered
within the Diploma in Marketing Management programme you will be competent to do the
following:
 1.3. Programme Purpose

The main purpose is to instil and broaden students’ marketing knowledge, business management
knowledge, application of marketing knowledge and expertise.

This qualification will provide qualified students with a broad-based knowledge of the principles,
theories, thought schools, methods and application processes involved in the various fields
required in the core marketing management function.

This qualification lays a solid foundation for higher career advancement and further studies in
the field of strategic marketing management.

The programme is designed to provide students with a basic understanding of the underlying
marketing and business principles, followed by more advanced knowledge combined with
elementary practical application and concluding with specific practical application of all theory
and models learnt throughout the programme.
 1.4. Programme Outcomes

Indicating which module is

Exit-Level
Explanation linked to each exit-level
outcome
outcome

Exit-level Master a broad knowledge of Principles of Marketing

outcome 1 marketing principles and basic
Applications of Marketing
application skills in marketing
related field. Principles of Digital Marketing

Marketing Communications
Exit-level Demonstrate a broad Principles of Business
outcome 2 understanding of business Management
management knowledge,
Applications of Business
functional areas within an
Management
organisation and how it applies
to the business environment. Business Management
Strategy

Human Resources
Management
Exit-level Demonstrate a broad Principles of Project
outcome 3 understanding of the principles Management
of project management and how
these principles should be
applied in a marketing
environment.
Exit-level Solve practical marketing
outcome 4 problems by applying skills learnt
in the relevant marketing
modules.
Marketing Communications
Application of Marketing
Applications of Digital and
Mobile Marketing

Exit-level Select, apply and evaluate typical Marketing Research

outcome 5 methods and procedure to assist
Business Law
in making informed marketing
and business decisions.
Exit-level Students must produce a Strategic Marketing
outcome 6 strategic marketing plan
including a detailed
implementation plan. To be able
to do this, students must show
an understanding of the scope of
responsibilities required of a
management position in the
marketing field, and understand
the accountability to senior
management in an organisation.
Exit-level Demonstrate a broad Principles of Financial
outcome 7 understanding of the principles Management
of financial management
Applications of Financial
knowledge and how it applies to
Management
the marketing and business
environment to ensure the
students have the knowledge on
how to manipulate and interpret
financial records to the benefit of
the business and understand
how the marketing activities
pursued will be affected by the
finance function or may have an
impact on the finance function.
Exit-level To apply their learning practically Work Integrated Learning
outcome 8 to workplace scenarios contained
in case studies, scenarios and in
practical and workplace settings,
draw on the models, theories
and concepts taught during the
3-year study period on the
Programme, and to integrate
practically the full range of
theory to practice based
situations which may contain
significant parallels to workplace
realities in an effort to mirror the
‘real world’ marketing executives
are expected to deal with in a
constantly changing business
environment.
Exit-level Furthermore, students need to Entrepreneurship
outcome 9 understand the tools required to
start and manage a small
business successfully.
 1.5. Strategic Marketing (SM303D) overall purpose and module outcomes

Strategic Marketing is one of the final modules you will do for the successful completion of your
Diploma in Marketing Management. This module will assist in empowering you with the skills
and applied competence in Strategic Marketing. Strategic Marketing will further assist you in the
development of your intellectual capacity and the strategic understanding of the marketing
environment.

Successful completion of the Strategic Marketing module will further demonstrate an

understanding of the scope of responsibilities that go with a management position in the
marketing field, and an understanding of the accountability to senior management in an
organisation.
 1.6. Module purpose

The overall purpose of the Strategic Marketing module is to provide the successful student with
the ability to design a customer-driven marketing plan.
 1.7. Module outcomes:

By the end of the module, students should be able to:

Conduct strategic analyses that should include the analyses of the current external and
internal situations, market analyses, customer analyses and a competitor analysis.
Develop a customer-driven strategic marketing plan by:
Producing a marketing strategy that is based on the appropriate direction, setting
marketing objectives and focusing on the marketing mix elements.
Producing a marketing action plan based on the above-mentioned marketing strategy.
Including control measurements/marketing metrics.
Including a realistic financial budget for all marketing action plan elements.
Evaluate the success of the marketing plan.

These module outcomes sound amazing – but how on earth can one achieve these?
 1.8. Study tips

Here are a few tips you should follow to ensure you have the best chance to complete this
module successfully:

Make sure you use and develop all the tools you need to complete this task successfully.
Show a POSITIVE attitude and do not blame others for your failures.
Take responsibility for your own progress and success.
Communicate! Ask for help when you need it. Ask questions. Find out what happens. Find
out when things happen and when you should be doing what! Read all instructions
carefully!
Use all the available student platforms to ENGAGE with, learn from, solve problems with,
and discuss ideas with other fellow students and IMM Graduate School staff.
Priorities what is important. Manage your time and keep constant track of your progress.
Think of alternative ways to learn more effectively.
Get organised:
Get all your required study material and buy your prescribed textbooks.
Familiarise yourself with eLearn.
Draw up your study timetable and commit to it (check the student pacer outlined later in
this study guide).
Set clear objectives to achieve deadline dates for every study unit.
 1.9. Tips for achieving good marks in your assessments

Firstly, do not leave the completion of your assignments until the last minute! Assignments
have been put in place for a good reason – they show you what you are still struggling with
and what you still need to study. They show you what you are doing and what you can or
cannot do. They measure your progress and award marks that will indicate your level of
competence.

Carefully consider the mark allocation of each question. This will help you to achieve the
maximum marks possible!
For example: If a question counts 10 marks, ensure you include at least 10 keywords or 10
steps or 10 core facts – depending on the requirement of the question. If a question counts
only one mark, it is more than likely that only one fact will be required.
If for example a question requires the listing of a process which includes six steps, ensure
you cover all six steps – marks are usually allocated according to the actual process/steps –
thus your response must be factually correct.
Be careful to not rewrite the content word-for-word out of your study guide or any other
learning material. Firstly, you are making yourself guilty of plagiarism and secondly, it does
not indicate that you actually understand the concept. Use your own words – specifically
when you need to answer a question using your own thinking or interpretation.
“Our jobs as marketers are to understand how the customer wants to buy and help them do
so.” Bryan Eisenberg
 1.10. Academic ethics

Any assignment allows you to utilise various reading materials that will assist you in the
completion of your assignment. Read the material with full attention and ensure you understand
each concept fully before you try and apply the learnt theory.

Use your own words to explain what you have read when answering a question. The marker
needs to see that you have understood the questions and are able to apply the learnt theory to
your answers. You have to use your own words and cannot simply ’cut and paste’ or ’copy’ the
content from any learning material.

When using something from any textbook, website, or any other material as part of your
assignment answers, you have to acknowledge the original source by referencing the source in
your text, as well as at the end of your document. Please consult the IMM Graduate School
Harvard Referencing Guide (Addendum A and also available on our eLearn platform) for a
detailed explanation of how you should reference correctly.

The IMM Graduate School takes the copying of any material without proper referencing
extremely seriously as this is known as plagiarism and you will face a disciplinary action if you
make yourself guilty of such a plagiarism practice. Please ensure you are familiar with the IMM
Graduate School Harvard referencing style guide so as not to inadvertently commit such an
offence.
 1.11. Planning your Strategic Marketing studies

The IMM Graduate School has designed student pacers for each module. These pacers will assist
you in planning your studies to ensure you cover the entire syllabus and to schedule your studies
at manageable intervals. Distance learning requires careful planning and scheduling of your
studies and the student pacer will provide you with a guideline on how to plan and not fall
behind. Adhering to the student pacer will guide you and provide you with a good start to
achieve the targets set out for each module and to ensure you plan beforehand to hand in your
assignments before or on the due date and to ensure you have sufficient time to study for your
examination.
1.12. Learning process per study unit
 1.13. Student Support at your fingertips

You are registered for this module on a distance learning basis and you are expected to work on
your own 70% of the time. However, this does not mean that you are completely on your own.
Please use the available IMM Graduate School Student Support resources to help you during
your studies.

The IMM Graduate School is committed to assisting students with all queries, and have
introduced helpme@immgsm.ac.za, to answer all general queries. This is supported by a
ticketing system, that issues students with a unique ticket number and ensures we are able to
track the progress of queries, ensure prompt response and swift resolution times.

NB: Please ensure that all module specific questions and queries are still posted on the module
specific discussion forums, available on eLearn. Do not leave your queries to the last day before
you write your examination or before the assignment submission due dates.

You are required to regularly visit eLearn as it is an essential source of information that is
continuously updated with topical material, additional guidance, messages and tutorial letters.
eLibrary is an excellent place for you to read additional material on your own. This tool will be
extremely valuable when conducting research for your assignments / projects / research reports.
For access to the virtual library, please follow the instructions available on eLearn.

Information Centres - the IMM Graduate School has libraries in all Student Support Centres with
textbooks and additional materials that could help you in your assignments when you need to
reference additional sources. For opening times at facilities please enquire at your Student
Support Centre. You have access to free Internet at the Information Centre.

eMasterclasses - in our on-going efforts to support our students, the IMM Graduate School hosts
online tutorials in all our modules for additional guidance and support. Subject matter experts
share their knowledge through the use of a presentation or video conferencing addressing
learning outcomes, assignment and examination preparation, etc., giving ample opportunity for
student feedback and interaction.

eDiscussion – join group forums for discussions, to post questions and to receive updates on
specific modules.

The Journal of Strategic Marketing - the official publication of the IMM Institute of Marketing
Management, which keeps you up-to-date with the latest news and trends of what is happening
in the industry. Another publication is the Strategic Marketing Africa magazine, which addresses
the unique marketing challenges and opportunities in Africa. These magazines are released
quarterly and could assist you in providing examples to use in assessments to back up your
theoretical knowledge. Both of these magazines are available electronically on eLearn.
 1.14. Your checklist for your learning process

At this point you should understand the learning process explained above, as well as what
Strategic Marketing (SM303D) is all about and you should be ready to start your journey towards
the successful completion of your module.
Done / still to do / still to
Checklist
buy or access

Do you have access to all the prescribed – and additional learning

material?

Prescribed textbook: Wood, M.B. (2017) Essential Guide

to Marketing Planning. 4th ed. Harlow, UK: Pearson.
SM303D study guide
IMM Graduate School eLearn platform
IMM Graduate School eLibrary platform.

Do you have a quiet place to study?

Do you have support from your close family / friends /
colleagues?

Do you know who to contact at the IMM Graduate School when

necessary?