This course is designed for marketing professionals, both agencies and clients, who want to improve their Promotion strategies, learn how to integrate this strategy in their overall marketing plans and develop the skill set to enhance their ability to bring successful promotions to life. In a saturated market and challenging economic times, Promotions are more than ever a way to both increase sales and act as a key differentiator for your brand. This course will teach you how to be successful in the short-term goal of the promotion and how to translate that success into long- term marketing potential.

• Strategic Promotions Course Requirements
• Strategic Promotions Course Outline
• Strategic Promotions Instructor

Course Requirements

Please note that registrants must have at least 1 to 5 years of marketing experience to enroll in this course. There is an attendance requirement in this course (student can miss a maximum of two classes with legitimate reason). The final exam is mandatory. All coursework must be completed in the required timeframe. Coursework includes assignments and a 3-hour written final exam. Students must achieve a final overall mark of 60% and obtain a minimum mark of 50% on the final exam in order to qualify for a certificate pass.

Strategic Promotions Course Outline

The following is a general outline of the course content. The actual sequence of topics covered in specific sessions may vary somewhat, depending on availability of guest speakers (if applicable) and delivery format of the individual instructor.

Session 1: Introduction and Understanding Promotion Strategy

• Course Overview
• The role and purpose of Promotions
• Developing Promotion strategies

Session 2: The Marketing Mix – Marketing Strategy and Promotion Planning

• Exploring the role of Promotions within the Marketing Mix
• Review of the corporate structure and external influencers in promotional planning
• Developing the ideal promotion planning framework

Session 3: Understanding Segments & Promotion Objectives – B2B/B2C New Customer Acquisition and Client Up-Sell

• Identifying, developing promotion strategies for new customer acquisition objectives
• Identifying, developing promotion strategies for client up-sell objectives
• Integrating promotion strategies as a means of attracting and keeping clients

Session 4: Promotion Strategy in Loyalty Marketing

• Defining Loyalty Marketing
• Integrating multi-organizational promotion strategies
• Developing the client relationship strategy

Session 5: The “Net Effect” – Paying the Benefit Forward

• Defining Success: the tangible and intangible success criteria of promotion campaigns
• Establishing the optimal measurement criteria
• Integrating results into future planning potential

Session 6: Targeting - Maximizing Redemption Opportunities

• Using analysis and segmentation as a tool
• Understanding the role of Customer Insight and Market Research in developing Promotion Strategy
• Analysis and trends for use in Promotional planning

Session 7: Group Case Study Presentions

Session 8: The Message and the Media – Promotions and the Client Experience

• Linking the message and the media
• Assessing the media opportunities and integrating into a comprehensive communications plan by segment
• Defining value through promotions

Session 9: Promotion Redemption Design and Strategy

• Assessing online and offline redemption strategies
• Establishing vendor management
• Linking internal and external processes

Session 10: Final Examination

Course Instructor

Andrea Johnson
President, OZ Marketing

A creative thinker and an analytical strategist, Andrea is dedicated to making the most out of any brand experience and increasing profitability with both large multinational organizations and small, innovative start-up companies.

Andrea started her career following her passion for marketing technology, bringing innovative products and promotions to market in both the consumer and B2B segments internationally. Working with Toshiba, Compaq and Hewlett-Packard, Andrea’s innovative approach to marketing married the marketing objectives of technology with key promotional opportunities with key brands from independent software vendors to consumer packaged goods companies to bring promotions to market. A proven track record managing the direct marketing team at TELUS was recognized by numerous industry awards for both creative savvy and impressive results. A unique approach to marketing changed the thinking of traditional promotional marketing linking corporate environmental responsibilities and consumer response.

Andrea is now applying her expertise at OZ Marketing, a marketing consulting company she founded to work with established global brands and local start-up companies in a variety of industries such as financial services, liquor, mineral exploration and direct marketing agencies establishing their brands and bringing their marketing vision to success.

Andrea is a passionate brand champion who believes that true consumer engagement builds a positive brand experience. Innovative. Passionate. Occasionally funny.