Detailed programme Executive Master Class in Business-to-Business Marketing and Sales
[Executive Master Class in B2B Marketing]
Programme 2010
‘Value Blueprint’ seminar
10-13 March 2010 (Bruges)
This first seminar under academic guidance of prof dr Marion Debruyne is all about making a value blueprint for your company by discussing the fundamentals of marketing strategy, understanding the market-driven strategy process, and applying the process of strategic segmentation, targeting and positioning. We will distinguish different positioning strategies and introduce the mechanics of the competitive advantage cycle.
During this seminar we will also get familiar with the sources of competitive pressure. You will be able to stay ahead of your competitors not only by identifying the steps to diagnose a competitive attack and by recognizing the different types of competitive attacks, but also by determining the appropriate response strategies. Next to this, we introduce the concept of strategic innovation and we will search for ways understanding the traps companies face in responding to strategic innovation attacks.
During and after this seminar you will be able to apply all this by setting up your own strategic marketing plan for your company, your business unit or your start-up. You will define strategic issues by analyzing your external and internal environment via various tools (e.g. STEEPLE analysis, competitive analysis, resource analysis…). On top of that you will draw up your strategic segmentation, targeting and positioning. Feedback and coaching on your strategic marketing plan will be provided by prof dr Marion Debruyne.
* All seminars are residential. Particpants are strongly encouraged to stay at hotels near the seminar location. A list of hotels would be made available upon subscription.
‘Value Implementation I’ seminar
19-22 May 2010 (Gent)
In the current era of doing more with less, purchasing is clearly making headway, becoming a respected process of strategic importance. As a result, B2B marketers are increasingly being confronted with highly educated, well-organized purchasers when marketing their offerings.
This seminar provides us with a deeper understanding of the role and importance of purchasing and supply management in today’s B2B markets, and how to implement value into your market offerings and marketing channels. We will do this by first discussing the fundamentals of customer value management and making the distinction between different customer purchasing orientations (and how to deal with them!).
Then we focus on constructing flexible market offerings designing value-adding marketing channels, branding and communicating the market and channel offering(s). Throughout this seminar we will also search for opportunities to identify and properly implement e-business initiatives.
At the end of the seminar participants have to be able to draw up their tactical marketing plan -part I- including their value proposition towards targeted customers, the specification of their market offering, and their channel positioning offering. This work is completed by stating the communication and branding issues to deal with. Feedback and coaching on your tactical marketing plan -part I- will be provided by prof dr Steve Muylle.
‘Value Implementation II’ seminar
8-11 September 2010 (Leuven)
During this seminar we will complement your strategic and tactical marketing knowledge with vital elements that are needed to develop in a balanced and workable tactical marketing plan.
Gary Hamel, a noted expert on strategy, asserts: “In every industry, there is a ratio that relates price to performance: X units of cash buys Y units of value. The challenge is to improve the ratio and do so radically…” It is of upmost importance to dedicate teaching sessions and workshops to pricing, the only one of Mcarthy’s traditional 4Ps that puts money in the bank. During the seminar we overview traditional pricing approaches and stress the importance of value-based pricing which will be illustrated through frameworks and examples. Next to value-based pricing we investigate the implementation of pricing strategies and how we can price vis-à-vis competition.
During the 2nd Value implementation seminar we will also discuss in depth the service component of your market offering by focusing on service quality and solution selling. We will look further into creating growth with new services.
The last key-issue of this seminar will be the attention towards Customer Relationship Management (CRM) and how to use Business Intelligence to create value for customers. Together with CRM we will focus on the sales and buying process with Decision Making Units (DMUs) and sales management. Within sales management we will draw upon issues such as organization structure, sales force size, motivation and performance management.
At the end of the seminar participants have to be able to draw up their tactical marketing plan -part II- including six key features: a blueprint of your service offering, a clear picture of your customer activity chain, a listing of market research opportunities to solve problems at hand, an identification of sales force requirements to meet objectives, a list of Business Intelligence opportunities to create customer value, and a value-based pricing strategy to capture this customer value. Feedback and coaching on your tactical marketing plan -part II- will be given by prof dr Deva Rangarajan.
‘Marketing Imagination’ seminar
dates available as of beginning of 2010
This seminar about marketing imagination develops skills and competencies needed to perform marketing activities in a creative and differentiating manner. This study tour at Bocconi Management School in Milan with different Bocconi faculty members and guest speakers will guide you through different points of attention with high impact on your business performance and creativity level.
In a first step we discuss the eternal dilemma: adapt to the actual market or create new markets? We take an experimental approach to marketing in which we envision the future and learn from the past. The next step is to leverage on unexpected market events to build breakthrough innovation, and to redefine market borders through creative market segmentation by building on new market cognitive schemes.
The second step is to generate and develop new ideas by learning from competitors, suppliers, and customers, and by using individual and group creativity techniques. Creativity templates can be used to generate new product/business concepts by analyzing product trends. All these ideas also need to be transformed into product concepts which will be done by developing your customer insight management skills.
Contact
For more information, contact:
Katrien Schelstraete
Tel.: + 32 9 210 98 61
katrien.schelstraete@vlerick.com