Why Should I Study Marketing Management?
There are many different reasons why studying Marketing Management courses are a good idea. One of the biggest reasons why it is a good idea is because marketing is a very broad field. The skills you learn in a marketing management course can be used in other areas of marketing as well.
Another great reason to study any marketing course is the fact that there will always be work. Since there are always new products and things that need to be advertised, there will always be a need for marketing staff.
Where can I Study Marketing Management Courses?
There are many Marketing Management Courses available from different institutions. You can study various marketing courses at a university, for example. However, there are many other colleges offering courses, ranging from short courses to diplomas, that you can study too.
Another option is to study a course through a distance learning college like Skills Academy. They have many different kinds of courses on offer. Among the courses that they have on offer are, of course, Marketing Management courses.
Skills Academy’s Marketing Management Courses
Skills Academy offers students two options when it comes to studying Marketing Management courses. They offer three short courses in Marketing Management and National Diploma courses.
National Diploma Courses
The National Diploma courses are nationally recognised qualifications that are accredited by the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET), and the Quality Council for Trades and Occupations (QCTO). The three courses that are on offer are the:
- N4 Marketing Management Certificate
- N5 Marketing Management Certificate
- N6 Marketing Management Certificate
Apart from the three certificate courses, you will also need to get 18 months of practical experience. This can be done after you study or while you study. The DHET has created the iWIL portal online to help students to find internships.
Once you have completed all three Marketing Management courses and the required 18 months of practical experience you will receive your National Diploma in Marketing Management.
Short Courses
Skills Academy also has its own courses in Marketing Management. They have three short courses available. These in-house courses are designed to give you the best possible skills in the shortest amount of time. The three courses are:
- Short Course Certificate in Marketing Management
- Proficiency Certificate in Marketing Management
- Comprehensive Certificate in Marketing Management.
These courses are four-, eight-, and twelve months long respectively.
These are non-accredited provider programmes. This doesn’t mean that they are without value, however. The courses are perfect for someone who wants a high level of skill in a short time or for people who want to explore this field. These courses are also great for people who just want to refresh or update their skills.
Why is Distance Learning a Good Choice?
Distance Learning is becoming more and more popular as it has many advantages. One of the biggest advantages of Distance Learning is the fact that you get to schedule your own studies. Unlike traditional classroom learning, there are no classes to attend. This means that you can study whenever it suits you from wherever you want. This makes it perfect for people who are already working full-time or people who have other responsibilities such as a family.
Another great advantage of Distance Learning is that it is a cheaper alternative to traditional studies. This is because there are none of the costs that universities have. The cost of further education is one of the biggest obstacles most students face in South Africa today. The lower cost of distance learning means that further education is more accessible to everyone in South Africa.
There are more and more Distance Learning colleges, like Skills Academy, popping up due to the many advantages of this method of studying.
What Makes Skills Academy Different?
Skills Academy has found ways to make Distance Learning even more accessible and cost-effective than other Distance Learning colleges.
Monthly Payment
The first way in which they do this is how their payment system works. Like other colleges, you can pay your fees in one lump sum when you register. However, this amount can still be very expensive for most people. This is why Skills Academy allows its students to pay their fees monthly. By breaking the costs down into smaller more affordable monthly payments it becomes even easier for students to study.
Finish Faster and pay Less
The fact that fees can be paid monthly also forms part of one of Skills Academy’s greatest innovations. Studying in your own time means that if you work hard enough you could finish all your course work before the length of the course listed. For example, if you work hard enough you could finish an eight-month course in six months. At Skills Academy, if you finish your studies faster it means that you also finish paying sooner. You can save up to 50% of your study fees this way.
Payment Made Easy
Skills Academy has also made payments easier. Apart from the usual payment methods Skills Academy also uses the EasyPay system. This lets you pay your fees online on the EasyPay website or at certain shops throughout South Africa. With EasyPay you can pay your fees at the following places:
- Pick ‘n Pay Supermarkets
- Pick ‘n Pay Hypermarkets,
- Shoprite,
- Pick ‘n Pay Family Stores
- Selected Pick ‘n Pay Mini Markets nationwide
- Checkers and Checkers Hyper stores nationwide
- Lewis Stores
- Lifestyle Living
- Best Electric
If you live in the Western Cape you can also pay at:
- Foodworld stores
- Saveworld stores
- Elite Cash ‘n Carry
- Selected Score stores
- Selected Spar outlets
- Best Electric stores
- Selected Boxer Superstores
- Lifestyle Living outlets
If you live in or near Bellville in the Western Cape you can also pay your fees at the 24-hour M-KEM Pharmacy in Durban Road.
Take a Break
Apart from being cheaper and making payment much easier, Skills Academy also helps its students in other ways. Life sometimes gets in the way of our plans. This is why Skills Academy also allows students to put their studies on hold for up to two months. During the time that your studies are on hold, you also don’t need to pay.
You are not Alone
Distance Learning can, however, make you feel very isolated because you don’t get to talk to fellow students. This is why all students who study with Skills Academy also get access to the Together We Pass platform. This means that you can talk to fellow students, get access to study help and study materials, can get in touch with your lecturers, become part of an online study group, and more.
Skills Academy also has WhatsApp groups for various subjects. In these groups, students can communicate and ask questions. Every week, one of their lecturers are live on the groups and answer all the questions in the group and can interact directly with the students.
Not Satisfied?
Skills Academy is so confident in its programmes and service that they even offer a 30-day Money Back Guarantee. If you are not completely happy with their service or products, you can cancel your studies within the first 30 days and receive a full refund, no questions asked.
These innovations and services set Skills Academy apart from other Distance Learning colleges out there.
Why is Marketing Management Important?
So you know why you should study Marketing Management courses and where to study them, but is Marketing Management really that important? With the demand for products and the increase in competitors, Marketing Management has become more important than ever. Marketing Management is about taking the company’s vision, mission, and objectives and using them to create effective marketing strategies and plans. To put it simply, the Marketing Manager looks at the company’s needs and creates the best possible marketing plans.
The main functions of Marketing Management are:
- understanding the needs of your customers,
- working to improve your product and/or services,
- exploring and improving ways to reach potential customers,
- providing the right tools and doing so at the right time,
- helping the company to save time and money by managing resources, and
- boosting sales.
What are the Responsibilities of a Marketing Manager?
A Marketing Manager is responsible for a lot of different things. This includes:
- creating materials to advertise the company,
- managing the budget for each marketing campaign,
- looking for and exploring new marketing opportunities,
- building good relationships with the media,
- managing all social media strategies and advertising,
- analysing the success of marketing campaigns,
- improving any marketing campaigns that are not working well,
- managing marketing employees,
- dealing with customer service problems,
- coming up with new ideas to advertise new products,
- analyzing the feedback from customers on social media,
- analyzing the money received from advertising, and
- reporting on marketing matters to upper management.
Marketing Managers have many more responsibilities as well. This is why it is such a high pressure, well-paid job, however. Find out more here
Duties of a Marketing Manager
The duties of the Marketing Manager are very varied. This is because of all the things that they have to achieve as mentioned earlier. Their main duties are brand development, competitive intelligence, and public relations. The responsibilities of a Marketing Manager can be grouped together and fall under the aforementioned duties.
Brand Development
The most important thing for any company is the fact that people need to know who they are. If people do not know about a company it won’t matter how great their products or services are. A company cannot function without customers. This is where brand development comes in. Brand development means developing things like the company’s logo, advertisements, and social media visibility.
To develop your brand it is important to identify who your target market is. Once you know who your target market is, you need to do some research. You need to understand your potential and existing clients. Only once you understand your target market can you start to develop things like your website and advertising plans to receive the best results.
Competitive Intelligence
One of the most important things for any company is understanding what their competitors are doing, what is working for them, and how to adapt and change to keep their competitive edge. Companies need to make sure that they know what the latest trends in society and their field are. This information can help a company to come up with better services or products, as well as marketing campaigns, to set them apart from their competitors.
Public Relations
A Marketing Manager is usually also the person who talks to the public on behalf of the company. Whether they are dealing with the media or with customers, the Marketing Manager is the public face of the company.
The Marketing Manager needs to make sure that all the company’s dealings with the public create a good relationship. If a company has a bad image or doesn’t have a good relationship with the public it will fail.
Is Marketing Management a Good Career?
As businesses and the demand for new and better products and services grows, so does the need and demand for Marketing Management. Marketing Managers also have the potential for excellent career growth and promotion.
Another thing that makes this a good career is the fact that Marketing Managers are also very well paid. At the time of writing this article, the average annual salary for a Marketing Manager is R470 000. The earning potential of marketing staff is much higher than most people realise.
So as you can see, Marketing Management is a growing field that has excellent employment opportunities and salary potential. It is a job that is sure to challenge and excite you.
Interested in Studying Marketing Management Courses?
If this sounds like the career for you, call Skills Academy today. You can call them toll-free on 0800 39 00 27 to speak to one of their consultants. They will be able to give you any information you need as well as help you register for one of their Marketing Management courses. You can also go to the Skills Academy website and fill in the form and one of their consultants will call you back.
Written by: Clifford Ekron
Last Updated: 18 July, 2019