“Marketing attempts to understand the needs of the client and to adapt operations in order to meet those needs and achieve greater sustainability. It addresses the issues of new product development, pricing, the location of operations and the promotion of the institution and its products. Marketing is a comprehensive field aimed at strengthening the institution by maintaining focus on the client. In doing so, it creates exchanges that satisfy individual and organizational goals.” - Kotler, 1999.

One challenge facing many financial institutions today is how to be and remain relevant to their customers in highly competitive environments in which they operate. From managing brand value to successful product development and customer relationship management the Strategic Marketing course is designed to provide participants with knowledge, skills and practical tools that will help them address these challenges whilst identify and exploit institutional growth opportunities.

To achieve this, the course is divided into three major parts namely: Corporate Brand Strategy, Product Strategy, Product Delivery and Customer Service Strategy. These are based on information generated from four sources:
• Competitor Analysis
• Market Analysis
• Customer Analysis
• Political, Economic, Social and Technological (PEST) Environment Analysis complemented with some ad hoc analysis on an as needed basis

Building on a comprehensive review of the marketing efforts of its Action Research Partners, TMS Financial and MicroSave developed a Strategic Marketing Framework for use in the microfinance industry that forms the foundation for this course.

Download Course Summary Register for SAM 2012 Go back to course listings