Accelerated Marketing - Level 4 2CR

Program-of-Study Exam: Badge holder demonstrated an understanding of skills and knowledge needed by all marketing professionals, as well as more specialized skills and knowledge needed by sales professionals. Skills and concepts assessed focus on business law, communication skills, channel management, customer relations, economics, emotional intelligence, financial analysis, human-resources management, information management, marketing-information management, marketing, market planning, operations, professional development, pricing, product/service management, promotion, selling, and strategic management.

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Business Law (BL)

Standard: Understands business's responsibility to know, abide by, and enforce laws and regulations that affect business operations and transactions

Performance Indicators:
Explain types of business ownership (BL:003, BL LAP 1) (CS)

Channel Management (CM)

Standard: Understands the concepts and processes needed to identify, select, monitor, and evaluate sales channels

Performance Indicators:
Explain the nature and scope of channel management (CM:001, CM LAP 2) (CS)
Explain the relationship between customer service and channel management (CM:002) (CS)
Explain the nature of channels of distribution (CM:003, CM LAP 1) (CS)
Describe the use of technology in the channel management function (CM:004) (CS)
Explain legal considerations in channel management (CM:005) (SP)
Describe ethical considerations in channel management (CM:006) (SP)
Coordinate channel management with other marketing activities (CM:007) (SP)
Explain the nature of channel-member relationships (CM:008) (SP)

Customer Relations (CR)

Standard: Understands the techniques and strategies used to foster positive, ongoing relationships with customers

Performance Indicators:
Explain the nature of positive customer relations (CR:003, CR LAP 1) (CS)
Demonstrate a customer-service mindset (CR:004) (CS)
Reinforce service orientation through communication (CR:005) (CS)
Respond to customer inquiries (CR:006) (CS)
Adapt communication to the cultural and social differences among clients (CR:019) (CS)
Interpret business policies to customers/clients (CR:007) (CS)
Handle difficult customers (CR:009, CR LAP 3) (CS)
Handle customer/client complaints (CR:010)
Identify company’s brand promise (CR:001) (CS)
Determine ways of reinforcing the company’s image through employee performance (CR:002) (CS)

Economics (EC)

Standard: Understands the economic principles and concepts fundamental to business operations

Performance Indicators:
Distinguish between economic goods and services (EC:002, EC LAP 10) (CS)
Explain the concept of economic resources (EC:003, EC LAP 14) (CS)
Describe the concepts of economics and economic activities (EC:001, EC LAP 6) (CS)
Determine economic utilities created by business and marketing activities (EC:004, EC LAP 13) (CS)
Explain the principles of supply and demand (EC:005, EC LAP 11) (CS)
Describe the functions of prices in markets (EC:006, EC LAP 12) (CS)
Explain the types of economic systems (EC:007, EC LAP 17) (CS)
Explain the concept of private enterprise (EC:009, EC LAP 15) (CS)
Identify factors affecting a business’s profit (EC:010, EC LAP 2) (CS)
Determine factors affecting business risk (EC:011, EC LAP 3) (CS)
Explain the concept of competition (EC:012, EC LAP 8) (CS)
Explain the role of business in society (EC:070, EC LAP 20) (CS)
Describe types of business activities (EC:071, EC LAP 19) (CS)
Explain the organizational design of businesses (EC:103, EC LAP 23) (SP)
Discuss the global environment in which businesses operate (EC:104, EC LAP 22) (SP)
Describe factors that affect the business environment (EC:105, EC LAP 26) (SP)
Explain the nature of business ethics (EC:106, EC LAP 21) (SP)
Explain how organizations adapt to today’s markets (EC:107, EC LAP 25) (SP)
Determine the relationship between government and business (EC:008, EC LAP 16) (CS)
Describe the nature of taxes (EC:072) (SP)
Explain the concept of productivity (EC:013, EC LAP 18) (CS)
Analyze impact of specialization/division of labor on productivity (EC:014, EC LAP 7) (SP)
Explain the concept of organized labor and business (EC:015, EC LAP 5) (SP)
Explain the impact of the law of diminishing returns (EC:023) (SP)
Explain the nature of global trade (EC:016, EC LAP 4) (SP)

Financial Analysis (FI)

Standard: Understands tools, strategies, and systems used to maintain, monitor, control, and plan the use of financial resources

Performance Indicators:
Describe the need for financial information (FI:579) (CS)
Explain the concept of accounting (FI:085, FI LAP 5) (CS)
Explain the role of finance in business (FI:354, FI LAP 7) (CS)

Human Resources Management (HR)

Standard: Understands the tools, techniques, and systems that businesses use to plan, staff, lead, and organize its human resources

Performance Indicators:
Discuss the nature of human resources management (HR:410, HR LAP 35) (CS)

Information Management (NF)

Standard: Understands tools, strategies, and systems needed to access, process, maintain, evaluate, and disseminate information to assist business decision-making

Performance Indicators:
Discuss the nature of information management (NF:110, NF LAP 3) (CS)

Market Planning (MP)

Standard: Understands the concepts and strategies utilized to determine and target marketing strategies to a select audience

Performance Indicators:
Explain the concept of marketing strategies (MP:001, MP LAP 2) (CS)
Explain the concept of market and market identification (MP:003, MP LAP 3) (CS)
Explain the nature of marketing plans (MP:007, MP LAP 1) (SP)
Explain the role of situation analysis in the marketing planning process (MP:008) (SP)
Explain the nature of sales forecasts (MP:013) (SP)

Marketing (MK)

Standard: Understands the tools, techniques, and systems that businesses use to create exchanges and satisfy organizational objectives

Performance Indicators:
Explain marketing and its importance in a global economy (MK:001, MK LAP 4) (CS)
Describe marketing functions and related activities (MK:002, MK LAP 1) (CS)
Explain factors that influence customer/client/business buying behavior (MK:014, MK LAP 6) (SP)
Demonstrate connections between company actions and results (e.g., influencing consumer buying behavior, gaining market share, etc.) (MK:019, MK LAP 3) (SP)

Marketing-Information Management (NF)

Standard: Understands tools, strategies, and systems needed to access, process, maintain, evaluate, and disseminate information to assist business decision-making

Performance Indicators:
Describe the need for marketing data (IM:012, IM LAP 12) (CS)
Identify data monitored for marketing decision making (IM:184, IM LAP 11) (SP)
Explain the nature and scope of the marketing information management function (IM:001, IM LAP 2) (SP)
Explain the nature of marketing research (IM:010, IM LAP 5) (SP)
Explain the legal and ethical considerations in marketing-information management (SP) Combined (IM:025) and (IM:419)
Describe the use of technology in the marketing-information management function (IM:183) (SP)
Discuss the nature of marketing research problems/issues (IM:282, IM LAP 13) (SP)
Describe methods used to design marketing research studies (i.e., descriptive, exploratory, and causal) (IM:284, IM LAP 14) (SP)
Describe options businesses use to obtain marketing-research data (i.e., primary and secondary research) (IM:281, IM LAP 15) (SP)
Discuss the nature of sampling plans (i.e., who, how many, how chosen) (IM:285) (SP)
Describe data-collection methods (e.g., observations, mail, telephone, Internet, discussion groups, interviews, scanners) (IM:289) (SP)
Explain characteristics of effective data-collection instruments (IM:418) (SP)

Operations (OP)

Standard: Understands the processes and systems implemented to monitor, plan, and control the day-to-day activities required for continued business functioning

Performance Indicators:
Explain the nature of operations (OP:189, OP LAP 3) (CS)
Explain the nature and scope of purchasing (OP:015, OP LAP 2) (CS)
Explain the concept of production (OP:017,OP LAP 4) (CS)

Pricing (PI)

Standard: Understands concepts and strategies utilized in determining and adjusting prices to maximize return and meet customers' perceptions of value

Performance Indicators:
Explain the nature and scope of the pricing function (PI:001, PI LAP 2) (SP)
Explain the use of technology in the pricing function (PI:016) (SP)
Explain legal and ethical considerations for pricing (SP) Combined (PI:105) and (PI:017)
Explain factors affecting pricing decisions (PI:002, PI LAP 3) (SP)

Product/Service Management (PM)

Standard: Understands the concepts and processes needed to obtain, develop, maintain, and improve a product or service mix in response to market opportunities

Performance Indicators:
Explain the nature and scope of the product/service management function (PM:001, PM LAP 17) (SP)
Describe the uses of grades and standards in marketing (PM:019, PM LAP 8) (CS)
Explain warranties and guarantees (PM:020, PM LAP 4) (CS)
Identify the impact of product life cycles on marketing decisions (PM:024) (SP)
Describe the use of technology in the product/service management function (PM:039) (SP)
Explain business ethics in product/service management (PM:040) (SP)
Identify methods/techniques to generate a product idea (PM:127, PM LAP 11) (SP)
Generate product ideas (PM:128) (SP)
Identify consumer protection provisions of appropriate agencies (PM:017) (SP)
Explain the concept of product mix (PM:003, PM LAP 3) (SP)
Describe the nature of product bundling (PM:041) (SP)
Describe factors used by marketers to position products/services (PM:042) (SP)
Explain the nature of product/service branding (PM:021, PM LAP 6) (SP)
Explain the nature of corporate branding (PM:206) (SP)
Describe factors used by businesses to position corporate brands (PM:207) (SP)

Professional Development (PD)

Standard: Understands concepts, tools, and strategies used to explore, obtain, and develop in a business career

Performance Indicators:
Utilize job-search strategies (PD:026) (PQ)
Complete a job application (PD:027) (PQ)
Interview for a job (PD:028) (PQ)
Write a follow-up letter after job interviews (PD:029) (CS)
Write a letter of application (PD:030) (CS)
Prepare a résumé (PD:031) (CS)
Explain employment opportunities in marketing (PD:024) (CS)

Promotion (PR)

Standard: Understands the concepts and strategies needed to communicate information about products, services, images, and/or ideas to achieve a desired outcome

Performance Indicators:
Explain the role of promotion as a marketing function (PR:001, PR LAP 2) (CS)
Explain the types of promotion (PR:002, PR LAP 4) (CS)
Identify the elements of the promotional mix (PR:003, PR LAP 1) (SP)
Describe legal and ethical issues in promotion (SP) Combined (PR:099) and (PR:101)
Describe the use of technology in the promotion function (PR:100) (SP)
Explain types of advertising media (PR:007, PR LAP 3) (SP)
Describe word of mouth channels used to communicate with targeted audiences (PR:247) (SP)
Explain the nature of direct marketing channels (PR:089) (SP)
Identify communications channels used in sales promotion (PR:249) (SP)
Explain communications channels used in public-relations activities (PR:250) (SP)
Explain the components of advertisements (PR:014) (SP)
Explain the importance of coordinating elements in advertisements (PR:251) (SP)
Identify types of public-relations activities (PR:252) (SP)
Discuss internal and external audiences for public-relations activities (PR:253) (SP)
Explain how businesses can use trade-show/exposition participation to communicate with targeted audiences (PR:254) (SP)
Explain considerations used to evaluate whether to participate in trade shows/expositions (PR:255) (SP)
Explain the nature of a promotional plan (PR:073) (SP)
Coordinate activities in the promotional mix (PR:076) (SP)

Selling (SE)

Standard: Understands the concepts and actions needed to determine client needs and wants and respond through planned, personalized communication that influences purchase decisions and enhances future business opportunities

Performance Indicators:
Explain the nature and scope of the selling function (SE:017, SE LAP 117) (CS)
Explain the role of customer service as a component of selling relationships (SE:076, SE LAP 130) (CS)
Explain company selling policies (SE:932) (CS)
Acquire product information for use in selling (SE:062) (CS)
Explain the selling process (SE:048, SE LAP 126) (CS)
Establish relationship with client/customer (SE:110) (CS)
Determine customer/client needs (SE:111) (CS)
Recommend specific product (SE:114, SE LAP 111) (CS)
Explain key factors in building a clientele (SE:828, SE LAP 115) (SP)
Explain legal and ethical considerations in selling (SE LAP 129) (SP) Combined (SE:106) and (SE:108)
Describe the use of technology in the selling function (SE:107) (SP)
Explain the impact of sales cycles (SE:380) (SP)
Analyze product information to identify product features and benefits (SE:109, SE LAP 113) (SP)
Differentiate between consumer and organizational buying behavior (SE:112) (SP)
Identify emerging trends for use in selling (SE:404) (SP)
Discuss motivational theories that impact buying behavior (SE:359) (SP)
Prospect for customers (SE:001) (SP)
Qualify customers/clients (SE:400) (SP)
Conduct pre-visit research (e.g., customer’s markets/products, customer’s competitors, and competitors’ offerings) (SE:369) (SP)
Book appointments with prospective clients (SE:366) (SP)
Prepare sales presentation (SE:067) (SP)
Create a presentation software package to support sales presentation (SE:119) (SP)
Address needs of individual personalities (SE:810, SE LAP 112) (SP)
Determine customer’s buying motives for use in selling (SE:883, SE LAP 109) (SP)
Facilitate customer/client buying decisions (SE:811, SE LAP 108) (SP)
Assess customer/client needs (SE:113) (SP)
Demonstrate product (SE:893, SE LAP 103) (SP)
Prescribe solution to customer/client needs (SE:115) (SP)
Convert customer/client objections into selling points (SE:874, SE LAP 100) (SP)
Close the sale (SE:895, SE LAP 107) (SP)
Demonstrate suggestion selling (SE:875, SE LAP 110) (SP)
Negotiate sales terms (SE:392) (SP)
Maintain sales standards (SE:387) (SP)
Sell good/service/idea to individuals (SE:046) (SP)
Sell good/service/idea to groups (SE:073) (SP)
Calculate miscellaneous charges (SE:116) (CS)
Process special orders (SE:009) (CS)
Process telephone orders (SE:835) (CS)
Process sales documentation (SE:117) (SP)

Strategic Management (SM)

Standard: Understands tools, techniques, and systems that affect a business's ability to plan, control, and organize an organization/department

Performance Indicators:
Explain the concept of management (SM:001, SM LAP 3) (CS)