Marketing in 4 dimensions

Transform your marketing

Based on the proven 4D framework, this comprehensive marketing strategy series provides managers with the knowledge, skills and tools they need to create and execute effective marketing strategies based on data and critical decisions made at the right time.

The series is built on more than 20 years of hands-on experience marketing in mid-sized companies, public institutions, and startups. It is a summary of all the essentials that need to be known, or sometimes deliberately not known, before management embarks on strategic decisions, creative and communications.

During the modules and sessions, participants also create individual chapters of their own marketing strategies, share their experiences with other participants, find solutions to common problems, and find ways to overcome common biases. They leave with actionable knowledge, their own strategy document and new relationships.

Dimension 1: DATA

What needs to be known

Values and customer experience

• Introduction (10 minutes)
• Understanding customer values: a short lecture on the importance of customer values in marketing, what customer values are and how to identify them (20 min).
• Exercise: participants state what they think their customers' values are, followed by a group discussion (30 min).
• Introduction to customer experience: lecture on how customer experience influences brand perception and strategy (20 min)
• Case study discussion: An exploration of a company that achieved outstanding results in creating a memorable customer experience (30 min)
• Q&A and summary (10 min)
• The lesson builds the content of the chapter "Customer Profile Analysis".

Market Trends

• Introduction (10 minutes)
• A presentation on market trends: How they affect marketing strategies and tools to identify them (20 min)
• Exercise: Participants will research and present current market trends in their industry (30 min)
• Group Discussion: How these trends could affect their marketing strategies (30 min)
• Case study discussion: Successful marketing strategies shaped by market trends (30 min)
• Q&A and summary (10 min)
• The lesson builds the content of the chapter "Market Trends Report".

Our own values, position and vision

• Introduction (10 minutes)
• The importance of corporate values, position and vision in marketing (20 min)
• Exercise: Participants reflect on their company's values, position and vision (20 minutes).
• How these elements shape a company's marketing strategy (30 min)
• Role-play exercise: Formulate a marketing strategy based on the content of the company's values, position and vision (30 min)
• Q&A and summary (10 min)
• The lesson forms the content of the chapter "Company Self-Assessment".
  
  

Our innovation

• Introduction (10 minutes)
• The role of innovation in marketing, how to foster innovative ideas (20 min)
• Brainstorming exercise - participants come up with innovative ideas for their company's marketing strategies (30 min)
• Presentation and feedback: participants present their ideas and receive feedback from the group (40 min).
• Discussion of the case study: Evaluate a successful marketing strategy that was based on an innovative idea (20 min)
• Q&A and summary (10 min)
• The lesson builds the content of the chapter "Innovation Plan / Innovation Overview"

Dimension 2: DEFINITION

What needs to be decided

Strategic alignment

• Introduction (10 minutes)
• Lecture: definition of strategic alignment in a company, its importance in the marketing context and key principles (20 min)
• Exercise: Participants will evaluate their company's current strategic alignment and identify potential gaps (30 min).
• Group discussion.
• Role-play exercise: Participants will simulate a scenario in which they have to convince different departments to align with a marketing strategy (30 min.)
• Q&A and summary (10 min)
• The lesson forms the content of the chapter "Strategic Alignment Plan".

Market position and business model

• Introduction (10 minutes)
• Understanding market position, business models and their impact on marketing strategy (20 min)
• Exercise: Participants evaluate their company's current market position and business model and discuss the advantages and disadvantages (30 min).
• Group discussion: Can their current business model survive changing market trends? (30 min)
• Case study discussion: A company that has successfully changed its business model and market position (30 min)
• Q&A and summary (10 min)
• The lesson builds the content of the chapter "Market Position and Business Model Analysis".

Brand/product/employer definition

• Introduction (10 minutes)
• Examining the definitions of brand, product and employer brand and their relevance to marketing strategy (20 min)
• Exercise: Participants analyze their company's current brand and product definitions, identifying strengths and weaknesses (30 min).
• Group Discussion: Reflection and decision-making on brand or product change or development (30 min)
• Case study discussion: A company that has successfully undergone a rebranding or product change (30 min)
• Q&A and summary (10 min)
• The lesson builds the content of the chapter "Brand/Product/Employer Brand Evaluation".

Campaign mission/objectives

• Introduction (10 minutes)
• Lecture: The importance of defining a clear campaign mission and objectives for successful marketing strategies (20 min)
• Exercise: Participants will create a model campaign mission statement and set objectives based on the content of their company's current situation (30 min).
• Group Feedback: Participants will share their mock campaigns and the group will provide constructive feedback (40 min).
• Case study discussion: A marketing campaign with a well-defined mission and goals that led to success (20 min)
• Q&A and summary (10 min)
• The lesson builds the content of the chapter "Campaign Objectives and Targets".

Dimension 3: DESIGN

What needs to be designed

Creative communication plan and timeline

• Introduction (10 minutes)
• Lecture: the meaning and components of a communication plan and timeline (20 min)
• Exercise: Participants create a model communication plan and timeline for a hypothetical marketing campaign (30 min.)
• Group feedback: Sharing and critiquing plans (30 min)
• Case Study Discussion: Successful marketing campaigns that relied on a solid communication plan and timeline (30 min)
• Q&A and summary (10 min)
• The lesson builds the content of the chapter "Communications Plan and Timeline".

Content

• Introduction (10 minutes)
• The role of content in marketing, types of content and best practices (20 min)
• Exercise: (30 minutes)
• Group Discussion: Sharing and critiquing content ideas (30 minutes)
• Case Study Discussion: Sotrytelling - The Greatest Brand Stories and Why We Remember Them (30 min)
• Q&A and summary (10 min)
• The lesson builds the content of the chapter "Content Strategy".
  
  

Design

• Introduction (10 minutes)
• Lecture: the importance of design in marketing, design principles and trends (20 min)
• Exercise: Participants critique the design elements of their current marketing materials (30 min)
• Group Discussion: Sharing and discussing design improvements (30 min)
• Case Study Discussion: Marketing campaigns with exceptional design (30 min)
• Q&A and summary (10 min)
• The lesson builds the content of the chapter "Design Guidelines / Design Principles".
  
  

Application

• Introduction (10 minutes)
• Lecture: the role of visuals, websites and other communication tools in marketing with a focus on design and messaging (20 min)
• Exercise: Participants will evaluate how their company currently uses visual elements, website design, and communication tools (30 min.)
• Group Discussion: Sharing insights and discussing possible improvements (30 min)
• Case study discussion: Brands that make great use of visual elements, websites and communication tools in their marketing (30 min)
• Q&A and summary (10 min)
• The lesson builds the content of the chapter "Visual Elements and Communications Tools Plan".

Dimension 4: Delivery

What needs to be shown and measured

Internal branding, change management

• Introduction (10 minutes)
• Lecture: the role of internal branding and change management in marketing strategies (20 min)
• Exercise: Participants identify potential challenges and solutions for internal branding and change management in their companies (30 min)
• Group Discussion: Sharing insights and discussing possible strategies (30 min)
• Case study discussion: Companies that have successfully managed internal branding and change (30 min)
• Q&A and summary (10 min)
• The lesson builds the content of the chapter "Internal Branding and Change Management Plan".
  
  

Brand building

• Introduction (10 minutes)
• The importance of building a strong brand for customers and strategies for long-term relationships (20 min)
• Exercise: (30 min.)
• Group feedback: Participants share their strategies and receive constructive feedback (30 min).
• Case study discussion: Brands that have successfully built long-term customer relationships (30 min)
• Q&A and summary (10 min)
• The lesson builds the content of the chapter "Brand Building Strategy".
  
  

Activation campaigns

• Introduction (10 minutes)
• Understanding activation campaigns, their role in sales and performance marketing (20 min)
• Exercise: Participants design a mock activation campaign for a product or service (30 min)
• Group feedback: sharing and critiquing model campaigns (30 min)
• Case study discussion: successful activation campaigns in the industry (30 min)
• Q&A and summary (10 min)
• The lesson forms the content of the chapter "Activation Campaign Strategy / Activation Campaign Design".
  
  

Monitoring, evaluation

• Introduction (10 minutes)
• The importance of monitoring and evaluation in marketing, including tools for data analysis, measurement and interpretation (20 min)
• Exercise: Participants will evaluate the performance of a hypothetical marketing campaign on the content of the given data (30 min)
• Group Discussion: Sharing insights and discussing strategies for improvement (30 min)
• Case study discussion: Successful marketing campaigns that used strong monitoring and evaluation strategies (30 min)
• Q&A and summary (10 min)
• The lesson forms the content of the chapter "Monitoring and Evaluation Framework".