Marketing Fundamentals

Marketing Fundamentals is the Breni path for the principles behind all marketing: customers, research, positioning, the marketing mix and brand. Its 8 courses cover what marketing is, consumer behaviour, market research, segmentation and positioning, the marketing mix, branding, customer loyalty and writing a marketing plan. Learners finish able to segment a market, write a positioning statement and produce a one-page plan. Search and social channels belong to the Digital Marketing path. Customers are studied before strategy, and every course unlocks after the one before.

  • 8 courses
  • 15 learning objectives
  • Level: beginner
  • Language: English
  • Price: Subscription, free trial

What you will be able to do

  • Describe the buying decision process for a real product
  • Run a short customer survey and turn the answers into insights
  • Segment a market and write a positioning statement
  • Set the product, price, place and promotion for a new product
  • Draw a perceptual map comparing competing brands
  • Write a one-page marketing plan with objectives and a budget

Full curriculum

Part 1 · Understanding customers

1. What Marketing Is: Creating Value for Customers

Explain what marketing does and how it creates value. Units, in order: Marketing beyond advertising; Needs, wants and demand; The marketing concept; B2B and B2C marketing; Marketing ethics.

  • — Marketing Beyond Advertising
    Understand that marketing includes product design, pricing, and distribution, not just promotion.
    • More Than Ads
    • The Marketing Mix
    • Creating Value
  • — Needs, Wants, and Demand
    Learn the psychological and economic differences between human needs, wants, and purchasing power.
    • Human Needs
    • Shaping Wants
    • Market Demand
  • — The Marketing Concept
    Shift focus from selling what you make to making what customers actually want.
    • Production vs Market
    • Customer Focus
    • Delivering Satisfaction
  • — B2B and B2C Marketing
    Compare how marketing strategies differ between individual consumers and business buyers.
    • B2C Basics
    • B2B Basics
    • Key Differences
  • — Marketing Ethics
    Explore the ethical responsibilities of marketers toward consumers and society.
    • Honesty in Ads
    • Data Privacy
    • Social Responsibility

2. Consumer Behaviour

Explain why people buy and how they choose. Units, in order: The buying decision process; Motivation and perception; Social influences on buying; Habits and loyalty; Biases in buying decisions; How online reviews shape choices.

3. Market Research

Gather and use evidence about customers and markets. Units, in order: Primary and secondary research; Surveys and interviews; Focus groups; Estimating market size; Turning research into insights; Writing a survey that avoids bias.

Part 2 · Strategy

4. Segmentation, Targeting and Positioning

Choose which customers to serve and how to stand out to them. Units, in order: Ways to segment a market; Choosing target segments; Positioning statements; Perceptual maps; Differentiation.

5. The Marketing Mix

Set product, price, place and promotion so they work together. Units, in order: Product decisions and the product life cycle; Pricing strategies; Distribution channels; The promotion mix; The extended mix for services.

Part 3 · Brand and plan

6. Branding

Build a brand people recognise and trust. Units, in order: What a brand is; Brand identity and voice; Brand equity; Brand architecture; When and how to rebrand.

7. Customer Experience and Loyalty

Keep customers coming back by managing their whole experience. Units, in order: The customer journey; Customer satisfaction and NPS; Loyalty programmes; Handling complaints; Customer lifetime value.

8. Writing a Marketing Plan

Bring research and strategy together into a marketing plan. Units, in order: Situation analysis; Marketing objectives; Choosing channels; Setting a marketing budget; Measuring marketing results; A plan for a small business, worked through.

Sample: What Marketing Is: Creating Value for Customers

The opening tier, (Marketing Beyond Advertising). Understand that marketing includes product design, pricing, and distribution, not just promotion.

More Than Ads

Explain why marketing involves much more than just advertising and selling.

The Marketing Mix

Identify the core elements of product, price, place, and promotion.

Creating Value

Describe how businesses create real value for target customers.

Questions about Marketing Fundamentals

What are the basics of marketing?

The basics are understanding customers, choosing who to target, positioning against competitors and setting product, price, place and promotion. Marketing Fundamentals on Breni teaches them in that order.

What are the 4 Ps of marketing?

Product, price, place and promotion. The fifth course covers each one, plus the three extra Ps used for services.

What is the difference between marketing and digital marketing?

Marketing covers the whole strategy, from research to branding. Digital marketing is the set of online channels used to carry it out, which a separate path covers.

Can I learn marketing with no experience?

Yes. The first course starts with what marketing is and why it is more than advertising.

Do I get a certificate in marketing?

Finishing all 8 courses earns a Breni certificate of completion. It is not a degree.

Related learning paths

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