The Marketers Forum - UK Marketing Courses CIM, CAM, MRS Qualifications - London and South East England

Having returned to the classroom to teach CIM Diploma and Postgraduate Diploma courses in recent weeks, it has made me realise once again just how relevant and useful CIM assignments can be to real world business. In fact I think CIM are missing a trick here. Let me explain. As part of my preparation for any course I always like to apply the assessment tasks to our own operation.  It helps me fully appreciate the challenges that await our students, but I also find that I learn a great deal myself.  Indeed the assignment briefs often help us rethink some aspect of our operation. As an example the current Managing Marketing assignment (a CIM Diploma level course) challenges students to assess their chosen organisation’s marketing intelligence. The task requires us not only to look at what information we collect, but how we collect, disseminate, analyse and draw insights from it. Although the theory is familiar, revisiting it in different contexts is very illuminating. My group of CIM marketers all work in or near the City of London and represent a diverse range of organisations.  Employers include a Premiership football club, a major charity, a ‘Big Four’ accountancy firm and an…

"It is an undoubted truth that the less one has to do the less time one finds to do it in. One yawns, one procrastinates, one can do it when one will, and therefore, one seldom does it at all; whereas, those who have a great deal of business must buckle to it; and then they always find time enough to do it." The very late (as in dead, not tardy) statesman, Lord Chesterfield made some good points in this quote about time management, after all, when one has a lot to do, one tends to Google or You Tube, or even (and it pains me to admit to this crime, but I know a number of TMF delegates share this addiction, one reads Mail Online). All this procrastination does not get an assignment written and all too many students delay submitting drafts or defer altogether which can mean they forget much of their lessons and guidance and lose motivation. Having studied three levels of CIM qualifications, a Masters and a PGCE through evening classes and distance learning, here are my tips for better time management and hopefully better results! Pay attention to your body clock and work when your…

December is a hectic month for most people but it's even more hectic when you have an exam to sit too.  I'm currently helping some Chartered Institute of Marketing students get ready for their exams and marking their mock exam papers, so here are a few of my top tips to achieving successful exam results! Answer the question that has been set - don't make one up of your own as you don't get any marks for straying away from the question. Watch the clock - look at the marks per question and work out how much time you have to spend on each question and then stick to it.  Don't get too carried away at the start and write very long answers and then don't have time to start the last question. Make it look good - if you are asked for a report, make it look like a report by using bullet points, sub-headings, tables, diagrams and white space.  A report is different to an essay. Attempt every question - even if you haven't a clue what to put in your answer, try to write something as you may get a mark or two for it.  Remember you…

We're changing the format of the modules on our CAM Digital Diploma course to allow those interested in learning more about specialist areas of Digital Marketing to attend. Starting with Web Analytics and Social Media Monitoring in January 2013, we'll be running a short course over 4 Tuesday evenings in a central London location.   The course will explore basic online research principles and examine two themes: web analytics and social media monitoring. Web analytics reviews the effectiveness of company communications and customer interactions on a range of digital marketing platforms including website, social media presences and mobile marketing. Social media monitoring involves using tools to listen to conversations about a brand across digital platforms and taking appropriate action. The course focuses on developing an understanding of KPIs, selecting measurement tools, analysing reports to improve performance and creating tests to improve owned and bought media messages.   This short course is non-assessed and therefore non-accredited, however candidates will receive a Certificate of Attendance from The Marketers' Forum.   Details as follows; Dates: Tuesday 8th Jan, 15th Jan, 22nd Jan, 29th Jan Time: 6.15pm - 9pm Location: London's West End (TBC) Trainer: Mike Barrett (visit Linked In profile here) Price: Non…