Marketing & Sales Qualifications

More and more, employers are looking to recruit people who have practical industry experience combined with qualifications. Having the right qualifications allows you to apply to a wider selection of marketing vacancies, makes you a more valuable asset to your employer and adds variety to your working life.

Although studying will mean sacrificing some of your leisure time, this is a long-term investment in your career and will show potential employers that you are committed to progressing.

Which course to take?
Assessing which course is appropriate for you and when to study is difficult and will depend on your motivations to study. Whether you are just starting your career in a new profession and need a specialist qualification, or you want to broaden your current skills, or even if you want to specialise in another field, outlined is a brief overview of some of the many qualifications that are available and where to go for further information.

Ensure you have the right support
Before signing up to any course, take a moment to consider your current employer and their attitude to your studying. Will they support you financially in your studies? Will they allow you time off? Are you working in an environment conducive to learning where you can experience all areas of the business? 
If you would like some further information on qualifications, our consultants are always available to discuss your career options and which are the best qualifications for you.

CeMAP – Certificate in Mortgage Advice and Practice
CIM - The Chartered Institute of Marketing
FPC – Financial Planning Certificate
AFPC – Advanced Financial Planning Certificate
ISP - The Institute of Sales Promotion
IPR - The Institute of Public Relations
CAM - Communications, Advertising & Marketing Foundation
IDM - The Institute of Direct Marketing
MRS - The Market Research Society

CeMAP – Certificate in Mortgage Advice and Practice
http://www.ifslearning.com/randr/exams.htm

Certificate in Mortgage Advice and Practice (CeMAP)
This qualification is designed for mortgage advisors and practitioners and provides an opportunity to demonstrate knowledge and professionalism to their customers
The Certificate in Mortgage Advice and Practice (CeMAP) is the benchmark qualification for the industry. The course is made up of three modules, all of which must be taken to complete the qualification. Papers one and two are intended to test your knowledge of how to operate as a mortgage adviser, whilst the third tests your ability to apply that understanding.
The exams themselves are made up of multiple choice questions and can be taken remotely on-screen rather than in an examination room with pen and paper, as required.
The breakdown of the syllabus is as follows:

Paper 1 – The financial services environment
- Legislation, regulation, enforcement and compliance.
- Legal, taxation and economic factors.
- Products services and providers.
 
The examination for this paper lasts for two hours and is made up of 100 multiple-choice questions.

Paper 2 – Practice, products and policy.
- Mortgage law, policy, practice and markets.
- Mortgage applications.
- Mortgage payment methods and products.
- Arrears awareness and post-completion matters.

Again, the examination lasts for two hours and consists of 100 multiple-choice questions.

Paper 3 – Giving advice
- Giving advice on the mortgage application process.
- Giving advice on the process from offer of advance to completion.
- Giving advice on post completion matters.




The Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM) www.cim.co.uk

The Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM) is the largest marketing association in the world. In our experience, a qualification with this institute is of great interest to employers and in some senior roles is a strict requirement.
The CIM offers four core qualifications, each targeted at professionals who are at different stages of their career, whether you are just starting out in the industry or you are already an experienced Management or Director. We have also included their e-Marketing course which focuses on the use of New Media in Marketing strategy. 

 
Introductory Certificate in Marketing

The introductory certificate is ideal for those just starting out in Marketing. No previous experience is required and the course introduces you to some of the key concepts in Marketing. The only requirement is that you are over 17 years of age before enrolling.

The Introductory Certificate is intended to teach you:

• The way a range of environmental factors can affect the way an organisation operates.
• Methods of research and gathering information in marketing practice.
• The way in which customers make decisions and factors affecting those choices.
• Identifying target markets and the techniques for addressing them.
• Using technology in marketing applications.
• Applying marketing principles in different organisational contexts.

Ultimately, by the end of the course, you will have learned the following:

• Identifying the way customer behaviour and segmentation affects marketing practice.
• The key differences in marketing applications.
• How to apply your knowledge of marketing tools and best practice.
• A working knowledge of ICT and the application of this knowledge to the marketing environment.

 

Professional Certificate in Marketing

The Professional Certificate in marketing is for those with some previous marketing knowledge, either currently working in a junior role in the industry or those who aspire to a career in marketing. It is of particular use for those working in marketing support.
The Professional Certificate in Marketing is intended to teach you:
 How to understand the role of marketing role in business.
 Using market research in the improvement of customer relations, analysing written, visual and graphic data.
 The differences between different kinds of organisations. Understanding the influences upon and the objectives of the public, private and voluntary sectors.
 The importance of collecting relevant data from the right primary and secondary information sources.
 By the end of the course you will have learned:
 The spectrum of marketing activity at ground level.
 An understanding of best practice.
 A professional marketing qualification.


Professional Diploma in Marketing

This course is aimed at marketers who are looking to implement their knowledge at an operational level and also acts as a progression from the Professional Certificate in Marketing. You will learn to plan and implement marketing solutions to support a company’s business strategy and culture, ensuring a strong customer focus.

The Professional Diploma in Marketing covers:

• Managing the process of acquiring information and the Marketing Information System.
• Identifying and implementing research for marketing and business decisions.
• Creating an appropriate marketing plan.
• Managing and integrating marketing mix tools in order to achieve marketing plans.
• Creating and managing  effective communications plan.
• Evaluating marketing plans for effectiveness.
• Planning marketing projects.
• Team management when undertaking specific tasks.

By the end of the course you will:

• Acquired the skills necessary to maximise on opportunities for your company at operational level.
• Have gained the status of Associate CIM, an internationally recognised qualification.
• Be able to create, implement and evaluate a complete and effective marketing plan. 

Professional Postgraduate Diploma in Marketing

This is the highest professional qualification available in the industry. The postgraduate diploma will build upon your previous success and introduce you to the skills required when working at strategic level. 

The Professional Postgraduate Diploma in Marketing covers:

• Informing strategic marketing decisions by contributing insight and research.
• Creating value for customers through influencing strategic decisions.
• Managing and evaluating activities implemented under a customer focused strategy.
• Creating, justifying and presenting customer-focused strategies.

By the end of the course you will have:

• Acquired the highest possible marketing qualification, recognised internationally as a benchmark of your competence in marketing.
• Achieved the right to use the initials ACIM (Associate Member) or MCIM (Full Member) depending on your experience.
• Gained accelerated entry onto various university Master’s programmes, should you wish to follow that path.
• Enabled your progression towards Chartered Marketer status.

E-marketing

The CIM e-Marketing Award offers an insight in emerging new business models and aims to provide the knowledge  to ensure that e-marketing activities can be effectively integrated into your marketing plans.

The CIM e-Marketing Award covers:

• Proposing e-marketing plans using e-marketing tools in line with the company’s needs.
• Using online channels to research customer groups and potential marketing channels, and reaching them through e-marketing tools.

By the end of the course you will:

• Be up to date with all the latest knowledge and skills in the world of e-marketing.
• Increase your job security through being at the leading edge with those skills.
• Extend your knowledge further, helping to identify hitherto unseen business opportunities.
• Gain a recognised e-marketing award and a full 35 hours CPD, which is halfway to Chartered Marketer status. 

                                                              
 
FPC – Financial Planning Certificate http://www.sofa.org/html/members/quals/FPC/fpc.htm
 
The Financial Planning Certificate is the benchmark qualification required to become a qualified Financial Adviser. Upon achieving the FPC you are able to register yourself with 'The Society of Financial Advisers' and will be able to refer to yourself with the letters FPC. You can study for the FPC whatever your educational background.
 
Providing a grounding in the regulatory aspects of the financial services industry, you will also obtain a general knowledge of products, showing clients' your ability to identify their requirements and construct portfolios to meet them.
 
The three papers you will study on this course are as follows:

• Financial services and their regulation.
• Protection, savings and investment products.
• Identifying and satisfying client needs.

Depending on your experience, each paper will require around 40-80 hours. There is a three month wait between examinations for each paper.
 
Upon passing the papers, holders of the FPC can join SOFA (which includes automatic combined membership of the CII).
If you are a SOFA member and hold an FPC qualification, you are entitled to use the designation FPC after your name and to display the words 'Registered with the Society of Financial Advisers' on your business cards. 
 
SOFA – The Society of Financial Advisors - http://www.sofa.org/index.asp


AFPC – Advanced Financial Planning Certificate
http://www.sofa.org/html/members/quals/FPC/fpc.htm
 
The AFPC requires a greater understanding and demonstrates greater ability to offer financial advice. This higher qualification leads to professional membership of SOFA and the designatory letters MSFA.
Before undertaking the Advanced Certificate, you will already have gained the FPC or a similar benchmark qualification.
The MSFA designation is becoming increasingly well known to financial services consumers and employers. 
 
The course is made up of three papers. The first is compulsory: Taxation & Trusts. The remainder are selected from the following: Personal Investment Planning, Business Financial Planning, Pensions, Investment Portfolio Management, Long-term Care, Life & Health Protection and Holistic Financial Planning. Depending on what qualifications you already hold, you may be eligible from certain aspects of the course.
 
Over a six month period it is recommended that you study for three hours per week for each subject. Sessions are held twice a year covering each subject. Each subject is tested with a three hour paper, each requiring answers based on case studies.
 
There is a distance learning course for each subject, available on a correspondence or reading basis. Some colleges of further education offer evening classes. 
 

 
ASFA– Associateship of SOFA - http://www.sofa.org/index.asp
 
If you are interested in further, more in-depth study of subjects after the AFPC, it’s possible to work towards an Associateship of SOFA (providing you with the letters ASFA  after your name). This will require you to have completed the Advanced Financial Planning Certificate before you can begin.

Following on from the AFPC, you will study an additional three subjects, of which two must be by AFPC examination. You can take any paper that you have not already passed for the AFPC. An additional paper is available: Supervision & Sales management.                                   
 
 
 
The Institute of Sales Promotion (ISP) - http://www.isp.org.uk/learning/diplomacert.html

Developed to raise professional standards within PR, student membership to this association is available to those who have been working in PR for one year.

There are two levels – the diploma and the certificate.

The diploma acts as an introduction to Promotional marketing and is designed for those who are actively creating sales promotion campaigns in their day-to-day work. The course lasts for four and a half months, involving an estimated 60 hours of work.

The course covers:

• The role of Promotional Marketing.
• How to plan and implement Promotional marketing Concepts.
• Effectively briefing and coordinating those involved in campaigns.

The certificate is not as in-depth as the diploma, and covers a broader spectrum of topics in less detail. Usually, certificate studiers will be working within the service company sector, in agencies or promoters. The course runs for an estimated 30 hours.

The course covers:

• Appreciating a companies place in successful campaign management.
• How to communicate with clients, suppliers and other departments.

 
The Institute of Public Relations (IPR)
 http://www.ipr.org.uk/direct/careers.asp?v1=qualifications

This association was developed to provide PR practitioners with ongoing career development. Their diploma course lasts for one year, after which time student members are eligible for membership if they have been working in the industry for a year.

The course covers:

• A semester dealing with Strategic Public Relations.
• A semester dealing with Public Relations Planning.
• This is assessed by a 5,000 word assignment.
• Following this, you will be involved in a three month period of self directed learning, assessed by a 6,000 word project.

 
 
Communications, Advertising & Marketing Foundation - www.camfoundation.com/

CAM courses are intended to fill the gap between the theory and the practice of the marketing communication industry, integrating different industry disciplines to provide a breadth of knowledge.
The Communications, Advertising and Marketing Education Foundation (CAM) offers two courses to its members. The first is the CAM Advanced Certificate, which leads on to the Advanced Diploma in Communication Studies. They also run the CAM Higher Certificate, which targets you towards a ‘Higher Diploma’ certificate.

CAM qualifications offer:

• Knowledge of the key elements needed when working on integrated campaigns.
• A breadth of knowledge to add to work experience.
• Flexibility in studying, and education to a nationally recognised standard.

 

The Institute of Direct Marketing (IDM)
 www.theidm.com/index.cfm?fuseAction=contentDisplay.&chn=6&tpc=125&stp=99&pge=916

The IDM Management Programme in CRM

This qualification was designed by Customer Relationship Management practitioners, supported by data analysts and technologists. The course will enable you to:

• turn customer data into customer knowledge
• implement data models, test systems and rollouts
• review IT solutions and their providers
• set realistic targets and develop CRM plans
• devise real-time applications for e-marketing and contact centres
• sell the benefits of marketing-led CRM strategies
• demonstrate improved contribution to the bottom line
• set up and manage interactive multichannel communications
• improve customer values and retention rates.

The IDM Diploma in Direct and Interactive Marketing

This course is designed to cover issues faced by Marketing Managers, dealing with the disciplines of direct and data-driven marketing. Aspects of the qualification include:

• Customer-centric strategic planning
• Applications of CRM technology
• Turning data into customer knowledge
• Integrated marketing communications
• Effective customer acquisition and retention
• Exploiting new and established media channels.

The IDM Certificate in Direct Marketing
This certicate is intended to supply you with a full direct marketing skill set and incorporates:

• The strategic application of direct marketing, in both business and consumer markets
• The principles of database marketing
• How to create and monitor direct marketing campaigns
• Direct marketing campaign planning and analysis
• The fundamentals of budgeting for direct marketing
• Direct marketing for acquiring, developing and retaining customers
• How to brief and evaluate creative work.

 
The IDM Certificate In E-Marketing

Designed to provide you with the skills to establish an effective internet presence, this course will provide information on:

• The essential differences in e-marketing project management
• How to make the most of search engines, directories and nomadic bots
• Viewing and testing websites through ‘browser eyes’
• How to design effective e-mails and e-zines
• The key components of the online transaction
• Understanding PKI and digital certificates and signatures
• When and how to exploit banner exchanges
• Creating and using personalised autoresponders
• The special opportunities for location-specific mobile device marketing
• How to develop an affiliate marketing programme.

The Market Research Society

If your career goal is to become a specialist in market research, you might want to consider a qualification with the Market Research Society (MRS). They have three qualifications starting with the Introductory Certificate, which provides a basic introduction to the field.

The qualification is suitable for those who work in a role where it might be useful or essential to understand the basic principles of market research. The Advanced Certificate draws on best practice across the profession and aims to give a practical grounding in the techniques of market research.

The Advanced Certificate would suit those already in the discipline with a limited knowledge as well as experienced practitioners who would like an update on industry techniques. Marketers with an interest in the field may also benefit.

Finally the Diploma in Market and Social Research is designed for experienced practitioners. It explores techniques and methodologies and the application of theory in practice. Once the diploma is completed, full membership to the MRS becomes possible.