Grad Prereq: QST MK 723 or QST MK 724.
This course focuses on marketing to businesses and organizations rather than to consumers. Marketing to organizations is fundamentally different from marketing to consumers for a myriad of reasons related to customers (e.g., larger customers seeking customized offerings and prices; need for relationship building between suppliers and customers, etc.) and related to the role of marketing within the firm (e.g., greater level of customization of the offerings; need for closer interaction and alignment among marketing and manufacturing/R&D/product development, customer service, etc.). This course will provide students with the frameworks and tools to help develop an appreciation of these and other distinct differences, to understand the approaches used by successful firms in such contexts, and to create and analyze marketing strategy and tactics for marketing to organizations. Using a combination of cases, discussions of specific topics, a simulation, guest speakers, and a project, the course will cover several themes including platform businesses marketing, understanding the organization buying center, creating and capturing value for business customers, communicating the offering benefit stack, and developing and maintaining relationships with other organizations. This course is relevant for students interested in marketing to businesses as well as for those interested in consulting, investment banking, or venture capital settings, which primarily deal with marketing to other organizations.
[ 3 cr.]