Course Description

Marketing and communications are an essential part of a healthy business plan. Marketing covers a wide variety of activities which will help you sell your company’s product and services. In this course, students will examine customer needs, conduct market research, explore competitors, develop a brand, develop skills to build customer relationships, explore a variety of marketing channels and tools, and create marketing content to help you sell your products and services to your ideal customers. This course focuses on the dynamic equine industry using a variety of examples to reflect the industry's diversity. Key points discussed will help you to develop effective marketing and communication strategies for your equine business.

Students do not need to own a business to participate in this course. The instructor will provide you with examples, scenarios and case studies for a variety of businesses in the equine industry.

Learning Outcomes

By the end of the course, the learner should be able to:

1. Develop an informed marketing strategy that influences the target market for your equine business;
2. identify a target market based on demographics, geographic, psychographic, and customer behaviour data;
3. Develop an effective communication message that differentiates your business in the equine industry;
4. Explore and apply cost-effective and innovative marketing channels and tactics to reach a target market and promote your equine business;
5. Conduct market research using primary and secondary research methods and make informed marketing decisions;
6. Examine the use of brand elements suitable to promote equine businesses and discuss principles of managing a brand effectively.

Course Topics

• Introduction to marketing and your role in marketing your business
• Marketing goals and strategies to achieve them
• Customer and competitor profiles
• Target market and audience
• Communications
• Branding
• Public relations
• Traditional marketing
• Digital marketing
• Social media marketing
• Event marketing
• Is my plan working?: data, metrics and evaluation

Assessment

Note:

You do not need access to a horse or own your own horse, to participate and be successful in this course. You do not need to currently own your business to learn marketing strategies.

You can expect to spend 6 - 10 hours per week to complete the course material, discussions and assignments. Plan to be on the course website at least three to five times per week to keep up-to-date and on schedule with weekly readings, activities, and class discussion.

Do you have more questions? Visit our program page Frequently Asked Questions or send us your questions by completing the Request Information contact form.

Applies Towards the Following Certificates

• Diploma in Equine Studies : Electives
• Certificate in Equine Business Management : Required Courses