SOSTAC® Certified Planner
Know how to write the perfect marketing plan. Help improve other people’s plans.
SOSTAC® Certified Planners are a unique network of professionals who can apply the perfect structure to any plan, whether a business plan, department plan, marketing plan, campaign plan, or even your own life plan.
By the end of this course you will:
Be confident about writing a great plan. Be able to improve other plans. Develop your own strategy (the weakest part of most plans)*. Use SOSTAC® logical structure to reduce risk, make better decisions and boost business results. Write the perfect plan. Become a SOSTAC® Certified Planner.
* Strategy includes: different types of strategy; strategic product portfolio matrices; single product strategies; strategic errors to avoid; components of marketing strategy; sample strategy excerpts; strategy template; strategy questions you will be asked by your manager/board. This course has an emphasis on strategy.
* Tactics section includes: the new marketing mix; value propositions; the magic marketing formula; tactical matrix; moving from campaigns to conversations; integrated tactics.
See Full Syllabus below.
LEARNING TIME: Approximately 20 hours
ASSESSMENT: 1-hour multiple choice (x 30 questions) case study, open book (bring your notes and manual).
Prerequisites:
Applicants must either be a SOSTAC® Associate (having passed the online assessment) or have at least 5 years of managerial experience.
Full Syllabus
The emphasis of this course is on the strategy section. Plus the logic of SOSTAC® which informs better decision-making. Topics include:
Introduction to SOSTAC®.
Situation analysis: Customer analysis; competitor analysis; company analysis: trend analysis.
Objectives: Mission; Vision; KPIs
Strategy: Types of strategy; Strategic matrices: Ansoff; Boston; GE market attractiveness; single product strategies; strategic error; Components of marketing strategy; Sample strategy excerpts; Strategy template; questions your manager or board might ask you about your strategy.
Tactics: The old marketing mix; Value Proposition; The magic marketing formula; Marketing Comms; Tactical tools; The tactical matrix; Moving from campaigns to conversations; Integrated tactics; Gantt charts.
Actions: Internal marketing: communications, motivations and training.
Control: Build control into your plan; What metrics do we measure? Key performance indicators; customer feedback; budget.
Video Tutorials
Take-Away Thoughts
Manuals (Advanced and Basic)
Quizzes (Multiple Choice)
Sample Excerpts of Plans
Weekly Live Chat 30 mins every Fri
Online Assessment
Certificate
Badge
SOSTAC® Linkedin Group
Continuing Professional Development
PR Smith Updated Blog Posts and Conversations
Continuing Professional Development
30 min Clubhouse Chat in the SOSTAC® Club
every Fri 3.30pm GMT/BST
Access the online course materials:
– Watch short videos for each section.
– Take the quiz at the end of each section.
– Enjoy the take-away thoughts at the end of each section.
– Read the relevant section in both your SOSTAC® Advanced Manual along with the SOSTAC® Basic Manual (which is used in the SOSTAC® Associate course
– Access some SOSTAC® examples of summary plans.
– Ask author, PR Smith, any SOSTAC® Questions and hear cutting-edge weekly marketing updates in the SOSTAC® Plans Club in Clubhouse app (free) every Friday* 3.30pm-4.00pm GMT/BST.
– Take the online assessment when you have completed the above.
After passing the course
Get the list of additional PR Smith blog posts and videos categorised by each section of SOSTAC® planning. This part of your Continuing Professional Development.
Join the Linkedin SOSTAC® Planning Group (free) exclusive to SOSTAC® Certified Planners. Perhaps announce or request job opportunities for SOSTAC® Certified planners. This network is at early stage of development.
Continue visiting the SOSTAC® Plans Club in Clubhouse app (free) meets every Friday* 3.30pm-4.00pm GMT. This is open to all. SOSTAC® Q&A plus 30 mins of latest cutting edge marketing developments each week. *There a few holiday Fridays when there are no meetings.
- SOSTAC® Certified Planners can build professional plans
- Discuss, with confidence, existing plans or other departments’ plans
- Help colleagues to use the same structure and build better plans
- Ensure consistency across the business – boosting efficiency and effectiveness
- They also have access to network/directory of SOSTAC® certified professionals
- The certificate is accredited by the CPD Standards Office
Registration Fee: £195 (includes one free test re-sit if required). For UK residents, the standard 20% VAT applies i.e. UK Fee is £234. Non-UK Fee is £195.
1-hour, open book, online Multiple-Choice test based on a case study (Pass mark: 60%). Take the SOSTAC® CERTIFIED PLANNER online test after you have read the manual/s, watched the videos and taken the quizzes or attended a workshop or read the SOSTAC® Guide to your Perfect Digital Marketing Plan.
- Get an instant result
- Give instant feedback
- Get your instant personalised certificate
Register now to take SOSTAC® Certified Planner so you can get the resources and start preparing for the online assessment.
Please note the SOSTAC® Certified Planner is accredited by the CPD Standards Office UK.
- You must take the test within 90 days of registration. Anything beyond 90 days and you must register and pay the fee again – if you want to take the online test.
- Tests are always on and available whenever you feel ready.
- The test is ONE (1) hour in duration.
- You must have a stable internet connection to take any SOSTAC® tests.
- If your browser displays a ‘back’ button DO NOT EVER click the ‘back button’ as this will terminate your test.
- Do not close your browser once you have started the online test (as this will end the test).
- If you fail the test, you have 48 hours to take a free re-sit.
- You must score a minimum of 60% to pass.