The importance of keeping abreast of marketing dynamics with the IMM GSM

Although the fundamentals of marketing may never change, marketers have a responsibility to keep abreast of the dynamics of the industry - be they technology-focused, such as e-marketing, rapidly changing marketing trends, business intelligence, emotional intelligence, customer relationship marketing, legislation or being exposed to the underlying philosophies, elements and concepts of business.

"Ensuring that you keep upskilled with respect to industry changes and business needs keeps the serious marketer at the cutting edge of the game," said Helen McIntee, Academic Director of the IMM Graduate School of Marketing (IMM GSM). "At the same time, organisations must recognise the importance of investing in their employees by means of relevant training."

The IMM GSM realises that it is imperative to continually develop new skills that can be acquired through short, skills-based training programmes, customised to ensure relevant context and to meet the specific needs of an organisation. These new skills can then be quickly inculcated into the business environment.

The business need of the company must be identified to ensure that the relevant knowledge, skills and attitudes are developed during training and the type of industry, with its specific challenges, must be understood by the trainer, to help participants source different methods and ways of thinking to address and overcome issues. Training is provided on-site or at the IMM GSM offices.

Public training at the IMM offices is another integral part of the educational offering of the IMM GSM. The vast of array of short training courses and workshops, spanning from one day to several days, is open to the individual or to companies who wish to upskill their employees in specific areas in marketing. The training includes a practical focus which facilitates instant application in the workplace.