Marketing essentials module

Level 3| A-level |6 SQA
Build your marketing confidence

Gain the essential knowledge and practical understanding of marketing principles, customer behaviour, and the marketing mix. Achieve a respected CIM Award and build a strong base for your future in marketing.

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Accredited award

Digital Marketing Institute
Format
Live online
Start anytime
Live cohort start dates
1 September 2025
January, April June 2026
Duration
5 weeks
Course Lead
Karen Barrie
Course fee

£410 +VAT
Plus Institutional fees
CIM Fees
Membership £65
Assessment fee £125
*Team discounts and payment options available

Get a recognised qualification

Join a 300,000 strong digital marketing community!

Over 75,000

Learners

5.0 (62 reviews) 

Why learn with nesma ?

We offer personalised learning that adapts to your changing situation at work and home, and more tutor hours to make sure you achieve your learning goals faster! 

Plus using our exclusive SkillsView™ and dedicated advisors, we work with you to help you build learning pathways to help you get that promotion! 

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Unique offers for this programme: 

We provide a unique range of offers to support your learning experience when completing this qualification:
  • Flexible dual award options to enhance your qualification portfolio.
  • Free access to the Skills Lounge for revision sessions and networking.
  • Earn nesma credits for smoother progression to other programmes.
  • Dedicated expert support available throughout your learning journey.

Course description

This module introduces the core principles of marketing and its role in helping organisations meet customer needs and business goals.

Learn how to analyse the marketing environment, understand the customer journey, and apply the marketing mix across different contexts.

Perfect for aspiring marketers looking to build confidence, gain essential skills, and take the first step in their marketing career.
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What you'll learn

Here’s what you’ll be able to do after completing this module:
  • Explain the role and purpose of marketing and how it supports customer satisfaction within different types of organisations.
  • Identify key elements of the marketing environment and understand how customers make purchasing decisions.
  • Apply the marketing mix effectively across different business contexts and understand how marketing performance is measured.

Your course includes

  • 5 weeks of expert-led live online classroom sessions
  • Interactive quizzes and practical assignments
  • Revision sessions with tutors 
  • Live online learning with lifetime access 
  • Qualification Certificate

All of our learners gain access to the nesma learning hub via your own homepage.

From here you can access all of your courses, materials and activities, see your progress and work with other students. 

The platform provides broader benefits including skills passport, activity badges, and access to skills intelligence, offers and news!

Aims

Develop essential marketing knowledge and practical skills to understand customer behaviour, analyse the marketing environment, and apply core marketing tools effectively.

On successful completion, you’ll earn a recognised CIM Award—certifying you as an emerging marketing professional ready to contribute to campaigns and support business success.

Certification exam 

To complete the module, you’ll take an online assessment with 45 questions to be answered in 90 minutes. The questions include multiple choice, scenarios, and single best answers. Achieve 60% to earn your CIM Award and progress towards the full Certificate.


We’ll set you up with a sample test and provide a focused revision session shaped around the topics you and your cohort want to revisit. By the end, you’ll be confident, exam-ready, and on your way to becoming a certified marketing professional.

CIM Membership  & Assessment Fees

We handle all the admin – you focus on learning
We’ll arrange your CIM membership (£65) , register you for assessments (£125 per module), and help you prepare with practice tests and revision sessions.
Plus, as a CIM member, you gain exclusive access to industry insights, practical toolkits, expert webinars, networking events, and career support resources—all designed to accelerate your marketing career and keep you connected to a global community of marketing professionals.
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Who is it for?

This course is designed for those new to marketing or looking to build a strong foundation in marketing principles and practice.

It’s ideal for entry-level professionals, career starters, support staff, or small business owners who want to gain a recognised award and confidently apply core marketing knowledge in any organisation.If your not sure talk to us  

Your tutor

Karen Barrie

Karen is a highly experienced strategic marketer and CIM tutor with expertise in brand development, marketing planning, and customer engagement.
She delivers CIM qualifications with a focus on applying strategic thinking to real business challenges. With a strong background in senior marketing roles, Karen helps organisations shape their brand and marketing strategies for measurable success. She enjoys inspiring learners to think creatively and strategically about marketing’s role in driving growth.

Meet your tutors

Jo Dolezal

Jo is a senior tutor for nesma and an experienced marketing consultant with expertise in strategy, digital marketing, and communications. As founder of Dolezal Consulting and a Chartered Marketer, she brings over 20 years of hands-on experience helping businesses create and deliver effective marketing strategies. Her teaching blends practical insights with academic rigour, empowering learners to apply their knowledge to real-world challenges. Jo plays a key role in guiding students through CIM qualifications, making complex marketing concepts clear and actionable.

Scott Goodacre

Scott is a qualified teacher and digital marketer with experience since 2006. He delivers CIM digital modules and helps businesses track and improve their online marketing. He runs his own consultancy and writes a sports marketing blog, The Online Rule. He enjoys solving marketing challenges across diverse sectors.

What our learners say

Helped secure a promotion!

This qualification advanced my marketing knowledge and allowed me to put these skills into practice

Step up your game!

Your commitment, passion, and delivery were really amazing. We had a great start and the speed as well as intensity with which we rolled out globally over 3 years was unbelievable.

Concise and practical content

I learned a lot and now feel ready to implement these techniques into my organisation. 

Very Professional!

It was an excellent training program, and I am very pleased. The instructors were very knowledgeable, and the content was relevant to our industry.

Simple to understand!

Armed with the knowledge and techniques obtained from your school, I feel more equipped to navigate the challenging social aspects of the real world and become a professional in my field of choice.

Excellent Training Program!

The presenters were amazing. They were engaging, timely, and knowledgeable

5% off for nesma students and alumni!

If you have registered or attended a course
with us before, copy/ use the promo code
on the right when you enrol*
*We will of course verify you have previously learnt with us
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Still not sure?  Talk to us 

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