TWENTY-FOUR marketers were conferred with the MAZ Marketing Practitioner Status and eight conferred with the Sales Practitioner Status at a graduation ceremony held at the Marketing Hub on in February.

The 32 practitioners attended the 2021 Annual Continuous Professional Development (ACDP) Master Class from the 9th to the 11^th of September 2021.

The Marketing Practitioner Status, (MPS) is a prestigious status, recognized by industry to authenticate one’s skills in marketing. One has to be a holder of a Marketing Degree/ or Higher Diploma from a recognized institute, with a minimum of 2 years’ experience in a marketing position.

The curriculum expands each year to suit the current marketing and industry trends, but still maintain the aim of putting marketers in a strategic competitive advantage.

The 2021 class had a successful turnout and covered some of the following topics:

1. Advanced Marketing Strategy in the Digital Era

2. View from a CEO: Expectations from the Marketing Function.

3. Measurement Metrics for Marketing Efforts

4. Preparation of Digitally Integrated Marketing Plan

5. High Impact Sales Strategy in a Digital World

6. Modernizing the Sales Process for today’s Selling Environment

7. Go to Marketing Strategies in the Digital Age

8. From Elevator pitches to compelling B to B Value Propositions

9. Preparation of High an Impact Sales Strategic Plan

The marketing practitioner program which is offered in conjunction with IMM is aimed at continuously developing the marketing career.

Guest speaker at the graduation ceremony, Marketers Association of Zimbabwe Executive Secretary, Gillian Rusike highlighted that attaining such a status is key because one is distinguishing themselves from among the rest.

“Attaining a status is also key because you are actually distinguishing yourself from among the rest. I am so excited that we are witnessing one such activity or programme today’.

“Colleagues, we are operating in extremely dynamic environment such that if you sleep or slumber you can wake up one morning without a job because the demands of a marketer or shareholder are also becoming dynamic,” said Rusike.

Rusike said the current environment required agile professionals who are abreast with current trends and demands of the consumer.

“We are now in an era where tactics are much more important than strategy. What’s important is the day to day demands. The customer and the consumer is the one that has got more power than us marketers because of the social media platforms that are now available.

If you are not agile and active, one day you wake up and your organisation is red flagged on social media, consumers are speaking all sorts of things about your brand and by the time you want to respond it’s already too late,” said Rusike.

After his speech, Gillian Rusike, conferred and handed over certificates to the Marketing and Sales Practitioners.

The Marketers did not only walk away with a lapel, tie or scarf written “Marketing Practitioner or Sales Practitioner”, but instead they have been equipped with a wealth of powerful and unparalleled decision making skills which will turn around their organisations’ fortunes.

Some often ask what comes next after achieving the MPS and SP, they can then opt to attend the Continuous Professional Development Master Class which is targeted at current Marketing Practitioners, Marketing team members, Public Relations, Sales Teams and Customer Service Teams.