UNLOCK GROWTH USING THE COMBINED PRINCIPLES OF INSIGHT, IDENTITY, AND INNOVATION

UPSTREAM MARKETING COURSE

In this 3-week intensive, join EquiBrand Consulting co-founders and as they unpack the principles, practices, and processes to unlock growth through upstream marketing.

The course brings to life the Upstream Marketing book, delivered through videos, interaction, and downloadable content.

Designed for busy, full-time professionals, you'll learn how to apply upstream marketing to your company's situation.

LENGTH    At-Your-Pace or 3-week intensive 

DATES       COMING SOON!

COST         Varies - see below

• Learn an end-to-end, integrated approach to upstream marketing integration
• Apply the 4 framing questions, 3 first principles, and 6 best practices.
• Taught by EquiBrand Consulting co-founders, Tim Koelzer and Kristin Kurth.
• Gain best practice insights and 20-years of experience packed into a 3-week intensive

WHO THIS COURSE IS FOR

COURSE FEATURES

PROGRAM MODULES 

The course follows the structure of the Upstream Marketing book, including nine modules (one per chapter).

Module 1: Upstream Marketing – An Overview

• Understand the “what” and “why” behind upstream marketing and how it differs from downstream marketing
• Learn an integrated upstream marketing framework including four framing questions, three principles, and six best practices
• Discover how to 'begin with the end in sight,’ including tips and tools for identifying new demand spaces
• Apply best practice insights from Amazon, Apple, Google, Nike, Southwest Airlines, Starbucks, and The Walt Disney Company

Principle 1: Insight

Module 2: Maniacally Focus on the End Customer

• Understand the criteria for true insight – it must be deep, proprietary, and actionable
• Learn how three broad types of insight – customer, marketplace, and technical – combine to unlock growth
• Understand a step-by-step approach for turning insight into action, including the importance of divergence and convergence
• Compare and contrast benefit-based concepts in iterating ideas and working backward
• Put into practice insight gathering tips and tools, including the benefit hierarchy, whiteboard concepts, and strawman proposals

Module 3: Define Your Purpose – To Whom? For What?

• Understand the role of purpose and why it’s foundational to upstream marketing management
• Leverage the To Whom? For What? framework to identify strategic opportunity areas
• Recognize three common growth strategy frameworks including why ‘level three’ is optimal
• Identify the targeting paradox and critical differences between marketing targets and consumption markets
• Deploy where to play and how to win decision-making tools including the impact-effort matrix and other screening tools

Principle 2: Identity

Module 4: Design and Align Value Propositions

• Identify the three value proposition parts – customer needs, brand benefits, and value elements – that must align in creating new offerings
• Compare and contrast how Amazon, Southwest Airlines, Starbucks, and Nike approach value creation
• Learn how to increase corporate value by developing and tracking the value proposition canvas  
• Develop your skills at creating new value propositions, through design thinking and a structured, step-by-step approach
• Learn the three hurdles that all winning brands and businesses must clear

Module 5: Build and Extend the Brand

• Learn how the strongest brands are built upstream, including the four critical elements needed to craft an effective brand strategy
• Put into practice the brand positioning framework to create relevant and distinctive identities
• Understand the importance of the brand-customer experience including aligning brand touchpoints along the customer decision journey
• Identify alternative brand architecture models – house of brands, branded house, and hybrid – and why one option is preferred over the others
• Learn the benefits of brand extension including two alternative methods  for stretching existing brands into new areas

Principle 3: Innovation

Module 6: Create, Test, and Learn (Strategy & Process)

• Learn the common approach to innovation employed by Disney, Google, Amazon, and Apple, including five sub-principles they all share
• Understand the role iteration plays in developing new products, including create-test-and-learn methods
• Uncover ideation tips and tools to generate breakthrough thinking in your organization
• Learn practical tips for screening ideas across four critical areas to maximize the chance of innovation success
• Identify the importance of a portfolio and pipeline view to ensure a constant stream of incremental to transformation innovation types

Module 7: Aim ‘Em, Don’t Tame ‘Em (Creativity & Culture)

• Learn the cultural values, principles, and practices that drive upstream marketing success at Amazon, Nike, Southwest, Starbucks, and The Walt Disney Company
• Identify the cultural themes common with companies that have innovation as part of their DNA
• Understand five specific cultural values that serve as the foundation for aim ‘em, don’t tame ‘em
• Learn why failure is a necessary part of innovation, including the importance of failing fast
• Identify alternative ways to organize for innovation including what to consider when setting up innovation labs

Now Apply It: Integrate and Execute

Module 8: Upstream Marketing 7-Step Approach

• Learn a proven 7-step approach to upstream marketing you can apply to your own business
• Engage in an integrated end-to-end client case study, to see upstream marketing in action
• Leverage case study output for your use, including downloadable frameworks and templates
• Gain practice applying the framework to your own situation

Module 9: Upstream Marketing Application

• Explore how upstream marketing can work across industries, categories, and companies
• Obtain real-world business case insight from EquiBrand’s client engagement experience
• Answer 20 questions to self-diagnose upstream marketing improvement opportunities in your organization
• Learn how to apply the upstream marketing framework to your own personal brand