Marketing
Selling
Worth 6 of 100 questions at area level, 7 at state and 8 at ICDC.
From the knowledge base
Source passages for this area.
MARKETING CLUSTER
Cluster Exam §26 · pages 27–29
26. MARKETING CLUSTER This will probably be your site's biggest audience. Marketing should be understood as: The process of identifying, anticipating, creating, communicating, delivering and exchanging value for customers. It is far broader than advertising . DECA's Marketing pathways include: Marketing Communications, Marketing Management, Marketing Research, Merchandising and Professional Selling. 27. 2026–27 MARKETING EXAM BLUEPRINT Area District Associatio n ICDC Business Law 2 2 1 Channel Management 5 6 7 Communications 5 4 3 Customer Relations 2 2 1 Economics 6 5 4 Emotional Intelligence 9 8 6 Entrepreneurship 1 0 0 Financial Analysis 6 5 4 HR Management 1 0 0 Information Management 5 4 3 Marketing 1 1 1 Marketing-Information Management 11 14 16 Market Planning 4 4 5 Operations 6 5 4 Pricing 3 4 4 Product/Service Management 11 13 15 Professional Development 6 5 5 Promotion 9 11 13 Selling 6 7 8 Strategic Management 1 0 0 This demonstrates another major product opportunity. A typical student thinks a Marketing test mostly asks: advertising, branding and the 4 Ps. But advanced DECA Marketing heavily emphasizes: Marketing-Information Management Product/Service Management Promotion Selling Channel Management So a PrepSAT-style system should show students that distribution clearly.
HOSPITALITY & TOURISM
Cluster Exam §23 · pages 23–25
23. HOSPITALITY & TOURISM Hospitality should not simply be treated as "marketing for hotels." It has an extremely strong: customer experience + operations + service + information + selling orientation. DECA's career pathways are: Event Management, Lodging, Restaurant Management and Travel & Tourism. 2026–27 Hospitality blueprint Area District Associatio n ICDC Business Law 3 3 2 Communications 5 4 3 Customer Relations 8 9 9 Economics 6 6 5 Emotional Intelligence 9 9 7 Entrepreneurship 1 0 0 Financial Analysis 8 7 7 HR Management 2 1 1 Information Management 14 15 16 Knowledge Management 0 1 1 Marketing 1 1 2 Market Planning 1 1 2 Operations 13 13 13 Pricing 1 1 1 Product/Service Management 6 7 9 Professional Development 8 7 6 Promotion 2 3 3 Quality Management 1 1 1 Risk Management 1 1 2 Selling 7 8 9 Strategic Management 3 2 2 Notice how different this is from Marketing. The largest advanced Hospitality domains are: Information Management Operations Customer Relations Product/Service Management Selling That should shape the entire learning experience.
MARKETING EVENTS DECA's current
Cluster Exam §35 · pages 36–37
35. MARKETING EVENTS DECA's current Marketing event set includes the following. Event Code Focus Principles of Marketing PMK Entry-level marketing concepts; BAC exam Apparel & Accessories Marketing Series AAM Clothing/fashion retail, wholesale and manufacturing marketing Automotive Services Marketing Series ASM Marketing products/services related to automotive service Business Services Marketing Series BSM Marketing business and consumer services Food Marketing Series FMS Food retail/wholesale/manufacturing marketing Marketing Communications Series MCS Advertising, promotion and messages designed to inform/persuade/remind Retail Merchandising Series RMS Marketing and management in retail establishments Sports & Entertainment Marketing Series SEM Sports, entertainment, recreation and leisure marketing Buying & Merchandising TDM BTDM Forecasting, buying, displaying, selling and merchandising Marketing Management TDM MTDM Broad marketing-management cases outside specialized retail areas Sports & Entertainment Marketing TDM STDM Team sports/entertainment marketing cases Professional Selling PSE Individual professional sales presentation Integrated Marketing Campaign—Event IMCE Campaign for an event Integrated Marketing Campaign—Product IMCP Campaign for a product Integrated Marketing Campaign—Service IMCS Campaign for a service Buying & Merchandising Operations Research BMOR Research + strategic plan for merchandising business Sports & Entertainment Marketing Operations Research SEOR Research + strategic plan for sports/entertainment business VBC Fashion VBCFA Fashion business simulation VBC Retail VBCRT Retail business simulation VBC Sports VBCSP Sports business simulation AAM specifically involves clothing and accessories merchandising/marketing. FMS applies marketing and management concepts to businesses resulting in the sale of food. MCS centers on communications that inform, persuade or remind target markets. RMS covers general retail marketing/management. SEM covers sports, entertainment, leisure and recreational products/services. BTDM focuses on forecasting, planning, buying, displaying, selling and customer service involved in moving merchandise to customers.
PROMOTION
Cluster Exam §32 · pages 33–34
32. PROMOTION Promotion is not synonymous with advertising. Promotional mix: Advertising. Public relations. Sales promotion. Personal selling. Direct marketing. Digital/social marketing. Teach: Reach. Frequency. Impressions. Engagement. Conversion. Call to action. Media selection. Message strategy. Publicity. Sponsorship. Influencer marketing. Email marketing. SEO/SEM conceptually. Integrated Marketing Communications.
Selling transfers directly
Integrated Marketing Campaign §92 · pages 226–227
92. Selling transfers directly Students may overlook this. The presentation itself is selling . You're effectively selling the campaign to the judge/client. Selling concepts such as: need identification, benefits, objection handling, closing, relationship building all directly improve the live pitch.
SELLING
Cluster Exam §33 · pages 35–35
33. SELLING Selling process: Prospecting → preparation → approach → determine needs → presentation/demonstration → handle objections → close → follow-up. Students should distinguish features from benefits. Feature: "This laptop has a 12-hour battery." Benefit: "You can work through a full school day without carrying your charger." Consultative selling focuses on solving customer needs rather than forcing products onto customers.