Atefeh, a professor of marketing at the University of Evansville, presents on how to incorporate real world projects into a Digital Marketing Course

1. Incorporating Real-world Projects
into the Digital Marketing Course
ATEFEH YAZDANPARAST
ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR OF MARKETING
– UNIVERSITY OF EVANSVILLE

2. Agenda:
- Identifying real-world clients for the projects
- Components of the digital marketing plan for a class project
- Grading the projects
- Supportive activities/assignments to enhance the quality of projects

3. Identifying real-world clients for the projects
ATEFEH YAZDANPARAST
1. Find potential sources to identify clients:
- Chamber of commerce
- Small Business Development Center
- Non-profit organizations (museums, libraries, etc.)
- Local community
- Professor and students as ambassadors
- University centers
- Center for Innovation and Change at UE
- Institute for Banking and Finance

4. Identifying real-world clients for the projects
ATEFEH YAZDANPARAST
2. Create a short list of potential clients:
- Meet with informed sources
- Business advisors
- Other groups that have worked with the client
- The client
- Assess the fit:
- Client’s needs vs. project potential
- Client’s passion for change
- Client’s availability and willingness to engage throughout the project
- Student team’s potential interest
3. Introduce the client to students:
- Initial class meeting
- Students visit client’s physical location and examine its digital presence

5. Components of the digital marketing plan for a
class project
ATEFEH YAZDANPARAST
1. Follow a structured model for digital marketing planning:
- SOSTAC® model:
 Situation Analysis – where are we now?
 Objectives – where do we want to be?
 Strategy – how do we get there?
 Tactics – how exactly do we get there?
 Action – what is our plan?
 Control – did we get there?
2. Decide on components that student teams should complete:
- Action and Control steps may require more time
- Action and Control steps would require client’s financial commitment

6. Grading the projects
ATEFEH YAZDANPARAST
1. Break the project into manageable parts:
- SOSTAC® model:
 Part one: situation and SWOT analysis – where are we now?
 Part one: objectives – where do we want to be?
 Part two: strategy – how do we get there? (segmentation, targeting, positioning)
 Part two: tactics – how exactly do we get there? (digital and traditional tactics)
 Final report: parts one and two plus executive summary and supplementary information
2. Provide feedback for each part of the project
3. Track improvements/corrections
4. Dedicate a percentage of the grade to improvements/corrections

7. Components of the digital marketing plan
for a class project
Categories of digital marketing tactics (adapted from SOSTAC®):
- Reach: related to acquisition strategies to build awareness and drive traffic to website
- Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
- Online advertising
- Affiliate and partner marketing
- Act and Convert: related to acquisition strategies to build awareness and drive traffic to website
- Business advisors
- Other groups that have worked with the client
- The client
- Engage: related to retention and growth strategies to build customer relationships and encourage
repeat business and sales
- Content marketing
- Customer service and support
- E-CRM

8. Components of the digital marketing plan
for a class project
Categories of traditional marketing tactics:
- Marketing mix elements
- Product/service and experience tactics
- Place and distribution tactics
- Pricing tactics
- Traditional promotional tactics

9. Grading the projects
ATEFEH YAZDANPARAST
Grade each part of the project and the final report
Remind students of the importance of:
- Professionalism
- Consistency
- Following through the objectives
- Keeping target market and positioning in mind
- Creativity
Emphasize:
- Digital and traditional marketing are linked
- Digital marketing is part of the overall marketing plan
- Observational studies of client’s physical and digital presence are the key

10. Supportive activities/assignments to enhance
the quality of projects
ATEFEH YAZDANPARAST
1. Digital marketing in action sessions:
- Website building using platforms (Wix, Weebly, Shopify, etc.)
- Social listening and content management tools (Hootsuite, Klout, etc.)
- Search Engine Optimization (SEO) tools (Mozbar, etc.)
- Online advertising services (Google Adwords)
- Website analytics (Google Analytics)
2. Supplementary readings:
- Marketing News/ WSJ article discussions
3. In-class, team-based quizzes:
- Website design/ video advertising, etc.
4. Case studies:
- Short video cases are preferred

11. Supportive activities/assignments to enhance
the quality of projects
ATEFEH YAZDANPARAST
Keep in mind that the activities/assignments are designed to:
- Empower students
- Ignite creativity
- Improve team work
- Provide a deeper understanding of digital marketing tools through hands-on exercises
Consider teams’ progress in the project and schedule these activities accordingly

12. Thank You!
Email: ay42@Evansville.edu
Office: 8124882480
Atefeh Yazdanparast (PhD)
Associate Professor of Marketing
Mead Johnson Endowed Chair in Business
University of Evansville