The proposal outlines the establishment of a Digital Marketing Department (DMD) at Towson University to address current marketing challenges by delivering value to an empowered audience, fostering relationships, and measuring return on investment (ROI). The DMD will focus on understanding individual needs through data mining and analytics, utilizing social media for engagement, and ensuring transparency in marketing performance. Key responsibilities include coordinating digital strategies, managing campaigns, and maintaining effective communication across the university to enhance brand identity and accountability.

1. Jesse
Trahan
Towson Proposal for a
Digital Marketing
Department
University’s
Strategic
Opportunity

2. Proposal For Towson University’s
Digital Marketing Department
Towson University’s strategic opportunity
The digital revolution has enabled Towson University’s potential
undergraduate and graduate students, continuing education and
career seekers, alumni and donors to become an empowered
audience. They can shop around the world, find out more than ever
before about organizations and share their views with hundreds of
thousands, if not millions, of others. Their expectations are soaring,
and they can make or break brands overnight.
As a university and a brand, Towson faces the same marketing
challenges as others across the globe no matter their location, their
industry, their size or success. According to face-to-face interviews
conducted by IBM with 1,734 CMOs, spanning 19 industries and 64
countries, there is a “staggering degree of consensus” among the
respondents who feel underprepared to meet these challenges.
Figure 1 Percent of CMOs reporting underpreparedness
IBM’s study indicates that CMOs 50%
are underprepared to manage the Data explosion 71%
impact of key changes in the
marketing arena. Social media 68%
Game changers Growth of channel and device choices 65%
Shifting consumer demographics 63%
Financial constraints 59%
Decreasing brand loyalty 57%
Customer collaboration and influence 56%
ROI accountability 56%
Growth market opportunities 56%
Four of these challenges as pervasive, universal game-changers: the
data explosion, social media, proliferation of channels and devices,
and shifting consumer demographics. Additionally, most CMOs are
struggling in one vital respect — providing the numbers that
A digital marketing department is demonstrate a return on investment (ROI) for marketing.
ideally positioned to help Towson
understand individuals as well as Towson’s strategic opportunity is the creation of a digital marketing
markets. department, which is ideally positioned at the intersection of the
digital world, the vast networks that it enables, and the individuals
who use them, to address these challenges and help Towson to
understand individuals as well as markets. A DMD focuses on
relationships, not just transactions, and is committed to developing a
clear “university identity.”
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3. Proposal For Towson University’s
Digital Marketing Department
DMD role
A DMD can help Towson focus on three key areas--understanding and
delivering value to our empowered audience; creating lasting
relationships with them; and measuring marketing’s contribution in
relevant, quantifiable terms.
Figure 2
Deliver value to
The methods are constantly empowered audience Capture value,
evolving, but the objectives are measure results
clear.
Foster lasting
connections
Deliver value to Towson’s empowered audience
The first focus for the DMD is to deliver value to Towson’s empowered
audience. That means finding out who they are, what they want and
how they would like to interact with us. It’s not just a question of
understanding their immediate needs and preferences. It’s imperative
to understand what they value and how they behave.
Traditional sources of information such as market research and
competitive benchmarking effectively show people in aggregate but
A digital marketing department offer little insight into what individuals need and desire. By contrast, a
helps stakeholders to focus on DMD exploits the full power of the digital grapevine. This means
creating value for people as mining data not only via analytics, but also tracking blogs, third-party
individuals. reviews and user reviews. These provide rich sources of information
about audience sentiment, with context, that can help Towson more
accurately predict demand patterns.
As Towson invests in tools and technologies including an email service
provider (ESP), a customer relationship management tool (CRM),
social media and mobile applications, it will generate an even greater
volume, velocity and variety of data. Further, the increasing emphasis
on demonstrating return on marketing investment will only increase
the importance of a DMD, which can quantify the value that marketing
brings to the university through the use of these tools and others.
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4. Proposal For Towson University’s
Digital Marketing Department
Foster lasting connections
A DMD can help to enable Towson to act on what it learns — and do
so faster than its competitors. In today’s age of digital technology, it’s
easy for our empowered audience to go elsewhere. A DMD enhances
loyalty and encourages brand advocacy.
Social media is a key channel for engaging with our empowered
A digital marketing department audience, but engaging is not just about communicating. It’s also
capitalizes on new digital channels about helping them enjoy what they engage in and purchase, with the
to stimulate conversations and intention of building loyalty. To do this, A DMD helps stakeholders
new relationships. think beyond the immediate transaction and focus on the full
relationship.
Figure 3 Sources used to influence strategy decisions
IBM’s study indicates that most 50%
CMOs pay more attention to Market research 82%
markets than individuals. Corporate strategy 81%
Key sources to understand Competitive benchmarking 80%
individuals Customer analytics 74%
Marketing team analysis 69%
Campaign analysis 68%
Customer service feedback 68%
Brand performance analysis 65%
Sales/sell-through numbers 61%
Test panels/focus groups 54%
Consumer-generated reviews 50%
Third-party reviews and rankings 50%
Online communications 50%
Professional journals 50%
Blogs 50%
Interacting effectively with our empowered audience in the digital era
has implications beyond marketing products and services. Towson has
a university identity – the attributes that make it different and/or
better. In other words, what Towson stands for is as important as
what it offers. A DMD can help to ensure that Towson’s university
identity is well understood, get faculty and staff on board, and manage
Towson’s reputation within and beyond the campus.
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5. Proposal For Towson University’s
Digital Marketing Department
Capture value, measure results
A DMD can provide quantifiable evidence of how marketing
expenditures are helping Towson achieve its goals. Financial
A digital marketing department accountability calls for transparency, and marketing return on
uses advanced analytics and investment is the most important measure of success.
compelling metrics to improve
decision making and to A DMD can help stakeholders manage the increasing importance of
demonstrate accountability. ROI and offer valuable input on promotion, products, place and price.
It can measure and analyze the results of initiatives and communicate
them to advance credibility and accountability. And it can provide
marketing-centric technical, financial and digital acumen.
Figure 4 Seven most important measures to gauge
marketing success
Make marketing ROI and audience
experience the top methods for
determining marketing success. Marketing ROI 63%
Customer experience 58%
Overall sales 48%
Marketing-influenced sales 45%
Social media metrics 42%
Revenue per customer 42%
Conversion rate/new customers 38%
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6. Proposal For Towson University’s
Digital Marketing Department
Digital marketing department
Responsibilities
1. Data mining & knowledge extraction—work with
stakeholders to reveal patterns in large data sets to
extract information and transform it into an
understandable structure to guide marketing decisions.
2. Marketing—collaborate to maximize marketing ROI
through planning, execution and analysis of strategic
digital marketing campaigns including SEM, display,
email, mobile, value-based, behavioral, attitudinal, etc.
3. Media—select most appropriate channels, media,
devices; create schedules and negotiate best rates and
placements with vendors.
4. Creative—work with internal stakeholders and external
vendors to concept, traffic, produce and deliver creative
in a timely manner.
5. Social—provide guidance, consultation and collaboration
to stakeholders on leveraging mainstream and niche
social media.
6. Market research—selectively monitor analytics, reviews,
rankings, communications, blogs, etc. to provide insight
and build loyalty.
Roles
The structure proposed below calls for the addition of one
PIN and one GA. This structure has been reviewed with Janet
Delany.
1. Director of digital marketing—new position reporting to
the senior director of marketing
2. Digital marketing coordinator—50% of current director of
graduate marketing, reports to the DDM
3. Graduate marketing coordinator—50% of current director of
graduate marketing, reports dually to the DDM and Dean of Office
of Graduate Studies
4. Graduate assistant 1—20 hours per week (current graduate
marketing GA)
5. Graduate assistant 2—20 hours per week
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7. Proposal For Towson University’s
Digital Marketing Department
Director of digital marketing
Responsibilities
1. Direct and manage the university's digital communication
and marketing strategies
2. Plan, develop, launch and track digital communication
campaigns
3. Provide leadership to staff and faculty in marketing and
communication
4. Collaborate with marketing and communication staff in
other divisions to ensure digital marketing is enhanced and
coordinated
5. Further developing web and digital communication
standards and policies that support the university's brand
and graphic identities
Qualifications
1. Bachelor’s degree in Marketing or a related field; MBA
preferred
2. 8+ years in marketing, with digital marketing/web design
and 12 years professional experience in marketing and
communications, specifically in digital communication as a
marketing tool, preferably in a higher education setting
3. Excellent writing, problem-solving and verbal
communication skills
4. Knowledge of higher education enrollment strategies
5. Thorough understanding of SEM, SEO, including planning,
executing and tracking results
6. Experience implementing email and social media
campaigns to grow and engage an audience
7. Thorough understanding of online media, affiliate
networks, email and social media
8. Proficiency with Google tools including Analytics, Adwords,
and Webmaster
9. Experience managing and negotiating with online
advertising networks and agencies
10. Experience interpreting online analytics and metrics and
converting findings into actionable business
improvements
11. Experience driving the definition and management of the
creative, operational, and technical aspects of a digital
presence, including conceptual web design and ongoing
design maintenance
12. Experience evolving web assets to create brand
awareness and audience engagement
13. Experience managing the web-to-lead process
14. Experience integrating emerging social/web trends
15. Ability to stay current on emerging technology
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8. Proposal For Towson University’s
Digital Marketing Department
Digital Marketing Coordinator
Responsibilities
1. Coordinate the development, implementation and analysis
of online communication strategies and tactics, including
social media, video/photo placement and sharing,
SEO/SEM, online advertising and email marketing
2. Manage paid search, display, mobile, and CPC campaigns
on a regular basis, working with different vendors as
needed
3. Manage a significant portfolio of Google SEM campaigns
including text and display ad creation, keyword list
management, geo targeting and budget
4. Initiate A/B testing of display ads, emails, landing pages;
analyze performance and translate quantitative and
qualitative data into recommendations and plans for
improving the campaigns
5. Create thorough, actionable reports based on data from
multiple sources including Google Analytics, Microsoft
Access, PeopleSoft; extrapolate data patterns to make
recommendations
Qualifications
1. Bachelor's degree and 2-3 years related experience
2. Passion for the Internet, online marketing and advertising
3. Experience with social media programs and campaigns, including
development and implementation of strategy and day-to-day
tactics
4. Strong research and analytical skills, including experience with
Google Analytics, Facebook or other reporting sources; ability to
identify trends and provide insights for development of online
strategy
5. Experience in writing website content and tagging the content
appropriately for optimum SEO
6. Ability to provide guidance, coordination and collaboration with
internal marketing and production teams as well as outside
vendors and freelancers
7. Proficient working with the Microsoft Office Suite with particular
proficiency in Excel
8. Excellent oral, written, presentation and interpersonal
communications skills
9. Ability to work in a fast paced environment with attention to
details and deadlines
10. Organizational skills and the ability to prioritize projects; Strong
working knowledge of higher education a plus
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9. Proposal For Towson University’s
Digital Marketing Department
Graduate marketing coordinator
Responsibilities
1. Oversee interest and awareness marketing for Towson
University’s graduate programs including radio, print, direct,
display
2. Manage marketing communications flow to individuals in various
stages of the enrollment funnel
3. Work closely with graduate program directors and digital
marketing coordinator to develop marketing strategies for
individual graduate programs including online, print, video, direct,
collateral and display
4. Negotiate media schedules, placement, and prices with third
party vendors
5. Provide service-oriented consulting on and stewardship of
graduate admissions web pages to ensure that content is
compelling, current and complete
6. Manage the annual production of the graduate course catalog via
Microsoft SharePoint
Qualifications
1. Bachelor's degree and 2-3 years related experience in
traditional advertising, marketing, media; agency or
higher education setting preferred
2. Experience creating, executing and analyzing marketing
strategies and
3. Experience building, negotiating and managing the
successful execution of multiple media schedules
4. Experience concepting and writing effective web content
and copy for email, collateral, print, radio
5. Attentive, responsive and effective collaborator who is
able to build consensus and confidence
6. Excellent oral, written, presentation and interpersonal
communications skills
7. Proficient working with the Microsoft Office Suite with particular
proficiency in Excel
8. Ability to work in a fast paced environment with attention to
details and deadlines
9. Organizational skills and the ability to prioritize projects
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10. Proposal For Towson University’s
Digital Marketing Department
Graduate assistant 1
Responsibilities
1. Act as point for promotional video production
2. Coordinate online graduate marketing survey
3. Traffic media and creative production
4. Other duties as assigned
Qualifications
1. Detail-oriented
2. Outgoing; extroverted
3. Experience managing multiple projects, budgets and
vendors
4. Excellent written and verbal communication skills
5. Organizational skills, including maintaining a detailed
log of projects
Graduate assistant 2
Responsibilities
1. Coordination of online graduate marketing survey
2. Maintenance of Graduate Dashboard web pages,
including use of online charting tool
3. Search engine marketing (SEM) for graduate programs
4. Search engine optimization (SEO) for graduate web
pages
5. Other duties as assigned
Qualifications
1. Detail-oriented
2. Outgoing; extroverted
3. Familiarity with social media and interactive marketing
4. Excellent written and verbal communication skills
5. Natural curiosity and enthusiasm for learning new skills
This proposal makes liberal use of the IBM Global CMO Study “From Stretched
to Strengthened: Insights from the Global Chief Marketing Officer Study.
ibm.com/cmostudy2011
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