SYLLABUS Direct and Database Marketing (MKT 321) Spring 2012 Section C1 Online weeks run Thursday-Wednesday 5 January- 18 April 2012 Instructor: Blodwen Tarter, Ph.D. Phone: 415-442-6587 Email: btarter@ggu.edu Office hours by appointment. COURSE DESCRIPTION AND OBJECTIVES Covers the planning, design, and execution of direct marketing programs, including methods for utilizing databases and targeting techniques. You will learn how to design direct mail, telephone, catalog, email, and internet-based marketing programs for consumer goods, services, and industrial markets. You will learn the principles of database design for marketing and gain an overview of the basic data analysis for targeting and testing. After successfully completing this course, students should be able to: 1. Demonstrate a variety of direct marketing skills: describe and apply targeting, create an offer, develop positioning, select appropriate media (including lists), evaluate creative execution, and show how to track program performance. 2. Identify opportunities for direct marketing with an appreciation for the strengths and weaknesses of direct marketing versus other forms of marketing communications. 3. Describe and apply basic data analysis for direct marketing, including basic performance measurement techniques. Explain the purposes and benefits of modeling and profiling. 4. Evaluate the financial performance of a direct marketing campaign, assess profitability of specific programs, and show how to use breakeven analysis. Establish appropriate measurements for a given direct marketing campaign. 5. Combine direct marketing methods with other elements of the promotional mix to produce an integrated marketing approach to the marketplace. 6. Collaboratively develop and present a direct marketing plan, applying concepts and techniques covered in the course. PREREQUISITIES: MKT 300 and MATH 40 or 240. Students should understand the principles of marketing and basic statistics before taking this course and be familiar with basic Excel. REQUIRED MATERIALS AND TOOLS Textbook: Contemporary Direct & Interactive Marketing, 2nd ed., Lisa Spiller & Martin Baier. Prentice Hall, 2010. Print version ISBN: 978-0136086109. ebook ISBN 978-0-13-608614-7. Cases: Cases 1-3 will be provided by the instructor online. Case 4 must be purchased. 1. ING Direct Café, Stacy Neier, Blodwen Tarter, Debra Zahay, 2010. 2. TurboTax Direct Response Television, Blodwen Tarter, 2011. 3. The San Francisco Symphony Turns 100, Blodwen Tarter, 2012. 4. Air France Internet Marketing, Mark Jeffery, et. al., 2009, Kellogg School, KEL 319, available from the GGU Bookstore Syllabus MKT 321 Spring 2012 v. 1 Page 1 of 8
Additional readings will be provided via URLs to websites, posted in CyberCampus or in GGU s Electronic Course Reserve (ECR) found at library.ggu.edu/search/r?search=mkt+321. ECR requires your GGU ID number for access. The course requires use of GGU s CyberCampus, the World Wide Web, email with the ability to send and receive attachments, and the ability to open and read documents in Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. COURSE LOGISTICS AND NAVIGATION As a CyberCampus course, virtually all course activity takes place electronically. Our week begins Thursday morning and ends the following Wednesday evening. Each week typically involves: 1) Readings from the textbook, cases, handouts, and material online. Readings should be completed prior to the class discussion. 2) Lectures and/or a guest speaker online. 3) Discussion of current topics, posted online in the class CyberCampus site. 4) Preparation of assignments. Submit written assignments online by Thursday morning, 9 am, (the first day of our weekly session), unless otherwise indicated. Detailed instructions about each assignment will be provided. 6) Reflections posted at the end of each week (see below). You will receive 3 units of credit if you successfully complete this class. This means that you can expect to spend 2 hours 40 minutes in class and/or online each week plus an additional 8-12 hours each week completing homework and preparing for the next class. You can expect to spend more time studying some weeks and less time other weeks, but overall you should expect to average between 11 and 15 hours each week on this class for the entire term. CONTACTING THE INSTRUCTOR I check email and the CyberCampus class site regularly. Normally, I will respond to email within 24 hours during the week and within 48 hours on weekends & holidays. Please include MKT 321 in the subject line of any email about the course or the message may be deleted as spam. EVALUATION AND GRADING Participation 15% Midterm examination 10% Direct marketing topic paper & presentation 11% Case analyses/direct marketing applications (4 at 8% each) 32% Completing ungraded assignments/exercises 2% Team project 30% Final paper and presentation to class (team) 25% Team participation (individual) 5% Some required assignments will not receive individual grades. Failure to complete ungraded assignments will be reflected in a lower overall course grade. Syllabus MKT 321 Spring 2012 v. 1 Page 2 of 8
In a graduate course, students should, on average, perform at a B level. The grade of B means you are meeting the basic expectations for this course. This is superior to the average work of an undergraduate. The grade of B means you study the material and understand it. You expand your understanding by using additional materials beyond the textbook. You participate constructively in all discussions, enhancing your learning and those of other students. Your written work is presented on time and is written well. (B-=80-82.9%, B=83-86.9%, B+=87-89.9%) Work that is superior to the average graduate student earns an A. Superior work has greater depth and application and is very well-written. A grade of A means the instructor considers your work excellent and of a professional caliber. (A-=90-92.9%, A=93-100%) Work that does not meet the basic expectations of a graduate student earns less than a B. While C is a passing grade, it indicates your work is of lower quality than expected for the graduate level and would not be acceptable in a professional setting. (C-=70-72.9%, C=73-76.9%, C+=77-79.9%; D-=60-62.9%, D=63-66.9%, D+=67-69.9%; F=<60%) PARTICIPATION Your participation is essential. Each student should contribute to our discussions and be professional in his or her contributions. Bring to bear the course material, relevant experience, your research and interests, as well as reflections upon others' contributions. Participation is evaluated both qualitatively and quantitatively. I expect comments, questions, and active, regular involvement in online discussions, team meetings, and exercises. Prepare by reading the assigned material and completing the assignments prior to each discussion. Contributions are particularly valued when they a) demonstrate thorough analysis of the course material and assignments, b) contribute insight into current direct marketing practices, and c) build upon others contributions. Question, analyze, expand, and recommend don t just agree or disagree with your classmates or restate facts. Contribute at least 3 postings per week per discussion, excluding midterm week. Posting early, between Thursday and Saturday, gives you an opportunity to set the tone of the discussion and then to post your response to others later in the week. Waiting to post all contributions on the last night will earn less credit. For the most credit, post at least once in the first three days of the week and then again in the last four days of the week. Make a substantive comment at least once on contributions posted by others. ( Good comment, Jane is not sufficient!) Reflections, online discussions, and completion of ungraded assignments count. Providing samples of direct marketing to the class via scanned documents posted online or URLs and commenting on them will contribute to your participation grade. Part of your grade will be based upon your teammates evaluation of your contribution to the team s work, including analysis, writing, presentation, and professional behavior. EXAMINATION A proctored mid-term exam will cover required reading and discussions. Please arrange for the proctored exam directly with CyberCampus early in the term. Syllabus MKT 321 Spring 2012 v. 1 Page 3 of 8
WRITTEN ASSIGNMENTS Effective writing helps clarify ideas and communicate those ideas to others. Be organized, clear, and succinct. Grammar, punctuation, style, and spelling count. Write in graduate-level American English that is appropriate to the business community. Papers will be graded on the following criteria: 1. Clear and thorough application of direct and database marketing concepts and principles (including material covered in the assigned reading, lectures, and discussions). 2. Demonstration of original, logical, strategic thinking including a complete analysis of facts, logical synthesis, and persuasive conclusion/recommendation. Specific examples should support the analysis. Address the specific requirements of the assignment. 3. Quality of research (depth, breadth, appropriateness) and proper acknowledgement of references, including complete citations using APA style in-text notes, when appropriate. 4. Appropriate language and tone, accurate spelling, correct grammar, appropriate punctuation, and logical organization. You will not receive an A if your writing is awkward, contains grammatical or punctuation errors, or is disorganized. If you need assistance with writing the Writing Lab at the San Francisco Campus provides drop-in help and by appointment. The Online Writing Lab (OWL) is available for students online. Individual Written Assignments Cases. Cases provide practice in business evaluation and decision-making. Additional guidelines will be provided. Each student will submit written four direct marketing case assignments. 1. List plan 2. Assessment of direct mail creative execution 3. TurboTax Direct Response Television 4. The San Francisco Symphony Turns 100 Direct marketing topic investigation (paper and presentation): Students will pick an area of current interest in direct marketing, obtain the instructor s approval, investigate and present the topic to the class using PowerPoint, respond to comments and questions online, and write a paper (minimum eight pages excluding the reference list/bibliography). Please, do not include a separate title page. The assignment is intended demonstrate students ability to conduct research about a direct marketing topic, synthesize the information gathered and evaluate the implications for the practice of direct marketing, as well to present the findings to a group. The paper should be an in-depth exploration of the subject going well what is covered in the textbook or lectures. Research should be based upon at least six substantive, credible sources. Complete identification of sources, using APA citation format and a full list of sources referenced, must be included in the paper. Note that Wikipedia is not an acceptable source for an academic research paper although you may use it to obtain a general overview of the topic. See Student Topics online for topic ideas and further instructions. Syllabus MKT 321 Spring 2012 v. 1 Page 4 of 8
Reflections. At the end of each week, please reflect upon what we have covered in the justcompleted session. Please respond, online, to one or more of the following four questions: 1. What was new or thought-provoking from this session? 2. What was the most important thing you learned? 3. With what further questions were you left? 4. What could we do to enrich this session? Team Project As a member of a team, you will develop a direct marketing program. This is an opportunity to demonstrate your understanding of the concepts and techniques of direct and database marketing and to apply these techniques. Preliminary papers will assist you in completing your project. Your team will present the project to the class at the end of the term using PowerPoint and submit a written paper to the instructor. Additional Project Guidelines will be provided online. Teams will be formed early in the term. The number and size of teams will depend upon course enrollment. Typically, teams will consist of three-four students. Each team member will receive the same grade for the project paper and presentation. Organize your team early in the course. Allocate the work equitably, agree upon methods of communication, determine dates for contributions, and honor your commitments to one another. Each group will establish a team contract stating expectations and norms and provide a copy to the instructor. Under extraordinary circumstances, a student who does not contribute equitably to the team effort will receive a lower grade for the project than the rest of the team. You will evaluate each team member's contribution to the team effort and I will incorporate your feedback into my final assessment of each student. Team members' evaluation is worth 5% of the overall course grade. Each group is responsible for its own effectiveness. Failure to provide this team participation feedback will result in no credit (F) for your own team participation. Guidelines for Written Assignments Written assignments should be submitted via CyberCampus by 9 am Thursday, the start of the week in which they are due, unless otherwise indicated. Use Microsoft Word for Windows or RTF format only (no PDFs please). A page is the equivalent of a 1.5 line-spaced 8.5 x 11-inch paper with one-inch margins using 12- point type. Follow the page length guidelines for each assignment and number each page. All work should contain the student name(s) and email address(es), the course name and number, the date the assignment is submitted, and the name of the assignment. For short papers, no cover page please. Late assignments will be accepted only with prior approval and may be subject to a grade penalty. Upon occasion I may request that you rewrite an assignment. This is entirely at my discretion. Naming documents. So that I can easily identify your documents please begin every file name with your last name (or team name), followed by the name of the assignment. File name examples. Pay attention to this requirement!! -Your last name is Smith. You submit the Cusco case. EXAMPLE: Smith Cusco.doc -Your team s name is Peach. You submit the project proposal. EXAMPLE: Peach Proposal.doc Syllabus MKT 321 Spring 2012 v. 1 Page 5 of 8
ACADEMIC INTEGRITY: All Work Must Be Your Own Students must be honest in their academic work. Plagiarism and cheating are unacceptable and, if discovered, either will result in automatic failure. There are no extenuating circumstances. All assignments (including online postings) must represent original work developed by the student(s) for this class. Sources of primary and secondary information referenced must receive appropriate credit, using APA format. This includes direct quotations and paraphrased material. Word-for-word quotations should be enclosed within quotation marks or, if extensive, indented. Should you have any question how standards of academic integrity apply to this course, please contact the instructor for clarification before taking any action about which you have questions. For a complete statement of Golden Gate University s Policy on Academic Integrity see http://www.ggu.edu/student_services/student_life/griffin_student_handbook/policy_on_academic_i ntegrity/attachment/policy+on+academic+integrity.pdf. Read this carefully: it explains plagiarism and cheating and provides useful examples. For assistance on citing sources in American Psychological Association (APA) format see http://ggu.libguides.com/apa. Students and instructors may utilize turnitin.com to help assess papers for borrowed material. The enrollment ID and enrollment password for this class will be provided online. ACCOMODATIONS FOR SPECIAL NEEDS Golden Gate University is committed to providing access for students in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act. Please notify both the instructor and GGU s coordinator of disability services by 12 January 2012 if you require accommodations. ABOUT THE INSTRUCTOR Blodwen Tarter has over 25 years of management experience in marketing, product and systems development, strategic planning, and operations management with an emphasis on financial services and information technology. Dr. Tarter holds a BA with distinction and an MA from Stanford University, an MBA from the University of Chicago, and a PhD from Golden Gate University. Her professional experience includes direct marketing to businesses and professionals such as lawyers, librarians, financial planners, and small business owners as well as direct to consumers. At one point Dr. Tarter was responsible for mailing 13 million personal computer software catalogs annually. She is a five-time award-winner of the Direct Marketing Educational Foundation casewriting competitions and has received several teaching awards. Syllabus MKT 321 Spring 2012 v. 1 Page 6 of 8
COURSE OUTLINE This schedule is subject to change. More details may be provided online or via email. Chapter readings refer to Spiller and Baier Contemporary Direct & Interactive Marketing, 2 nd edition. Additional reading may be found in each week s Agenda online. Assignment details can be found online in CyberCampus. Submit assignments via CyberCampus. Recurring assignments not listed separately include weekly discussions, exercises, and Reflections. DATE TOPICS ASSIGNMENTS Week 1 5-11 January Introduction and course overview. Introduction to direct and database marketing. Planning direct marketing. Read: Syllabus, Project Guidelines, Student Topics. Chapter 1, skim 14, Appendix A, Appendix B Chapter 2 from Stone & Jacobs Successful Direct Marketing Methods, 8 th edition, 2008, especially pages 32-42. In ECR. Start collecting direct marketing samples. Week 2 12-18 January Week 3 19-25 January Week 4 25 January- 1 February Week 5: 2-8 February Week 6: 9-15 February Marketing databases, segmentation and customer behavior, modeling. Research methods & library resources. Discuss ING Café case. Customer acquisition. Consumer and business lists. Testing (introduction). DM math to target and measure results. Discuss list plan assignment. The offer. Building customer relationships, retaining and activating customers. Creating direct mail, catalogs, print advertising. Due: a) Personal data sheet b) Get Acquainted Read: Chapter 2, Modeling for Direct Marketers in Nine Easy Steps (Lecture Slides online), ING Café case (provided online) Due: a) ING Café assignment (due 12 January, 9 am) b) team preferences Read: Chapter 3, skim Chapter 10 (required later), data cards for lists (online), Due: Data analysis exercise (due 19 January, 9 am) Read: Chapter 13 Due: List plan assignment (due 25 January, 9 am) Read: Chapter 4 Due: a) Proposal for direct marketing topic, including a summary of a relevant article b) Direct marketing math exercise Read: Chapter 5, 6 Due: Team project proposal and contract Syllabus MKT 321 Spring 2012 v. 1 Page 7 of 8
Week 7 16-22 February Week 8: 23-29 February Week 9: 1-7 March Week 10: 8-14 March Week 11: 15-21 March Week 12: 22-28 March Week 13 29 March- 4 April Week 14 5-11 April Week 15 12-18 April DM print media: magazines, newspapers, coops, inserts, catalogs. Mid-term exam. SCHEDULE PROCTOR with CyberCampus. DM media: TV, radio, telemarketing Internet/interactive direct marketing: overview, email. Discuss TurboTax case. Internet/interactive direct marketing: paid search (SEM) Discuss Air France case. Internet/interactive direct marketing: mobile, social Customer service & fulfillment. Testing and research. Global direct marketing. Environmental, ethical, legal issues. Integrating direct and database marketing into the marketing mix. Multichannel marketing. Conclusion and review. Project presentations. Final project paper. Final evaluations. Read: Chapter 5, 6 Due: Direct mail creative assignment Read: Review course material Due: Midterm exam, midterm feedback on course and team Read: Chapter 7, TurboTax DRTV case Due: Work on your team project. Read: Chapter 8, TurboTax DRTV case Due: TurboTax DRTV case analysis Read: Chapter 8, readings online, Air France Internet Marketing case Due: Proposed offer, initial media plan for team project Read: Chapter 8, readings online Due: Individual direct marketing topic paper Read: Chapter 9, 10, San Francisco Symphony case, recommended: Chapter 7 Berger & Roberts Direct Marketing Management (ECR), Due: a) San Francisco Symphony case analysis. b) Project budget and break even analysis draft. Read: Chapter 11, 12 Due: Present and discuss individual direct marketing topics Read: Team presentations Due: a) University evaluations b) Project presentations c) Final written paper (due 18 April). d) Instructor's course evaluation, team effectiveness evaluations (due 18 April) Syllabus MKT 321 Spring 2012 v. 1 Page 8 of 8