OBJECTIVES
1. To raise awareness of how Channel Marketing works.
2. To approach Social Media Communication from a holistic point of view.
3. To understand the definition and magnitude of SM communication in the workplace.
4. To identify the components of effective Channel Marketing and Social Media Communication performance.
5. To internalize a set of practical tools.
6. To progress from a `familiarity of Social Networks to a level of advanced understanding of Social Networks in today´s business organizations.
7. To monitor one´s own communication learning process.
8. Learn to develop a Social Media Plan
COMPETENCES:
- Critical Thinking.
- Basic theoretical knowledge of the subject.
- Development of written and oral communication skills.
- Development of Information management skills.
- Problem-solving skills.
- Teamwork.
- Intrapersonal knowledge and development.
- Interpersonal skills.
- Creativity.
- A search for quality excellence.
- Self Motivation.
- Generative learning.
LEARNING OUTCOMES:
By the end of this course, students should be able to have achieved the objectives set up for this course and have developed the competencies listed above. Also, a complete Social Media Plan, realized in groups, will be your required final.
AGENDA FOR THE SESSIONS: Below you can find a tentative schedule, subject to change if needed. I believe that activity and reflection are important parts of the learning process. Therefore, every single session you will be provided with readings, take-home exercises or activities or an assignment for the following session.
- Foundations of Channel Marketing
o Who, what, why and where of social networks
o Define objectives for Social Media Communication
o Resources needed
o Organizational outline of communication
o How to include Social Media as part of the organizations marketing and communication division
o Integrate Social Media into the Corporate communication Plan
- Marketing Plan in Social Networks; The new competitive advantage, why invest in social networks, objectives & strategies for Social networks,
- How to professionally use the following platforms in Social Media: linkedin, Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, foursquare, slideshare, News aggregators
- How to design a Social Media Marketing Plan, step by step.
- Basic technical principals of on-line marketing and advertising, technological and legal basics of 2.0
- Who and what is a Community Manager; always on, early adopter....
- What is on-line reputation and how to manage a crisis?
- How to monitor, index, measure conversations, information on blogs, opinions/ content of products, brands
- How to use search engines in blogs, microblogs and social media
- Managing corporate reputation online; three phases - listen through research, evaluate opinions, and participate.
- Resources for managing corporate reputation online
In order to enhance the practical application of SM in real environment students will be required to create a complete Social Media Plan. This will be a group project and the final.
The social Media Plan will include:
Planning methods
Designing the Strategy for your SMP
Developing the right tactics for your SMP
15 stages toward successful SMP
Evaluate results of your SMP
ROI - in Social Media
The learning experience is based on a range of teaching methods that seek to foster your understanding of Channel Marketing and the development of your skills in using the most important social channels. A hands-on approach is crucial throughout the course with out-of-class readings, keeping up to date with trends and tendencies, assignments and exercises; there will be a final group presentation of a complete Social Media Plan.
REQUIREMENTS, EXPECTATIONS, AND ASSESSMENT
Since this class is, in effect, an attempt to practice Channel Marketing skills, I expect you to treat this course like you would a job. As the manager of this class, I assume that the people I am working with are good, hard-working and intelligent people who are capable of meeting the requirements of this job. I also assume that you are able to work well in a diverse organizational environment with people from different career, cultural and academic backgrounds.
Additionally, I have several expectations of the people who are working with me. Specifically I expect you to:
- Attend class.
It is imperative that you are here. You CANNOT miss classes. This course is only effective if everyone participates actively.
If you have more than three absences for the semester, be prepared to earn a failing final grade for the course.
You CANNOT miss class when you are scheduled to give a presentation, handle exercises or to take an exam (I will handle special situations if necessary).
- Be punctual.
Come to class ON TIME. No excuses are allowed. Late arrivals disrupt the flow of the class. In addition, tardiness at work would not be tolerated. Anyone who arrives 5 minutes later than the starting of the session won´t be allowed to enter the class.
- Participate.
Class participation is a must for the grade. Therefore, it is important that students come to class with the readings, exercises, activities or other trends and topics encountered prepared, willing to interact and discuss them meaningfully. Everyone can share knowledge and no one possesses absolute expertise in this field! Be ready to explain and share your comments, discoveries and knowledge with your peers! You will be assessed on the quality of your comments, the feedback provided to your colleagues and the way you do it.
- Be prepared for every class.
I expect you to come to class with the readings, take-home exercises, activities and assignments prepared in advance of the class devoted to them.
- Meet deadlines.
Meet due dates. This is the policy for ALL assignments, exercises, presentations, activities. Late stuff submissions are not accepted. For every piece of work not submitted when scheduled (oral presentations, in class exercises and activities, take home exercises and activities and the final exam) you will receive 0 points.
- Demonstrate academic integrity in all of your work.
If you are caught cheating in any form on exams, plagiarizing or rehashing in exercises, activities, assignments, presentations or handing in work you did not do, be prepared to receive a failing final grade for the course.
Be sure your work is your own. You are responsible for citing all sources on which you rely, using quotation marks when language is taken directly from others´ work, and knowing how to use your own language to paraphrase a source (hint: changing a few words is not sufficient). If you cite a direct quote, you must provide a reference with a page number for the citation.
- Comply with the Coursework policy.
Coursework consists of:
Take-home & in class exercises
Take-home & in class activities
Assignments
Readings
Presentations
The completion of the coursework together with the quality of participation need to meet the minimum of 35% in order to be promoted in this subject.
Regarding presentations, you will provide an outline at the time you speak, give feedback to your classmate presentations and complete a self piece of reflection paper of your performance and the feedback provided by your classmates.
Formatting for the assignments & exercises:
Times New Roman
1.5-spaced
Font 12
Justified
Margins: Top 2,5 cm; Bottom 2,5 cm; Left 3 cm; Right 3 cm.
Reference system
- Sit the Exam and hand in the portfolio.
In most organizations, employees are required to submit reports or other documents, which will prove in a way their competence to be promoted. Likewise, students to have the chance to be promoted with this subject, it is mandatory that they comply with the coursework policy (minimum of 35%) and sit the exam. It is necessary that you meet a minimum of 25% in the exam.
- Follow the Cell phones & Laptops policy.
Cell-phones are off limits during class: no calls -no text messaging- no Iming. Please, turn them off. No cell-phones are allowed on the table to check the time. Your professor will inform you when it is the time to finish the class.
If you have an emergency situation that requires you to be contacted quickly during class time, let your professor know at the beginning of class and an exception may be made if the professor considers so.
Laptops. The use of laptops is only allowed under the professor´s permission and with the only purpose of taking notes. In case, the professor has the feeling they are used for other purposes; they will be strongly forbidden and the student will have to leave the class. That will mean an absence.
Those students allowed to use a laptop will have to show the professor the notes taken with it at the end of each class. Moreover, they will have to sit at the front of the class.
- Retake Exam
This will consists of a written exam, an oral presentation prepared in advance, and a set of exercises and activities to be submitted. As part of the presentation, you will provide a full content preparation outline at the time scheduled. (This may be subject to change)
- Revision Date
Once the semester is over and final grades posted, there will be a time slot of a day devoted to revision.
EVALUATION
The Course grade will be based on the following point breakdown:
20% Quality participation, attitude, daily in & out-of-class effort, rich feedback provided & proof of readings assigned.
10% Presentations
20% In & out-of-class exercises, activities.
50% Final Exam
Prerequisite to pass this course is to meet the minimum of 25% in the final exam and a minimum of 35% in the other parts together.
Recommended Textbooks available in the La Salle library:
Digital Strategies for Powerful Corporate Communications
ISBN: 9780071606028 By: Paul A. Argenti, Courtney M. Barnes
Wiki brands: Reinventing Your Company in a Customer-Driven Marketplace
ISBN: 9780071749275 By: Sean Moffitt, Mike Dover, And Don Tapscott
Mobile Marketing:
ISBN: 9780071743020 By: Adler, Ronald B. & Rodman, G. (2009)
You will also be given a list of 10 books on Channel Marketing, Community Management, and Social Networks that are highly recommended for this subject.