This course is a Project Based Learning course (PBL). Students find out what it takes to market a product or service in today’s fast-paced business environment. They learn the fundamentals of marketing using real-world business examples. They learn about buyer behavior, marketing research principles, demand analysis, distribution, financing, pricing, and product management.

Software Requirements

· Microsoft® Windows 7® or higher, or Mac® OS 10.3 Mavericks® or over operating system; 400 MHz or faster processor; 512 MB of memory (RAM); at least 2 GB of hard drive space; Adobe® Reader®; the most current Adobe® Flash® Player

· Microsoft Office or equivalent document, spreadsheet, and presentation software

Project and Course Content

Going to Market

Students will conduct market research into a successful company and create an Investment Proposal presentation for Echo Investments to help it find new investment opportunities that will help it grow.

Essential Question

How do I make wise investment decisions?

Driving Question

How do we, as business consultants, and potential business investors or shareholders, analyze the marketing strategy of a company and consider its longevity in the market to determine if it is a worthwhile investment?

Objectives

· Describe what it means to be a professional.

· Describe the characteristics of an effective listener.

· Describe what excellent customer service consists of.

· Identify strategies for effective written communication.

· Describe the soft skills that are valued in the workplace

· Respond to customer service dilemmas

· Describe different types of industries such as extractive, manufacturing, and service industry.

· Define industry.

· Identify the types of funding.

· Identify various sources of funding.

· Identify the factors that helps in predicting or forecasting more accurate results.

· Identify the types of changes and trends as a source of business opportunities.

· Define the scope of a company with respect to the range or variety of products and services it offers. Retire

· Identify the factors to be considered before adding a new product to a company.

Remarkable Markets

Teams of students will examine a successful company’s marketing efforts and the economic factors involved. They will share in the creation of a competitor analysis for presentation to their employer. This analysis should provide useful lessons learned that the company could utilize to drive future marketing actions.

Essential Question

How can competition lead to success?

Driving Question

How can we, as members of the marketing department, by evaluating the marketing strategy of our chief competitor, make recommendations to improve our company’s marketing efforts?

Objectives

· Define marketing.

· Describe the activities or functions that marketing encompasses.

· Explain how businesses use the marketing concept.

· Describe how marketing is impacting businesses and other organizations.

· Describe ethical issues faced in marketing and business decision making.

· Distinguish between goods and services.

· Identify how the law of supply and demand works.

· Identify the effect of change in the supply on the price of a product.

· Identify the effect of change in the demand on the price of a product.

· Identify the different types of competitors.

· Identify the two main types of competitive strategies.

· Identify factors that affect brand image.

· Define market positioning.

· Identify the steps involved in developing brand's marketing message.

· Identify types of promotional activities used by the companies.

· Identify marketing tools used by companies to achieve marketing goals.

· Describe the importance of customer retention.

· Identify the internal and external factors that affect pricing.

· Identify the common pricing strategies.

· Identify ways of evaluating successful sales and pricing strategies.

SWOT Team

In teams, students will complete a SWOT analysis for a local business they select. They will then identify a new product to promote, storyboard a social media advertisement, and create and deliver a digital ad pitch presentation.

Essential Question

How can we turn a threat into an opportunity?

Driving Question

How can we, as a marketing agency, create an effective promotional campaign to capitalize on market opportunities for our client and increase their market share?

Objectives

· Develop a SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats) analysis for a business.

· Explain direct and indirect competition.

· Explain price compared to non-price competition.

· Conduct a competitive analysis for a business.

· Describe the various methods of promotion.

· Identify the factors that are considered when creating a promotional strategy.

· Differentiate between the various types of advertising.

· Differentiate between institutional and product advertising.

· Describe how business utilize the Internet and social media for promotions and advertising.

· Identify strategies to create a persuasive presentation.

Making a Match

Students will create a portfolio of materials in preparation for meeting with a career counselor to obtain a marketing internship. Portfolios will include a career personality profile summary, marketing career cluster comparison, cover letter, and inquiry email.

Essential Question

How do I market myself?

Driving Question

How can we, as job seekers, know which positions will best suit our interests, where to find those positions, and how to reach potential employers so that we might gain employment?

Objectives

· Research careers in market research.

· Research careers in brand management.

· Research careers in advertising.

· Research careers in promotions.

· Research careers in public relations.

· Research careers in product development

· Research careers in E-marketing.

· Identify what marketing career would best suit you based on your career interests.

· Complete a career personality profile.

Witness This

In the role of reporter for their local newspaper, students will observe customer service in their community to gather anecdotal evidence about these interactions. Students will use their observations, along with research into interpersonal skills needed for quality customer service, to write an op-ed piece evaluating the quality of customer service in their community and making recommendations for key areas of improvement.

Essential Question

This project is designed to help students reflect on the following essential question: How can reflection help people grow?

Driving Question

To be successful, students must address the following driving question in their project: How can I, as a reporter, gather anecdotal evidence of professional skills in real life, to provide an accurate picture of retail and service employees in my town?

Objectives

· Describe what it means to be a professional.

· Describe the characteristics of an effective listener.

· Describe what excellent customer service consists of.

· Identify strategies for effective written communication.

· Describe the soft skills that are valued in the workplace

· Respond to customer service dilemmas