Master activity
The master activity, acting as a umbrella to cover all underlying activities consist of selecting and contacting a real business which has today a limited internet presence (simple website, no web shop, no extensive product catalog, social media might be used but no formal digital marketing strategy in place, no search engine marketing is in place). Make sure you check the maturity level in the domain of internet presence before deciding to approach a busines.
Don't think only about retail outlets. Easy candidates are often small/medium production and service business. Have a look at the industrial area in your neighborhood for candidates. You will more easily find there an interesting business with poor internet footprint then looking at small retail.
You need to build a prototype internet presence (website, webshop, FB page, TW, ...) and implement on this prototype the theory provided during the classes. Formal deliverables are documented at the end of each lesson as an "Activity".
Don't forget you need formal authorisation from the business you select to build the prototype and implement the digital marketing plan. You need the authorisation document to be signed. A template document has been prepared to formalise the authorization of the company.The document is available in Dutch and English:
(Image courtesy of hywards at FreeDigitalPhotos.net)
- Company authorisation.docx (English)
- Toestemming bedrijf.docx (Dutch).
- (@student: Please get it filled in and signed, and submit on chamilo in dropbox: "assignments>Authorisation Form". It is mandatory to get this authorisation - this will amongst others protect us from copyright infringement accusations)
- In order to avoid real customers actually being pulled to your webshop away from the real company one, a fake company name & brands are to be used in the prototype
- The prototype webshop with its supporting digital marketing must contain the following:
- The result of the different activities part of this class, including the overall Digital marketing plan. The activity results requiring separate documentation are to be bundled under a placeholder menu tab "Activities" on your prototype webshop.
- Prototype website/webshop and its associated digital marketing prototype implementation
- Elaborate your webshop proposal in an online format by creating a free suitable website builder. Knowledge of HTML, CSS, Javascript will not be required for this class (you are marketing students, not web developers...
Master activity alternatives
If you don' succeed in finding a business for your prototype, you can ask the lecturer for a case.
Activities deadlines
ACT 0 : Preparation:
Group formation - < Monday Oct. 3rd
Case / company selection - < Monday Oct. 10th.
It is strongly recommended to have your case selected before this date, as any delay in case selection delays the start of your activities
Groups not being on time with their case / company selection will get a penalty score -1
Your prototype website / webshop, its digital marketing and the associated activities all require to be available by your presentation date, which will be planned the last lessons of the semester. You will find more detail about presentation planning and activity submission in the last chapter of this course.
Activities list
An updated inventory of the activities will be published here below as they are planned. This list will grow every week as activities are published.