Learn How To Complete Your Action Plan

Creating an Action Plan is a very good way of organizing projects. There's an old saying that we should "plan our work and then work our plan" . . . that leads to success!

Internet Marketing students will learn how to create an Action Plan.

For your final assessment (keep watching the blog for news about the final assessment) you will be required to show me your Action Plan. Therefore, we will devote class time to learning how to create an Action Plan.

When you're assigned a project, it really helps to create an Action Plan that details all of the work that needs to be done. Each "action" includes a "date for completion" along with notes about when and how the action will be completed. It's your job to identify the action, set a date for completion, and include helpful notes relative to the completion of the action.

Our TA, Ms. Majda, can assist you when you create your Action Plan for the final assessment. Meanwhile, this document provides instructions for completing an Action Plan, and this document is an Action Plan Template.

You will learn more about how to complete an Action Plan in today's classroom session. 

Today's IN CLASS Assignment: Linkedin

What's Linked in?

You tell me. 

You've already completed assignments related to Facebook and Twitter. Now you will explore Linkedin, which is similar to other social networking tools, but is designed especially for professionals. In other words, there's not as much senseless chitchat (i.e. omw GUST) among the users of Linkedin. 

Your assignment today is to research Linked in and answer some questions:

1.  Open a Word file. Name it Your First Name_Your 4 Digit ID #_Linked.docx. In the document be sure to include your full name and student number. You can title the assignment: Linked in.

2.  Answer the following questions. Be certain that you give complete answers (not just cryptic responses, or a phrase or two). Be sure you check your Basic English! You can type the questions into the Word doc and then answer the questions. The last question requires some thought and research:

Do your own work. Do not collaborate! This is NOT a team project. This is an IN CLASS assignment; it's due at the end of class today. 

• What is Linked in? Logical places to begin your research: Linked in, YouTube, Google. Do not "lift" information -- write your own thoughts based on the information you collect about Linked in. Write 2-3 sentences to explain Linked in.
• Create your own Linked in profile. It's free. You can include as little or as much info as you would like in your profile. 
• Search for me on Linked in, or any other person you know who is a member of Linked in, and study our profile. What do you notice that's different about the Linked in profile compared to Facebook and Twitter profiles? Point out the differences and explain which profile you prefer (Twitter, FB or Linked in) and why. Write 3-5 sentences of explanation. 
• Why and when would YOU use Linked in? (If you don't think you ever would, explain why). 1-3 sentences. 
• Assume that you work in a marketing department of a business in Kuwait and the boss asks you, "Should we be on Linked in?" . . . how would you answer? Be sure your answer is specific and complete. Explain why or why not! "Yes" and "No" are inadequate answers. 2-3 sentences. Tip: Search for and read (or view) testimonials from Linked in users who explain why/how they used Linked in and use those testimonials as examples in your report. 

3.  Your Word document must be emailed to me (subject line: Linkedin) by the end of today's class.

Check your English please!  

Midterm Deadline Extended to Nov. 4

You can have two additional days to complete your midterm -- deadline is now Wednesday 4 November at 12 noon in Kuwait.

Remember that I told you there will be numerous assignments coming in a short period of time . . . but I also told you that you will get a break nearer the end of the semester when you will not have assignments due! Keep that in mind, please.

Today's Assignment: Utilizing Online Sources

Several online sources provide marketers (including bloggers and journalists) with press releases, photos and videos that can be downloaded (for free) and used in a variety of ways online.

For example, if you were planning to write an article about auto racing, you could find a variety of press releases on any given day that address the topic. You could then utilize the information from the releases to conduct further research, or you could even publish the releases (giving credit to the author/s, of course, and to the source). If you planned to produce a TV program about fashion . . . or write a magazine report about the future of Kuwait . . . you could find valuable information about those topics (and endless other topics) through these sources.

As a marketer (online and off-line) it's important to become familiar with these sources, including Business Wire, PR Newswire and Ezinearticles.com. Keep in mind there are other online sources, but these are three of the most popular.

Your Assignment

Here's your assignment: I urge you to read the directions/requirements carefully (more than once) and follow them exactly.

1.  Visit Ezinearticles.com and either Business Wire or PR Newswire. (Visit two sites).

2.  Select a topic that you would like to know more about. Pretend that you were going to write a blog related to the topic. Select a topic that interests you. Let's just assume you selected "college volleyball."

3.  Now search the two sites for articles, photos, and videos that relate to "college volleyball."

4.  Select 3 articles from two different sites (a total of 3 articles). You can select 1 from Ezinearticles.com, for example, and 2 from the second site you visited. 

5.  Create a Word document. Title it as follows: YourFirstName_Your4DigitGUSTID_Sources.doc. 

6.  Copy into the Word document the headlines of the articles you selected. Include the URLs for the articles so that I can link to them. 

6.  Find 1 video that's related to your topic; include the URL for the video in the Word doc. You can find videos on many online sources -- select one of your choice (you recently did an assignment where you used a major online video site).

7.  Find 2-3 photos or other images that you would use if you were writing about your topic, again, let's say "college volleyball." Include thumbnails (or a small size) of the images in the document that you'll submit to me. That's 2-3 images total. Use any online source of your choice to find photos. 

8.  Email the Word document to me no later than 12:00 p.m. (noon in Kuwait) Friday 30 October. 

Your Assignment for 21 October: Compare Google+ to Facebook

This assignment includes both online and offline requirements. 

For the online assignment, you are required to Comment on the blog. Please go to GUST IT and ask for help if you do not know how to add Comments -- or you can ask a classmate. Do NOT copy another student's comment -- when I see two comments that are essentially the same I will not count either comment.

VERY IMPORTANT: If you want credit for your Comments, please be sure to include your NAME and GUST ID in your Comments on the blog! Otherwise I have no way of knowing who added the Comment and you will not get credit. 

Rescheduled: Service Hero: Nov. 11 in N1-012

Mark your calendar for Wednesday 11 November at 12:30 p.m. in N1-012 when the MRKT 401 Internet Marketing class will meet with guest speaker Faten Abu-Ghazaleh. This is a make-up class session. We will also meet at our regular times on Monday 19 October. 

Ms. Abu-Ghazaleh is president of Service Hero which is Kuwait’s only 100% consumer-driven customer satisfaction index. This means that consumers throughout Kuwait are empowered to rate their service experience at restaurants, airlines and retail stores. By voting, you are helping local companies learn about their customer service strengths and weaknesses and the index shows the businesses how they compare to competitors. Each year, Service Hero sponsors an awards dinner and honors the businesses with the highest customer satisfaction ratings in Kuwait.

Ms. Abu-Ghazaleh holds an MBA from New York University and a BA in political science from Kuwait University. She’s a managing partner of Khayal Consultants where she heads the Marketing and Strategy Consulting team. She spent 17 years with NBK as assistant general manager responsible for the Marketing Division.

You will receive bonus points for attending this session. 

Your Midterm Assessment: Details & Deadline

I have uploaded the Midterm Assessment document here. 

Please access the document and read it carefully. If you have questions, please ask me! The deadline for your Midterm Assessment is noon on Monday, Nov. 2. At that time, your Word document is due via email.