A Word of Caution

1. Plan well or you will end up redoing, then redoing, and probably redoing.  Lots of time wasted!
2. Too many times students start putting together pages without designing anything, or they design just one of the images they will use and then start making their site.  Huge mistake!  The result is always a mismash of something on the pages without consistency or vision.
3. Too many times students put together something they like; they ignore who the audience is, even when they've been given the assignment to define their target audience and turn it in. 

The Marketing Plan - Defining Key Points

The goal of a marketing plan for a web site is to establish 1) Who is your target audience  2) Web site objectives, and 3) To create a plan of action - to know beforehand what you are creating.

Once you've defined these three items, you have in essence your marketing plan.  Therefore, the following is your outline for a marketing plan:

1. For Whom are You Creating Your Site; Who is Your Audience?
• Age
• Gender
• Annual income range
• Educational background
• Hobbies or Interests
• Commonalities -- anything all consumers of your product/service would likely have in common
• How brand loyal would you expect consumers to be - or would you want them to become?  Is this a factor for your product/service?
2. A Description of the Customer's Online Behavior
• Would consumers of your product/service tend to have the latest computers and technology, or would they be working with out dated computers and technology?  You need to know this when selecting what technology you will include within your site.
• Are your consumers likely to make purchases online or just browse for information?
• How often do your consumers go online; are they web savvy individuals?
3. A Customer Profile
• To help determine the colors to use on the web site and other items of visual appeal, answer the following questions:
• What are the customers' likes and dislikes?
• How would he/she use the given product/service you are marketing?
• How often would he/she use the given product/service you are marketing?
4. What is the Purpose of Our Web Site; What Information Would the Audience be Visiting Our Web Site Hoping to Find?
• Keep in mind that consumables (goods are often replaced) are not good sellers online, simply due to rate of use.  If someone is using a product every day, when they run out, they are going to run to a local store to replenish their supply; they are not going to wait for it to arrive through the mail.  So if you are marketing a consumable item, what purposes could a web site serve as a marketing tool?
• Many consumers of durable items, such as a person looking to buy a car, spend time online looking for information about the product.  The result: consumers are more educated about products and services since the influx of the Internet into most U.S. homes.  However, consumers in the market for higher priced or investment items may not be willing to purchase such an expensive item online, which limits the ability to see purchases first hand before purchasing.
• In general, what are consumers looking for when they visit your web site? - - what would cause them to type in your URL?

1. Web Site Creative Brief
• Description --> a few sentences about the company, its services and products
• URL --> What would be the best web site address for this company
• Hosting -->  Where will the site be hosted: in house or outsourced to a hosting company?
2. Technology plan
• What technology (hardware and software) is needed to create the web site? This includes databases and multimedia.
• What technology (hardware and software) is needed by site guests to view and interact with the web site?
3. Publicity plan
• How will you market to your audience on the Internet. 
• Note:  online marketing options are forthcoming.  For now, give it your best shot.  But please do not answer "hit counters"  -- bad idea!
• How will you market to your audience away from the Internet.  Read: Offline marketing information.
4. Maintenance plan
• How often will you update the site
• What features will your site include that will demand timely maintenance?
• Who will update the site - will you outsource this to a web marketing agency or do this in house?

This is an individual assignment, not a team assignment.

1. Visit the site of Charmin bathroom tissue, a consumable item at (a new window will open): www.charmin.com. 
2. For what purpose was this web site made?  Is it to allow people to purchase bathroom tissue online?  If not, then why was it created?  What is the goal of the site?
3. For whom is the site created?  Who is the target audience?
4. What colors are on the site?  How do the colors match the target audience?
5. What technology is used on the site?

Assignment, Part B

1. Put together a marketing plan for the following product. Include all of the key elements outlined in this lesson.  This product may not interest you.  In fact it was selected because it probably won't interest you.  You are not the target audience:
• Pampers Diapers
• Alternate plan:  Each team write down a product, then each product is placed in a bowl or hat and each team draws a product from the mix.  Products that would cause embarrasment or are not school appropriate will not be allowed.

1. Defend your marketing plan.  State why it will be effective.  Be complete in your responses.

Homework Assignment:
Homework in an Internet Marketing course????  What are we thinking? 

1. Watch television long enough to view 4 advertisements that include web site addresses and write down the following analysis for each:

Web site URL The company, product, or service being promoted Is the web site the focus of the advertisement or has the web site address been added as an additional informational component of the television spot?

2. Either at school or at home if you have home Internet accessibility, visit the sites for each advertisement and write down your opinion of the following:

Target audience - who is it? Is the site well designed?  Why or why not? Is the site anything to get excited about --  Is it any good?