Course Title: Plan market research

Part B: Course Detail

Teaching Period: Term1 2016

Course Code: MKTG7906C

Course Title: Plan market research

School: 650T Vocational Business Education

Campus: City Campus

Program: C5342 - Diploma of Marketing

Course Contact: Tim Wallis

Course Contact Phone: +61 3 9925 5423

Course Contact Email: timothy.wallis@rmit.edu.au


Name and Contact Details of All Other Relevant Staff

Elaine Holstein

elaine.holstein@rmit.edu.au

9925 5155
 

Nominal Hours: 50

Regardless of the mode of delivery, represent a guide to the relative teaching time and student effort required to successfully achieve a particular competency/module. This may include not only scheduled classes or workplace visits but also the amount of effort required to undertake, evaluate and complete all assessment requirements, including any non-classroom activities.

Pre-requisites and Co-requisites

None

Course Description

This unit describes the skills and knowledge required to plan market research by identifying market research needs, defining market research objectives, identifying data gathering approaches and developing a market research plan.

It applies to individuals in a non-market research organisation who conduct market research planning at a managerial level.


National Codes, Titles, Elements and Performance Criteria

National Element Code & Title:

BSBMKG506 Plan market research

Element:

1. Identify market research needs

Performance Criteria:

1.1. Communicate role of market research in enterprise operations to relevant personnel
1.2. Identify contribution of market research to enterprise activity
1.3. Analyse enterprise planning and performance documentation to determine research needs
1.4. Consult relevant personnel to determine research needs
1.5. Develop statement of market research needs
 

Element:

2. Define market research objectives

Performance Criteria:

2.1. Draft research objectives
2.2. Undertake preliminary project scoping
2.3. Consult with relevant personnel on draft research objectives to ensure relevant and useful information is gathered
2.4. Review and finalise draft objectives in light of scoping parameters
 

Element:

3. Define data gathering approaches

Performance Criteria:

3.1. Identify types of data required to inform objectives
3.2. Determine combinations of types of data to best inform objectives
3.3. Identify and evaluate suitable data gathering methods
3.4. Identify data sources
3.5. Quantify required data
3.6. Identify and evaluate suitable data processing methods
3.7. Make decisions in relation to data types, combinations, gathering methods, sources, quantities and processing methods
 

Element:

4. Develop market research plan

Performance Criteria:

4.1. Estimate resources and time lines required for market research projects
4.2. Determine feasibility of market research projects
4.3. Prepare market research plan for approval
4.4. Obtain approval to implement plan from appropriate personnel as required
 


Learning Outcomes


This course is structured to provide students with the optimum learning experience in order to demonstrate the skills and knowledge required to plan market research by identifying market research needs, defining market research objectives, identifying data gathering approaches and developing a market research plan.


Details of Learning Activities

This unit is co delivered and co assessed with MKTG7910C (BSBMKG508) - Plan Direct Marketing Activities. A range of in class activities, case studies and independent research are included as the learning activities for this course.


Teaching Schedule

Week Number Date Topic
1 8th Feb Introduction to course
2 15th Feb
The Direct Marketing process and Plan
• Overview of the processes, steps and issues for consideration when planning a DM campaign.
• Identifying the DM need
• Contact rules and regulations internal and external
• Exploration of the DM marketing plan document
3 22nd Feb Planning and Testing
The regulatory environment of marketing
• Detailed description of the DM planning structure and steps as well as an overview of the regulations that effect their marketing practise. Students also examine the use of Use of control and universal holdout groups
• Seed lists
• In class regulations activity
• acquisition/ retention new and existing customers.
• Preparing appropriate objectives for a DM campaign
• Customer loyalty

 

4 29th Feb DM and relationship management
• Importance of customer management in a range of industries
Mechanisms for customer management

Budgeting for Direct Marketing
Introduction
• Students explore a number of approaches to preparing and monitoring DM budgets
1. Top down
2. Bottom up
3. % of sales
4. ROI
5. Response Rates
6. Strike rates
7. Acquisition rates
8. Conversion rates

 

5 7th March
 
Introduction to Planning Market Research
Using MR to drive Marketing and specifically DM strategy

Budgeting for Direct Marketing

Continued
• Students explore a number of approaches to preparing and monitoring DM budgets
• Working with DM spreadsheets

6 14th march – Labour Day holiday on Monday In class assessment 1
 
7 21st March Profiling the customer –
• Customer segmentation
• What information do we need in getting to know our customers
• Where might we find it – internal/external sources
Differentiating between business and consumer

Using the above discussion we will explore MR with a closer look at strategy for DM and customer profiling

Completion of a MR brief


 

  Mid semester Break 24 – 30th March Easter and Mid-semester break 
 
 8  4th April
Data – collection, usage, mining and management list generation
• Using customer data to drive a DM campaign and inform list selection
• List management
• List generation and management for small, medium and large industries, B2B and consumer
 
9 11th April Creating the offer/creative development

• Integrating information to develop the right offer at the right time with the right message through the right medium.
Integration with other communication channels as part of a holistic communications campaign – “through the line”.
 

10 18th April A detailed look at the DM options and executions
• SEO

Social networking twitter and Face book, instragram, pinterest etc.
• Electronic -Internet and email,
 

11 25th April A detailed look at the DM options and executions
• Mail
• Print
• Catalogues
• Magazines, journals

A detailed look at the DM options and executions
• Television, radio,
• Mobile and telemarketing
 

12 2nd May Research and measurement

Students explore a number of approaches to measuring the effectiveness/success of DM campaigns
Research and testing the offer:

• Exploration of a range of research and measurement techniques and processes
• Implementation Checklists
• Performance tracking problems and management
• Response and Fulfilment management
Examination of reporting styles/formats
Briefing your agencies
Information and formats

13 9th May In class workshops assessment 2 completion

 

14 16th May • Semester review and preparation for assessment 3
15 23rd May Assessment 3
In class test: Covering campaign measurement and evaluation
 
16 30th May  Resubmits if required.


Learning Resources

Prescribed Texts


References


Other Resources

Relevant resources will be provided to students throughout the semester.


Overview of Assessment

Assessment Methods

Assessment methods have been designed to measure achievement of the requirements in a flexible manner over a range of assessment tasks, for example:

  • direct questioning combined with review of portfolios of evidence and third party workplace reports of on-the-job performance by the candidate
  • review of final printed documents
  • demonstration of techniques
  • observation of presentations
  • oral or written questioning to assess knowledge of software applications

You are advised that you are likely to be asked to personally demonstrate your assessment work to your teacher to ensure that the relevant competency standards are being met.

Performance Evidence

Evidence of the ability to:

  • identify and define market research requirements in an organisation
  • develop a documented market research plan describing scope, objectives, time and budget for market research to be undertaken by an organisation.

Knowledge Evidence

To complete the unit requirements safely and effectively, you must:

  • outline key provisions of relevant legislation, codes of practice and national standards that affect aspects of business operations
  • explain market research principles and practices including:
    - data processing methods and data analysis techniques
    - project design within given budgets and other resource constraints
    - design of samples
    - development and use of hypotheses
    - role of research in enterprise development
    - roles and uses of qualitative and quantitative research
    - use of survey instruments
  • explain project planning principles and practices including for:
    - consultation and stakeholder involvement
    - development of timelines, budgets and other implementation plans
    - gaining approvals
    - needs analyses
    - scoping practices
  • list statistical methods and techniques.

Feedback

Feedback will be provided throughout the semester in class and/or online discussions. You are encouraged to ask and answer questions during class time and online sessions so that you can obtain feedback on your understanding of the concepts and issues being discussed. Finally, you can email or arrange an appointment with your teacher to gain more feedback on your progress.

You should take note of all feedback received and use this information to improve your learning outcomes and final performance in the course.


Assessment Tasks

This unit is co delivered and co assessed with MKTG7910C (BSBMKG508) - Plan Direct Marketing Activities

 
Students are required to complete 3 tasks. All tasks must successfully be completed to be deemed competent in this unit.

Assessment Task Details:

TASK 1 - Financial Case study Budgeting for Direct marketing In class week 6 (individual assessment)

Purpose:

This assessment is designed to test students understanding of budgeting for direct marketing as well as their knowledge and understanding of direct marketing key concepts.

Scope:
During class time students will be presented with a case study, information and a series of questions. Appropriate spread sheets will also be provided.

Requirements:
Students are required to complete the direct marketing budget spread sheet with the data relevant to the case study presented. They are then required to interpret and analyse the data and answer the questions presented.

Submission details:

This is a written test format with the relevant spread sheet to be completed and uploaded to Blackboard at the conclusion of the test session.

Assessment Task Details:

Task 2 - Direct Marketing Plan (Group assessment)
Due Date: Part 1 - COB Sunday week 8
Part 2 - COB Thursday Week 13
Purpose:
This assessment is designed to provide students with the opportunity to demonstrate skills in all the areas of planning and preparing a direct marketing campaign.

Scope:
Students will assume the role of marketing consultant, in designated groups of 3 (maximum) they will work on a direct marketing problem that an organisation may face. Groups will need to research information and analysis required and prepare a marketing plan for the organisation/product/service that they have chosen. A suitable marketing planning approach will be discussed with students throughout the course. Much of this work will be undertaken both outside of class time and some during “Practical Sessions”.

Requirements:
To be deemed competent in this task students must prepare a comprehensive Direct Marketing plan that includes:

Part 1
• Introduction including methodology
• Strategy overview and statement, Goals and Objectives
• Identification of the legislation and regulation relevant to the direct marketing campaign
• Clear definition and description of the target Market
• Completion of a Market Research Brief, the output of which is designed to provide additional important client information for use in effective planning of the direct marketing campaign.
• Tactics - Customer journey
• Tactics - stakeholder management plan
• Tactics - Project Plan including the identification of any risks

Part 2
• Part 1 plus….
• Structured report presentation with sample visuals
• Tactics - List selection and channel mix including a rationale for the approach taken here
• Tactics - Creating the offer
• Briefing the agencies – the inclusion of completed creative briefs as per templates provided during class time.
• Budget Summary
• Methods for measuring effectiveness

Note: A peer contribution assessment is included as part of the individual grades for this task. This could mean that if any group member is not contributing equally, their grade may be adjusted downwards. Peer assessments will be completed by all group members

A comprehensive marking guide will be discussed in week 1 and all relevant templates will be discussed during class time.

TASK 3 Case Study Review Due Date: Tutorial time during week 15

Purpose:

This is an holistic exploration of all the content and learning for the semester with an emphasis on measuring campaign effectiveness and making relevant adjustment during campaign implementation.

Scope:
This assessment will take the form of a case study which students will need to read, and using all the knowledge they have gained during the course will
need to answer a series of questions.

Requirements:
To be deemed competent in this task students must demonstrate a clear understanding of:
• budgeting and measurement processes that form part of direct marketing planning and implementation
• what constitutes solid direct marketing objectives and strategy
• how to structure a test marketing scenario as part of the direct marketing planning process
• selecting channels that match the habits/preferences and behaviour of the target market
• how to assess the effectiveness of a direct marketing campaign
• recommendations for improvement/further action
 


Assessment Matrix

Marking Guide (Competency):
You must demonstrate that you have all the required skills/knowledge/elements in the unit of competency you are studying. You will receive feedback on each assessment task that will inform you about your progress and how well you are performing.


Marking Guide (Grading)
After achieving competency we then grade your performance in the unit and you will achieve one of the following grades:

Final Grades table:

CHD Competent with High Distinction
CDI Competent with Distinction
CC Competent with Credit
CAG Competency Achieved – Graded
NYC Not Yet Competent
DNS Did Not Submit for assessment

Further information regarding the application of the grading criteria will be provided by your teacher.
 

Other Information

Late Submission Procedures

You are required to submit assessment items and/or ensure performance based assessment is completed by the due dates. If you are prevented from submitting an assessment item on time, by circumstances outside your control, you may apply in advance to your teacher for an extension to the due date of up to seven calendar days.

More Information: http://www.rmit.edu.au/students/assessment/extension

Form to use: http://mams.rmit.edu.au/seca86tti4g4z.pdf

Where an extension of greater than seven days is needed, you must apply for special consideration. Applications for special consideration must be submitted no later than two working days after the assessment task deadline or scheduled examination.

More Information: http://www.rmit.edu.au/browse;ID=g43abm17hc9w

Form to use: http://mams.rmit.edu.au/8a5dgcaqvaes1.pdf

Resubmissions (VET Programs):

If you are found to be unsuccessful in a Course Assessment Task you will be allowed one resubmission only. Your teacher will provide feedback regarding what you need to do to improve and will set a new deadline for the resubmission. The highest grade you will receive if your resubmission is successful is “CAG”.

If you are still not meeting the assessment requirements you must apply to your Program Manager in writing outlining the steps you will take to demonstrate competence in your course. Your submission will be considered by the Program Team and you will be advised of the outcome as soon as possible.

Adjustments to Assessment

In certain circumstances students may be eligible for an assessment adjustment. For more information about the circumstances under which the assessment arrangements might be granted please access the following website More Information: http://rmit.edu.au/browse;ID=7usdbki1fjf31
 

Course Overview: Access Course Overview