Communicating With Customers Student Workbook

This is the student workbook for the course Communicating With Customers with the School of Vocational Business Education (VBE) of RMIT University. It covers topics such as marketing, market research, consumer markets, business markets, and market segmentation.

School of Vocational Business Education
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Communicating
With Customers
Student Workbook

Acknowledgements
© RMIT University 2019
All Rights Reserved
20190313
There is to be no unauthorised use of the material in this publication without the express permission of the
copyright holder, RMIT University.
The material contained in this publication is protected by Australian and International copyright laws.
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Introduction
Welcome
Welcome to the course Communicating With Customers with the School of Vocational Business Education
(VBE) of RMIT University.
This course will require your participation in group discussions as well as group and individual activities.
You will also begin written activities during class, some of which may need to be completed after the
sessions to be included as one of your assessment task.
Study Schedule
You will find your Study Schedule in the Course Guide, which is in your Blackboard Program Shell.
Program Objectives
By the end of this module, you will be better able to:
 Collaboratively research and then individually develop an overall Marketing Plan
 Evaluate each component of the marketing mix
 Determine the marketing mix for specific markets
 Monitor and adjust the marketing mix
 Confirm product or service market
 Assess reasons for existing levels of consumer interest
 Recommend focus of appeal for marketing strategies for product or service
 Present a Marketing Plan/Report to senior management
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Session 1: Define Marketing for the New Realities
Activity 1A: What Is Marketing?
Marketing Is a social and managerial process where the producers of the good meet with the needs of
the customers under an integrated and sustainable system to serve the customers and earn a profit.
Marketing can also be defined as an integrated set of activities that decides the flow of the goods from the
end of the producer to the customer in return of profit. The process of marketing starts with the designing
of a product and the creation of a marketing mix. This marketing mix addresses the needs of an end user
and establishes the product as the ultimate solution for him. The marketing mix also ensures a profit for
the makers and ensures an aftersales service for the customers to win brand loyalty.
Marketing Definitions
DEFINITIONS
 Armstrong’s definition of marketing
 Marketing is a big picture idea
 _Differences between marketing for small business and large corporations

THE VALUE OF MARKETING?
 Informs customers
 Manage consumer expectations
 Economic benefit
 Models behaviour
THE SCOPE OF MARKETING?
 The question: “What is marketed?”
 The ten main entities
Activity 1B: Make a Marketing Scope Checklist
The principles of Marketing can be applied to a varied list of products and services. We can also state that
after defining service goals, utility goals, profit goals, and sustainability goals, the concepts of the
marketing can be applied to process the sells of various types of the goods, services, and concepts. Here
we can produce a small list of such entities. They are 1. Goods, 2. Services, 3. Experience, 4. Events,
5.Personality, 6. Place, 7.organization, Properties, concepts, and ideas. After the arrival of cloud marketing
and internet technology, the scope for marketing has increased multiple folds. Right now after the arrival
of the cloud-based marketing, one of the major P of the marketing which was a place, find an existence in
the phenomenon of “ perception.” The addition of this word perception in the exercise of the marketing
has increased its operational scoep even further.
Activity 1C: Groups for a Marketing Plan
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CHOOSE A PROJECT TEAM
 Choose group members to work together to do research on a Marketing Plan/Report for a small
business
 The groups should be balanced according to skill sets
 Appoint a group coordinator and backup
Coordinator:
Backup:
Others:
CHOOSE A SMALL BUSINESS TYPE
 Choose a small business type for a small online business
 Record your names and business type on the Check List - Business Type and Groups
CORE MARKETING CONCEPTS
 Create value for customers and build customer relationships
 Create value from customers in return
 There are five steps in the process
Activity 1D: Core Marketing Concepts
The story of the core concepts of marketing starts with the theory of the needs, wants and desires. After
the identification of the needs, a marketer corresponds to certain other activities or the sub-processes
associated with the main process of the marketing, these processes are exchange, transaction, and
relationships to cater the financial needs of the system. Apart from it the marketing based concepts of the
value, cost satisfaction and product design also fecilattes the marketing mix and ensures a smooth flow of
the goods from the end of producer to the end customer.
WHAT IS THE MARKETING MIX?
 The marketing mix is a set of controllable, tactical tools that a business blends to produce a result from
a target market
 The mix is everything a business can do to influence the demand for the product
Activity 1E: The Marketing Mix
A marketing mix is a set of operations where a marketer develops a matrix of the related elements under a
single chart and facilitate it to decide the flow of various marketing operations and their tangents. Price,
promotion, place, perception, and product form the components of an ideal marketing mix. An ideal
marketing mix also determines the sustainability of the flow of the goods and the procurement of the profit
for the company.
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The New Realities
THE CHANGING MARKET PLACE
 The marketing landscape is changing and dynamic
 Business must adapt to the digital age or die
THE COMPANY’S ORIENTATION TOWARD THE MARKETPLACE
 There are five concepts under which a business can conduct its marketing activities
 These focus on an outside-in view that center on satisfying customer needs as a path to profits
MANAGING THE HOLISTIC MARKETING CORPORATION
 There are four new concepts that respond to fundamental changes in the current environment
 This marketing strategy considers the business as a whole and not as an entity with various different
parts
Activity 1F: The Market Place
There are two definaatinns of a market place, a market place refers to geographical area where frequent
transactions between the buyers and sellers takes place. In the common paralance we can also define a
market place as a place that presents an opportunity in front of the sellers to meet with probable buyers.
After the arrival of digtal platforms, specialized market places formed by online retailers and block chain
owners have also come in an existence.
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Marketing Intelligence
THE MICRO-ENVIRONMENT
 Micro-environmental factors have an impact on marketing efforts
THE MACRO-ENVIRONMENT
 Macro-environmental factors have an impact on marketing efforts
THE MACRO-ENVIRONMENT
 Marketing information systems have an impact on marketing efforts
Activity 1G: Marketing Intelligence
The activity of marketing intelligence refers to the tools and mediums by which a marketer can collect vital
information about the macro and micro environments associated with his business. The sum of the
activities done by the marketing intelligence supports the organizational knowledge pool for the long term
decisions and help the managers in quick decision making to stay ahead in the competition.
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Session 3: Connect With Consumers and Business
Markets
Connect With Consumers
MARKET RESEARCH
 Marketing research can be conducted effectively by all sizes of business and must be done responsibly
and ethically
Activity 3A: Market Research
The activity of market research refers to a set of research programs where the goals of the research remain
premediated. With the help of a market research, a marketer can understand his market, placement of the
product in the market and the consumer behavior associated with the products and the product categories.
Market research is an effective tool to keep a check and balance on the performance of a product while it is
floated in the market. Prior to the launch of the products, most of the companies also prefer to go for
market research.
ANALYSE CONSUMER MARKETS
 Consumers (individuals and households) have a buying behavior for personal consumption
 This is the focal point of a marketing effort
INFLUENCING FACTORS
PSYCHOLOGICAL PROCESSES
FIVE-STAGE BUYING PROCESS
 The buyer decision process has five stages but some purchases may skip some stages
 The buying process begins long before the actual purchase and continues long after
Activity 3B: Analyze Consumer Markets
The analysis of the consumer market is an important exercise, it allows a company to develop objectivity
about the launch or the conductance of a product in the market. The primary analysis of a market can be
done with the help of the understanding of consumer behavior. Many companies and independent
research firms also conduct surveys after regular intervals to access the demand and supply equations
associated with the market. Apart from the research and analysis of the consumer market can also
support the product developers in designing their offerings for any given market segment.
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Connect With Business Markets
ANALYSE BUSINESS MARKETS
 Within a business, buying activity consist of two main parts
 While business markets are similar to consumer markets there are differences
 The major variations are in market structure and demand, buyer characteristics, and decisions
processes and buying pattern
ORGANISATIONAL BUYING
 There are three main types of buying situations
 These questions are answered:
o What buying decisions do business buyers make?
o How do business buyers make their buying decisions?
PARTICIPANTS IN THE BUYER DECISION-MAKING PROCESS
 These questions are answered:
o Who participates in the buying process?
o What are the main influences on buyers?
STAGES IN THE BUYING PROCESS
 There is an eight-stage buying process
 _The actual process in much more complex and some buyers may not follow the order
 Different participants may be involved in the process
Activity 3C: Analyze Business Markets
The analysis of the business markets become a necessary tool for the companies when a company decides
to scale up its marketing facilities. The process of scaling up demands the inclusion of some business
partners in the secondary market place. An analysis of the business market can help a company in
selecting the right business partners. Apart from it, the analysis of a business market can also help a
company in analyzing the dynamics of primary market because business markets are heavily dependent
on the flows of the goods in the primary markets. An analysis of the business market can present a macro
picture of the events that are taking place in a secondary market place.
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Session 4: Identify Market Segments
Consumer Markets
BASES FOR SEGMENTING CONSUMER MARKETS
 Dividing the total market into smaller segments assists marketers to select customers to serve
 There is no single method to segment a market and variables could be used alone or in combination to
view the market
 Consumer markets can be segmented into four topics
THE GEOGRAPHIC BASE FOR CONSUMER MARKETS
 This means dividing the market into nations, regions, states, countries, cities, or neighborhoods
THE DEMOGRAPHIC BASE FOR CONSUMER MARKETS
 This means dividing the market into age, gender, family size, family life cycle, and so on
 It’s the most popular bases for segmenting consumer groups
Activity 4A: The Demographics Base
The demographics base of any given market gives us an idea about the demographic details of the
individuals living in that area. As a marketer, one has to look after certain elements like the average age
group of any given area, their annual or monthly income. Their religion and ethnicity, their inclinations
towards certain traits, for instance, we cannot sell non-vegetarian products in a market where a major
chunk of the customers belongs to the vegan category. Education levels of a market also play a key role.
The gender ratio can also be another factor that can determine the sales of the goods. The concept of the
demographic base can be defined on two levels. On the first level, we can take the support of the sources
like the data of the census and others. On the second level, we can consult research reports related to
their intellectual, social and cultural bents.
THE PSYCHOGRAPHIC BASE FOR CONSUMER MARKETS
 This means dividing the market into social class, lifestyle or personality characteristics
Activity 4B: The Psychographic Question
The psychographic questions are the questions where we try to access the human side of a person in
connection with his hobbies, habits, likings, entertainment, food habits, cultural preferences, sense of
aesthetics and sexual preferences. A list of psychographic questions allows us to understand a customer o
an interpersonal level. The demographic set of questions can give us a synoptic view. However, the
answers of the psychographic questions give us an idea about the likings and the cultural details of
society. The psychographic questions can help a marketer in weaving a strong message connected to the
product for the purpose of the promotion.
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THE BEHAVIOURAL BASE FOR CONSUMER MARKETS
 This means dividing the market into their knowledge, attitudes, uses, or responses to a product
 This is often the starting point for building market segments
Activity 4C: The Case for a Behavioural Base
The behavior of a consumer can be divided into five major steps. The first step starts when he gets
information about the product and the last step culminates when he starts adapting himself with the
product. During the course of this journey, a systematic study of the consumer behavior gives us fair
information about the behavioral base of the consumers. Under the realms of the new reality when
marketers have this facility to record and study the reaction of the probable consumers on all levels of
communications with the help of big data facility, the study of the behavioral base can give a fair amount of
strategic information to the marketer for effective policymaking.
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Business and International Markets
BUSINESS AND INTERNATIONAL MARKETS
 Business markets have four additional segment variables
 International markets have additional segment variables such as economic, political, and legal factors
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Session 6: Market Segments and Market Targets
Market Segments
EFFECTIVE SEGMENTATION CRITERIA
 To be a useful market segmentation has four attributes
 Market segmentation reveals a company’s opportunities
Activity 6A: Segmenting Rules for Success
The segmentation of the market in accordance with nature and the price of the product is a key exercise.
The details related to the segmentation of the product, allows a marketer to form adequate policies and
pricing related strategies. It allows a marketer to figure out the focus areas. For instance, if he discovers
that he is catering to a niche market then he can adapt his strategies in details because he is aware of the
consumer behavior from close quarters. On the other hand if he is catering to mass markets then he can
take resort in popular culture messages and focus more on the volumes to attract more eyeballs towards
his offerings.
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Marketing Strategy
MARKETING STRATEGY PUT TOGETHER
 Marketers must build the right relationships with the right customers
 There are four aspects to the strategy (segmentation already discussed; the remaining three to follow)
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Market Targets
MARKET TARGETING
 Marketers must evaluate market segments
 There are three factors that must be evaluated
 There are four strategies that a company can use to target
SELECT TARGET MARKETS
 There are four strategies that a company can use to target markets
Activity 6B: Select a Target Market
The selection of a target market gives us an idea about a segment of the individuals that can be
considered as our primary customers. The selection of a target market adds an objectivity in our
marketing efforts. It allows us to create a rightful perception around the brand. It also helps us in weaving
around a plesent story related to the use and the impact of the brand over the target market. The
demographic details of a target market can allow us to set the organizatioanal goals associated with it.
BE SOCIALLY RESPONSIBLE
 Target marketing is not who is targeted, but how and for what
 This includes serving the interests of the consumer
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Differentiation and Positioning
THE VALUE PROPOSITION
 The strategy of difference and position is the place the product occupies in the consumer’s mind
relative to competing products
 “Products are created in the factory, but brands are created in the mind” [Walter Landor]
 Consumer position products with or without the help of marketers
 Select a differentiation and positioning strategy and communicate it
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Session 7: Product and Service Strategies I
Product Strategies
PRODUCT CHARACTERISTICS
 A product is anything offered to a market for attention, acquisition, use , or consumption that may
satisfy a want or need
 The product has a broad definition
PRODUCT CLASSIFICATIONS
 Products are based on the types of consumers that use them, namely consumer and industrial
products
DIFFERENTIATION
 Companies are creating experiences for customers
Activity 7A: Build Your Products
The current frameworks of the seven P’s of marketing as derived by the onslaught of the new realities
over the existing business give us an idea that it is the brand perception that matters most. Apart from it,
the presence of a feedback chain and an integrated effort of the marketing department to win the brand
loyalty of the customer can support an exercise of brand building for a product.
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Product and Brand
PRODUCT AND BRAND RELATIONSHIP
 Marketers make decisions at three levels defining the benefits that the product or service will offer
 The core attributes being quality, features, style, and design
LINE AND LENGTH ANALYSIS
 A product line is a group of products related in function, sold to similar customs, are promoted
similarly, or in a similar price range
 Product lines decisions involve the number of products in the product line
BRANDS AND CO-BRANDING
 Brands may be the enduring asset of a company, outlasting products and facilities
 Brands must be carefully developed and managed
 Co-branding has advantages and limitations
PACKAGING, LABELLING, AND WARRANTIES
 Packaging must perform sales tasks
 Labeling must identify, describe, and promote the product
 Warranties give customers assurances
Activity 7B: Build Your Brand
The creation of the brand identity amidst the rut of the market is the second exercise. The second level of
the brand building exercise demands reminder advertising and consistent efforts to establish the brand as
a serious player in the markets. This is the time when a company can talk about its strong distribution
networks and the exercise of aftersales care. Like the consumer helplines and expedient repairs etc. The
realms of new realities also understand this exercise as the co-branding exercise.
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Session 9: Product and Service Strategies II
New Products
INTRODUCING NEW MARKETS
 New products may be new to this world while others are merely repositioned or used for a new
purpose
NEW PRODUCT OPTIONS
 New products are acquired in two ways and by four methods
CHANGES IN NEW PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT
 There are seven reasons for new product failure
 There are eight steps in developing a new product
PRODUCT LIFECYCLE
 Products have a five-stage lifecycle (with exceptions)
 Companies must continually innovate or risk extinction
Activity 9A: Develop a New Product Strategy
A new product strategy for an existing product can be formed in accordance with the selection of the
reason behind the failure of a product. The second point of consideration can be the point related to the
standing of a product on stage of the lifecycle. If the product is on a rise in the life cycle stages then we
need a different set of strategies where we can focus more on tapping the potentials of the new markets.
If the product is on a fall in the timeline then, in this case, we need to think more about the constritns
related to the pricing and quality based issues.
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Service Strategies
NATURE AND CHARACTERISTICS OF SERVICES
 There are four main characteristics of services
MANAGING AND IMPROVING SERVICE QUALITY
 Managing strategies include three additional types of approaches and tasks
MANAGING PRODUCT-SUPPORT SERVICES
 Support services are an important part of a customer’s overall brand experience
Activity 9B: Reflect on a Service Strategy
The realms of new realities have made it mandatory to attach service experience with every offer. For
instance ice cream is a perishable good, however, feedback about the taste or the packaging can become
an additional service attached to it. In the past, the scope for the service was limited because the process
of the feedback collection was slow. However, in the world of new realities, the technology-based tools
have created some swift corridors that can be considered as lean and mean feedback chains. These
corridors convert every service into an addition in the product based experience. The service-based
strategy has become a new tool of marketing and companies are using it to generate proper and amicable
brand perceptions about the products and the gamut of the services associated with them.
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Session 10: Pricing Strategies II
Price Setting
PRICE SETTING STRATEGIES
 Price remains an important element in a company’s market share and profitability
 It is the only element in the marketing mix that produces revenue
 Strategies are to manage the balance of pricing too high and stifle demand or pricing too low and
decimate profits
PRICE SETTING PROCESS
 There are three main pricing strategies which start with the customer, factor in costs, and in the
context of competition
OTHER PRICING CONCERNS
 Internal factors that affect pricing involve what is controlled by the company
 External factors that affect pricing is the market, demand, and economic environment
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New Product Pricing
NEW PRODUCT PRICING STRATEGIES
 Companies usually select one of two broad strategies for new products
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Product-Mix Pricing
PRODUCT-MIX PRICING STRATEGIES
 A company must set prices that maximizes the profits of the total product mix
 The by-products of a process are also sold separately at a specific price so as to earn
additional revenue from the same infrastructure and setup.
 By product is something which is produced as a result of producing something else (the
main product)

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Pricing Changes
PRICE ADJUSTMENT STRATEGIES
 There are six main ways that prices are adjusted for customer differences and changing circumstances
Discount & allowance pricing
Segmented pricing
Psychological pricing
Promotional pricing
Dynamic pricing
Geographic pricing
INITIATING AND RESPONDING TO PRICE
 Companies may initiate price changes
 Companies may need to respond to price changes
 Price completion must be according to the Trade Practices Act
Activity 10A: Reflect On Price
The pricing of a product is dependent on the market conditions and the intentions of the marketer. For
instance, if a marketer wants to penetrate in a market and develop a loyal customer base that can give
him the benefits or profits in the long run then he has to go for an economy price tag. In a similar fashion
if he wants to earn profits during the launch of the products then in this condition the company can skim
the market with the help of aggressive advertising. This case scenario attracts aggressive pricing where the
company can skim the market for the profits and walk out. Sometimes a company can adapt the strategy
of the premium pricing when they are catering to a niche market with rich demographic details.
Sometimes the market conditions can also dictate the rules of marketing. For instance, if it is a perfect
competition market where many players are working then in this case the pricing will go down in the lower
bracket because the supply is exceeding the demand. In a similar fashion, a brand floating in oligopoly or
monopoly market can have this luxury of coming up with high pricing. Consumer value perception is
another denomination of the pricing, sometimes a low pricing strategy can bring down the value of the
brand and kill its chance. The position of a brand in the life cycle can also determine its pricing. A star
product can afford to go for high pricing bracket whereas a declining product can take the support of
pricing strategy to boost the dipping sales of a product.
What are the three main pricing strategies?
What is the importance of understanding customer-value perceptions, company costs, and competitor
strategies when setting prices?
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Session 12: Distribution Strategies
The Nature of Logistics
DESIGN MARKETING CHANNELS
• Marketing logistics network management starts before suppliers and ends in the customer
MANAGE INTEGRATED MARKETING CHANNELS
• There are four main functions
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The Nature of Marketing Channels
CHANNEL MANAGEMENT DECISIONS
 Intermediaries play an important role in supply and demand
 Marketing channels should provide products efficiently and effectively
 There are a number of channel levels
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Channel Organisation
CHANNEL INTEGRATION PRINCIPLES
 Marketing channels have a system of behaviour
 Each member of the channel organises to do the work of the channel
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Marketing Channel Networks
MANAGE RETAIL, WHOLESALE, AND LOGISTICS
 Traditional channels need to find new strategies to attract and hold customers
Activity 12A: Reflect On Placement
The exercise of product placement refers to two layers. The first layer is the layer where we consider the
placement of the product in the advertising channels. This presence ensures the reach of the product in
the form of a message. The second layer of the placement is related to the availability of the product at
the point of the purchase. The traditional marketing systems identifies the point of the purchase as the
retail outlets. However, in the realms of the new realities. The online retail marts and warehouse attached
to them has become the measurement of the right placement. The culture of the warehouse brings its
impact on the delivery timings of the product and this delivery timing has become a crucial factor in the
current market.
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Session 13: Promotional Strategies I
The Promotion Mix
THE ROLE OF MARKETING COMMUNICATION
 Consumers are changing in that they seek out information on their own
 Marketing strategies are changing in that they now focus on building a closer relationship with
customer
 Communication technology is changing the way marketers relate with customers
INTEGRATED COMMUNICATION
 Integrated marketing communications deliver a clear, consistent, and compelling message about the
company and its brand
COMMUNICATION MIX
 There are five main promotion tools
 While the promotional mix is the company’s primary communication activity, the entire marketing mix
must be coordinated for greatest impact
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Advertising
ADVERTISING OBJECTIVES
 Marketing management makes four important decisions
 Deciding on an objective helps build customer relationships
 There are for common methods to set a budget
ADVERTISING STRATEGY
 There are two main elements to an advertising strategy
 A good advertising message is to get attention and communicate well
MEDIA STRATEGY
 There four main steps in media selection
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Public Relations
PUBLIC RELATIONS
 Public relations include one or more of six main functions
 Public relation tools should be blended with other promotional activities of the company
Activity 13A: Reflect On Promotion I
The promotional activities associated with a new brand can be understood with the help of the advertising
mix. Under the realms of the new realities, marketers are planning their advertisement in accordance with
the medium where they are approaching a customer. While doing it they are making sure that they are
generating the interests of the consumers and successfully delivering the messages with the help of
advertisement. The advent of internet related market also allowed the marketers to choose their media
activity vehicles more prudently. Now they can ensure maximum impacts from the minimum efforts by
placing their messages at the right place. The selection of the right media strategy to gain additional
exposure with the help of the media channels where they are advertising.
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Prepare the Marketing Plan
PREPARE THE MARKETING PLAN
 View the videos and make notes so as to be able to have some know-how to be able to prepare a
Marketing Plan/Report for your small online business
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Session 15: Promotional Strategies II
Personal Selling
SALES ROLES AND PROMOTION
 The sales roles includes attributes and links with customers
SALES FORCE STRATEGY
 There are six man steps in sales force management
SUPERVISE THE SALES FORCE
 There are five main elements to managing performance
PERSONAL SELLING
 The selling process consist of seven steps that must be mastered
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Sales Promotion
SALES PROMOTION
 Sales promotion offers customer reasons to buy now
 Sales promotion includes a variety of tools to stimulate an earlier or stronger market response
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Direct and Digital Marketing
DIRECT AND DIGITAL MARKETING PRINCIPLES
 Direct marketing may be a supplementary channel for some but a complete model for doing business
for others
 Digital marketing has benefits to customers and companies, takes various forms, but must be
evaluated for profitability
MANAGE DIRECT AND DIGITAL COMMUNICATIONS
 Direct and digital marketing is not a means man-to-many communication but one-to-one interactive
communication to develop relationships and accelerate transactions
DATABASE MARKETING
 A customer database is an organised collection of comprehensive individual customer data
ONLINE STRATEGIES
 Companies conduct online marketing in four ways
 Digital marketing has promise and challenges
SOCIAL MEDIA
 Marketers engage in online communities in two ways
EVALUATE DIRECT AND DIGITAL MARKETING
 Performance measures include monitoring eight factors
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Public Policy
PUBLIC POLICY
 There are six main areas for marketers to be concerned about related to public policy
Activity 15A: Reflect On Promotion II
The arrival of digital marketing and big data-driven marketing has changed the focus of the advertising.
Now the companies and marketers are in a position to understand the impact of the marketing. They can
interact with the customers and collect the feedbacks related to their choices. Digital marketing is
changing the regular market place by making it more interactive. This new interaction and quick results of
marketing activity can help the companies in fighting against the policy myopia that they often face
because of the late responses of the conventional media channels. The arrival of digital marketing has
affected product development practices as well. Companies are treating their products as the products on
Beta testing. This type of approach allows them to develop a product in accordance with the choice of the
customers and keep them engaged throughout until the upgrade to the next product from the same
company.
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Presenting the Marketing Plan
PRESENTING THE MARKETING PLAN
 View the videos and make notes so as to be able to have some know-how to be able to persuasively
present your marketing plan for your small online business
 See the marking and grading criteria in your assessment
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Session 16: Presentation Assessment
Marking Criteria
What you need to do:
Quality NYC C Ent High Exc
Preparation
Punctual
Material/Equipment organized before the talk
Dressed and groomed in a business style
Introduction
Introduced self
Explained the purpose of the presentation
Content
Main points stood out and relevant
Key concepts explained and supported
Appropriate business language (no slang or word
“whiskers”)
Style
Audience contact
Poised and voice control
Variety in pace, pitch, and power (modulation and audible)
Persuasive (at least two communication techniques)
Visual material
Text presented in key words and dot point form
Font size readable to the room/space
Used pictures, graphics, etc.
Aided understanding of topic
Conclusion
Had a note of finality
Summarised (Tell them what you've told them)
Invited questions and handled these
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Session 18: Summary of the Course
There are no workbook sections for Session 19, 21, 22, and 24 or online for Session 23
COURSE SUMMARY
 Listen to this summary; add notes to any incomplete sections of your workbook.
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ONLINE SESSIONS
Session 2: Foundational Skills – Research I
Reflect on each of the following issues (Minimum combined total of 240 words for the five questions):
1. Why can’t I just Google?
Google never takes the claim of the authenticity of the facts. It gives an opportunity to publish the content
and presenting it on the merit of the popularity. This is why we should rely more on official sources.
2. How do I use LibrarySearch?
The feature of the library research gives me access to an authentic database where I find some well-
screened study materials coming from the side of trusted sources.
3. What are the steps to read critically?
Right organization of the information, identification of the research questions, structuring of the
evidence in accordance with the logical flow of the events, fixation of the assumptions and verification
of the assumptions are few steps that an individual can adopt when we intend to study a subject
critically.
4. How do I reference?
The referencing is a custom by which we can acknowledge a source and add more authenticity to the
claims that we are making in the write-up. In general, there are many systems of referencing. The
system promoted by the American Psychological Association presents the best option in front of us. In
general, we place the name of the author, year of the publication, the place of the publication, name of
the publication and page numbers from where picking up the thoughts or information in a prescribed
sequence to generate references.
5. Am I research ready?
Yes, I am researching readily because I know the process of making assumptions and hypothesis that
needs verification. Apart from it, during the tenure of this course, I also learned this art of going for
systematic literature reviews to know more about the terms that I am responding to. The process of
research is a result-oriented exercise, my readiness to fix the goals and objectives prior to research
makes me research ready.
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Session 5: Foundational Skills - Teamwork
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1. What are the six principles of successful meetings? How will these affect your small online business
Marketing Plan?
Fixing the right purpose, setting up of the right agenda, preparation of the notes and bargaining
strategies, focus on the intent of the other party and the ability to lead communication for the desired
outcome forms the six principles of a successful meeting. The online meetings or real-world meetings
can fetch me positive results, even if they are not fetching the positive results, they can cut down the
process timings and give me this luxury of practicing the principle of “touch it once.” An online business
allows us to meet with a huge number of clients in a shorter span of time. The adaption of right
meeting techniques can save this precious time for me and allow me to interact with more prospective
clients.
2. What are the four roles of a team? Which ones will you use for your small online business Marketing
Plan?
The concept of the team role allows an individual to fix responsibility for himself during various
processes. The first role is a fixed role, it can also be termed as a designation. The second role is the role
where we support other functions to make them synchronize with our responsibility area. The third
role Is connected to the team role where we can ensure a better team dynamism by motivating the
others. The final role is connected with the goal orientation. Multiple role playing is a common trait in a
small organization and this role-playing can fill in the absence of other employees and increase our
efficiency.
3. What is the model for open communication? How will this help you with working with the team
members in developing your small online business Marketing Plan?
The model of open communication refutes the reporting culture, under this model all the employees
remain connected to each other devoid of a formal communication pipeline. This type of culture is
supporting the startups and helping them in making swift decisions. Big companies like Google and others
are also promoting this model to increase their efficiency.
4. What are some response principles in conflict situations?
We can compromise to resolve the problem. We can act like a bargainer or we can place ourselves as a
crusader or a strong opponent.
5. What does it mean to be a reliable team member? How will this help you with working with the team
members in developing your small online business Marketing Plan?
A reliable team member is a team member that identifies his roles in a team with ease. A reliable team
member is a person who is dedicated to the organizational goals while practicing all the deeds that are
necessary to maintain a healthy team dynamism.
6. What are the strategies for involving quiet team members?
Counseling exercises to develop belongingness and allocation of more responsibilities can be attributed
as some strategies to an increase the involvement levels of the quite team members.
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7. What is the essence of teamwork? The essence of the teamwork gives us an opportunity to work in a
goal or goal or
8.
9.
10. What are the strategies for involving team members with another language or from another culture?
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Session 8: Foundational Skills – Research II
Video: Understanding big data for business
1. What must you realize when you Google information when doing research? (60-120 words)
Video: Doing primary research
2. Why would primary research be necessary? (60-120 words)
3. What questions should you ask yourself before you begin? And briefly describe their purpose.
(60-120 words)
Video: Best Practices in conducting online research
4. What questions and issues should you consider and why? (60-120 words)
RMIT Website: iSearch
5. Navigate through the pages on RMIT's iSearch and then reflect on the value of the 5 sections (240
words in total)
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Session 11: Foundational Skills - Documentation
In Word 2016 Essential Training (If you are a Mac user, see below):
1. In the video, Checking spelling and grammar, how do you format proper names? (20-30 words)
2. In the video, Sending documents via email, how do you save a document to PDF? (20-30 words)
In Word for Mac 2016 Essential Training (for Mac users only):
1. In the video, Checking spelling and grammar, how do you format proper names? (20-30 words)
2. In the video, Sending documents via email, how do you save a document to PDF? (20-30 words)
In Gmail Essential Training:
1. In the video, Access Gmail on a mobile device, how do you set up notifications on your mobile
device to receive mail? (20-30 words)
In RMIT Learning Lab:
1. In Paragraphs, What is the TEEL structure? (60-90 words)
2. In Referencing, What is the APA referencing? (60-90 words)
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Session 14: Foundational Skills - Presentations
Video: Presenting to leadership teams:
1. What are the main elements of presenting to senior management (60-120 words)
Video: What makes a good speaker:
2. Reflect on what you will need to work on to be a good speaker (60-120 words)
Video: Increasing your persuasiveness:
3. What are the twelve tactics to be persuasive (120-180 words)
Video: Improving vocal delivery:
4. Reflect on what you will need to work on to improve vocal delivery (60-120 words)
Video: Overcoming anxiety and projecting confidence:
5. Reflect on what you will need to work on to overcome anxiety and project confidence (60-120
words)
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Session 17: Foundational Skills - Writing
Video: Understanding Business Writing
1. What must the writer consider about the reader of business writing? (60-120 words)
Video: 10 C’s of business writing
2. List the 10 C’s and reflect on the value of using these. (60-120 words)
Video: Using a writing process to avoid common errors
3. What is the process for avoiding common writing errors. (60-120 words)
The two documents in Tools:
4. Briefly summarise Reflective Writing (120-240 words)
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Session 20: Foundational Skills – Assessments
In RMIT Students > Admin Essentials > Assessment and exams > Assessment
Link: How to submit work:
1. What form must you use when submitting assessments and what information must you provide?
Link: Assessment declaration:
2. Summarise what do you declare, understand, and agree to?
Link: Equitable assessment arrangements (EAA):
3. What is the purpose and process for EAA?
Link: Extensions of time to submit assessment work (EOT):
4. What is the purpose and process for EOT?
Link: Special consideration (SC):
5. What is the purpose and process for SC?
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