Lesson Plan – E-Marketing
Course Title – Virtual Business
Session Title – E-Marketing
Performance Objective:
 Upon completion of this lesson, the student will understand the importance of
marketing for a virtual business.
Approximate Time:
When taught as written, this lesson should take five to six days to complete.
Specific Objectives:
 Students will compare and contrast Internet marketing strategies and traditional
marketing strategies.
 Students will describe the effects of marketing for an online business.
 Students will learn how to analyze a web competitor.
 Students will learn how to understand online consumers.
Preparation
TEKS Correlations:
This lesson, as published, correlates to the following TEKS. Any changes/alterations to the
activities may result in the elimination of any or all of the TEKS listed.
The student demonstrates online and off-line marketing, including establishing a web
presence. The student is expected to:

130.120(c)(2)(A)
create and design a website for a virtual business office
 130.120(c)(2)(C)
determine appropriate marketing and advertising of a virtual business office
 130.120(c)(2)(D)
describe steps to successfully market a virtual business office
Interdisciplinary Correlations:
English:
110.33(b)(1)(A) – Reading/Vocabulary Development
…determine the meaning of grade-level technical academic English words in multiple
content areas (e.g., science, mathematics, social studies, the arts) derived from Latin,
Greek or other linguistic roots and affixes.
110.33(b)(1)(C) – Reading/Vocabulary Development
…infer word meanings through the identification and analysis of analogies and other word
relationships.
110.33(b)(12)(B) – Reading/Media Literacy
…evaluate the interactions of different techniques (e.g., layout, pictures, typeface in print
media, images, text, sound in electronic journalism) used in multi-layered media.
110.33(b)(12)(C) – Reading/Media Literacy
…evaluate the objectivity of coverage of the same event in various types of media.
110.33(b)(12)(D) – Reading/Media Literacy
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1
…evaluate changes in formality and tone across various media for different audiences and
purposes.
Occupational Correlation (O*Net – http://www.onetonline.org/)
13-1161.00 - Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists
Similar Job Titles: Project Manager, Market Research Consultant, Market Research
Manager
Tasks:



Measure the effectiveness of marketing, advertising, and communications programs
and strategies
Gather data on competitors and analyze their prices, sales, and method of
marketing and distribution
Collect and analyze data on customer demographics, preferences, needs, and
buying habits to identify potential markets and factors affecting product demand
Soft Skills:
Category Flexibility, Oral Expression, Fluency of Ideas
Accommodations for Learning Differences:
It is important that lessons accommodate the needs of every learner. These lessons may
be modified to accommodate your students with learning differences by referring to the files
found on the Special Populations page of this website.
Teacher Preparation:
References:
1. Business Principles and Management, Everard Burrow, South-Western Thompson
Learning
2. Learning E-Commerce: Business Analysis and Design, Nancy Stevenson, DDC
Publishing
3. Start Your Own E-Business, Entrepreneur Magazine, Entrepreneur Press
4. E-Commerce: Business 2000, Oelkers, South-Western Thompson Learning
5. http://onguardonline.gov/articles/0031-kids%e2%80%99-privacy
Instructional Aids:
1. “E-Marketing” Presentation
2. “Target Market Comparison Chart” Assignment #1
3. “Target Market Comparison Chart” Assignment #1 Rubric
4. “E-Commerce Marketing Plan” Assignment #2
5. “E-Commerce Marketing Plan” Assignment #2 Rubric
6. “Marketing Venn Diagram” Assignment #3
7. “Marketing Venn Diagram” Assignment #3 Rubric
Materials Needed:
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2
1. Poster board or flipchart paper
2. Markers
Equipment Needed:
1. Computers for students to complete projects
2. Projector for presentation
Learner Preparation:
1. Ask students how they would know if a new company was recently started. If it were
a brick-and-mortar business you could drive by the location and look at signs. How
is that different for an online business? If it is an extension of a physical location, the
business could advertise traditionally. If is it solely a dotcom business, it could
advertise on other websites or purchase additional search criteria to be used on
search engines.
Lesson Plan
Introduction (LSI Quadrant I)
1. Ask students if they have purchased or ordered anything online. Start a T-chart on
the board or document camera and ask students about pro’s and con’s of
purchasing goods and services from the Internet.
Important Terms for this Lesson:
 Distribution – The movement of products and services from the producer to the
consumer.
 Disintermediation – Process of losing distribution channels.
 Reintermediation – The process of adding a level to the distribution system.
 Market Research – The process of gathering and analyzing information to determine
what the customer wants
 Predictive and Descriptive Analysis – Software that can “guess” what the shopper
will buy next.
 Demographic Information – Age, gender, income level, hobbies, occupation, and
more information about customers.
 Cookies – A file that is created on your computer when you visit a web site and
stored on the computer’s hard drive.
 Promotion – The method used to communicate information to customers in order to
encourage purchases and to increase customer satisfaction.
 Online Marketing – Advertising using the Internet.
 Offline Marketing – Traditional advertising methods which are not done using the
Internet.
 Conversion Rate – The rate at which your marketing efforts result in sales as
opposed to people merely reading your advertising.
Outline
Outline (LSI Quadrant II)
Instructors can use the presentation program/software, slides, handouts, and the Internet in
conjunction with the following outline.
MI
Outline
Notes to Instructor
I.
Effects of E-Marketing
A. Loss of distribution channel, middleman
Use presentation as
an aid.
Copyright © Texas Education Agency, 2012. All rights reserved.
3
or
B. Addition of a distribution channel, i.e.,
comparison shopping sites (called
reintermediation)
C. No need to hire an advertising company
D. Option to outsource functions if desired
When a product is
marketed online for
a virtual business,
the middleman may
not be necessary,
such as salespeople
in stores. However,
in the case of
comparison
shopping sites or
the marketplace
portal sites that sell
many
manufacturers’
products, the
middleman (the new
marketplace web
site), is added back
through
‘reintermediation’.
II.
The Competition – What to Know:
A. Address
B. Number of employees
C. Products and/or services
D. SWOT analysis information
E. Their advertisements
F. Promotions
G. Pricing for similar products
A major part of
marketing,
regardless of
whether the
business is online or
brick-and-mortar, is
knowing your
competition. You
should not only
know the address
(physical or URL) of
the competition, but
also their marketing
plan including their
pricing. Mention a
local business and
ask students who its
competition may be
and discuss these
topics about each.
III.
Marketing Comparison
A. E-Marketing
1. Less expensive
Many similarities as
well as differences
exist with e-
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IV.
2. Takes less time to create campaigns
3. Tracking is easier
a. Tracks when emails are opened
b. Tracks ‘hits’ to site
4. Feedback easily accessible – online
polls
5. More specific target market
B. Traditional Marketing
1. More expensive
2. Takes more time to create
campaigns
3. Tracking is more difficult
a. May require an outside company to
monitor
4. Feedback not easily accessible
a. Hire people to conduct surveys
b. Customer response forms
5. Mass mailings
marketing and
traditional
marketing. Draw two
columns on the
board and label on
the left side
“categories” and on
the top “E-tail” and
“Traditional”
marketing. Ask
responses from
students and write
their answers on the
board for the
following categories:
cost, time, customer
tracking, feedback,
and target market.
Responses should
generally match the
outline on the left.
Attracting and Keeping Customers
A. Ask visitors to bookmark the site
B. Include your URL on all print documents
1. Business cards
2. Stationery
3. Brochures
4. Direct mail
5. Postcards
C. Offer a free service
1. Calculators on your site
2. Coupons or discounts
D. Publish an email newsletter
1. Tips, industry information, new
products
2. Ask visitors to sign up
E. Reminder and follow-up emails
F. “Viral”, catchy promotion techniques
G. Include a site map
H. Search engine optimization
I. Contact info. on every page of site
J. Request links from local and
complementary businesses
K. Links from trade organizations to which
you belong
Even if you have a
terrific product or
service, you have to
reach your
customers in order
to sell them. Ask
students for ideas
on how they would
attract customers,
whether online or
off-line. The main
goal is to get your
company’s name,
your “brand”, and
your URL out there
so customers can
find you. Discuss
the variety of ways
you can do that with
the outline and the
presentation
program/software.
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L. Write articles for other sites to use
M. Issue a press release in online news
databases
N. Use social media sites
O. Promote site in discussion groups
P. Include FAQs
V.
Identifying Your Market
A. Geographic location – where your
customers live
B. Demographics – age, gender, income
level
C. Psychographics – lifestyle
characteristics
Companies conduct
market research to
narrow down their
target market – to
whom they want to
sell. Ask students
what types of
products would sell
best in different
geographic
locations, which
products or services
would appeal to a
variety of age
groups. Also
discuss with
students what
‘lifestyle
characteristics’
mean and what
products or service
would cater to those
qualities.
VI.
External Factors Affecting Market
A. Changing economic conditions
B. New rules or regulations
C. Trends and consumer preferences
D. Industry events
E. New technologies
Some situations are
out of the business
owner’s control
regardless of the
research that is
conducted.
Economic
conditions,
regulations, and
new technologies
can all affect your
marketing
strategies.
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VII.
Market Information
A. Gathering data
1. Also called data mining, analyzing
data from customers such as Internet
traffic and buying and behavior
patterns of visitors and customers
2. Having visitors register on your site
B. Predicting data – software that can make
predictions about buyer behavior
C. Customer profiles
1. Segmenting – through
demographics, determining target
market
2. Tracking – number of site visitors
3. Cookies – files that identify the
customer and his preferences
VIII. Online Advertising
A. Banners and buttons
1. Strip of advertising at top or margin of
a web page
2. Little customer response
B. Interstitials
1. Pop-up ads
2. Can be annoying to customers
C. Personal selling
1. Visiting a web site
2. Emailing a potential customer
3. Moderate response rate
D. Sales promotion
1. Coupons and samples
2. Contests and prizes
E. Mobile phone apps.
Once you begin to
attract some
potential customers,
their behaviors can
be tracked,
analyzed, and
predicted. Ask
students if they think
this can be
considered a
violation of privacy.
They may not
realize that many of
their ‘clicks’ are
letting web sites
know where they go
on the Internet.
Online marketing is
the most common
for online
businesses because
if a potential
customer is already
on the Internet,
there is already an
opportunity to attract
them to your site.
Banner, button, and
pop-up ads are
colorful and eyecatching but there is
actually little
customer response
from these ads.
Show students
examples of these
ads on web sites.
Ask students what
they do when they
see the ads. More
personal
approaches such as
emails and
discounts get more
favorable responses
from customers.
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Mobile phone apps
to web sites are
gaining popularity.
IX.
Offline Advertising
A. Print ads
1. Newspapers
2. Magazines
B. Post cards
C. Direct mail
D. Product/service flyers and brochures
Even if your
business is solely
online or is online in
addition to brickand-mortar,
otherwise known as
‘click-and-mortar’,
offline or traditional
advertising can still
be effective. Having
something in print
that potential
customers can see
or touch, such as a
business card,
postcard, or a flyer,
can keep your name
in front of the
customer. Ask
students if they
notice the amount of
ads that are in their
mailbox.
X.
Advertising Conversion Rate
A. Rate of conversion of responses into
sales
B. Determines which sales campaigns are
effective
C. <1% is common
D. 2% or more is considered successful
Companies look at
the conversion rate
to see how effective
their advertising is.
Ask students to
guess the
percentage of
people who actually
purchase
products/services
either after receiving
ads in the mail or
after visiting your
web site. They may
be surprised to find
out how low it
actually is.
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XI.
Shopping Cart Abandonment
A. Main reasons customers decide not to
check out:
1. High shipping costs
2. Just comparison shopping
3. No coupons
4. Security concerns
B. Ways to Increase checkout
1. Free or multiple shipping options
2. Obvious privacy policy
3. Step tracker when checking out
4. Verifying if item is in stock
5. Encourage customer reviews
6. Make editing the order easy
7. Include product photos at checkout to
show items in cart
While many
potential customers
do not even look at
your advertisement,
some actually
proceed to checkout
and still do not
complete the
transaction. There
are reasons for this,
called “shopping
cart abandonment”.
Ask students what
this happens. Then
ask them what can
be done to decrease
this abandonment,
based upon the
reasons they
provided.
Copy and Paste Multiple Intelligences Graphic in appropriate place in left column.
Application
Guided Practice (LSI Quadrant III):
 Discuss with students different ways to advertise a new online product. Then ask
students in pairs to come up with ways to advertise a new online life insurance
product developed for people age 45-55. Have them list five web sites that could be
used to advertise the product. Have them share their results with the class and
record their responses so students can see the similarities and differences in their
findings.
Independent Practice (LSI Quadrant III):
 Target Market Comparison Chart Assignment #1 – Students will create a chart,
either on the computer, poster board, or flip chart paper, that identifies the following
types of customers as well as two web sites that are marketing their products or
services to those particular customers: 1) new parents, 2) teenagers, 3) musicians,
4) other businesses, and 5) travelers. The chart should include the name and URL
of each site and a product or service that each site sells.
 E-Commerce Marketing Plan Assignment #2 – The student will create a
marketing plan for a product or service of their choosing which is to include two
Copyright © Texas Education Agency, 2012. All rights reserved.
9
pieces each of offline and online marketing documents.
 Marketing Venn Diagram Assignment #3 – Students are to create a Venn
diagram, either on the computer, poster board, or flipchart paper comparing and
contrasting the characteristics of e-marketing and traditional marketing. This can
provide a starting point for students: while types of online and offline marketing may
be in separate circles, the ways markets can be identified can be in the overlapping
section. Students can include the topics they choose to be in each of the circles, but
they need to make sure they do have overlapping characteristics in the center.
Summary
Review (LSI Quadrants I and IV):
Q: Which type of marketing is typically more expensive, e-marketing or traditional
marketing?
A: E-marketing is usually less expensive because of the printing and other advertising
costs of traditional marketing.
Q: Give examples of print advertising.
A: Examples are business cards, stationery, brochures, direct mail, and post cards.
Q: Which of the three ways to identify your market involves analyzing lifestyle
characteristics?
A: Psychographic analysis considers lifestyle characteristics.
Q: What type of advertising are print ads and billboards considered?
A: These types of advertising are called offline because they are not directly on the
Internet.
Q: Why is the conversion rate important?
A: The conversion rate can let you know how effective your advertising program is, for
example, a higher rate signifies advertising that is responded to positively and relatively
quickly.
Evaluation
Informal Assessment (LSI Quadrant III):
1. Instructor will observe students during Independent Practice.
2. Instructor will assist students as needed.
Formal Assessment (LSI Quadrants III and IV):
Use the assigned rubrics to evaluate the two Independent Practice Assignments (LSI
Quadrant III).
Extension
Extension/Enrichment (LSI Quadrant IV):
1. Interview a local business owner and ask them 1) if they have a web site for their
business, or if they advertise their business on other web sites, 2) what type of
advertising they use, and 3) what type of advertising they think is the most effective
at bringing people into their location.
2. Go to a web site of your choice and locate the ‘Contact Us’ page. E-mail the contact
person and introduce yourself as a high school student who is conducting research
on online and off-line marketing. State that you would like to find out what type of
advertising their company does and what type they feel is the most effective for their
business. Be sure to be professional and thank them for their time and any
assistance they can give you.
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10
E-Marketing
Independent Practice Assignments



Target Market Comparison Chart Assignment #1 – Students will create a
chart, either on the computer, poster board, or flip chart paper, that identifies the
following types of customers as well as two web sites that are marketing their
products or services to those particular customers: 1) new parents, 2) teenagers,
3) musicians, 4) other businesses, and 5) travelers. The chart should include the
name and URL of each site and a product or service that each site sells.
E-Commerce Marketing Plan Assignment #2 – The student will create a
marketing plan for a product or service of their choosing which is to include two
pieces each of offline and online marketing documents.
Marketing Venn Diagram Assignment #3 – Students are to create a threecircle Venn diagram, either on the computer, poster board, or flipchart paper
comparing and contrasting the characteristics of e-marketing and traditional
marketing. This can provide a starting point for students: while types of online
and offline marketing may be in separate circles, the ways markets can be
identified can be in the overlapping section. Students can include the topics they
choose to be in each of the circles, but they need to make sure they do have
overlapping characteristics in the center.
Copyright © Texas Education Agency, 2012. All rights reserved.
11
E-Marketing
Target Market Comparison Chart #1
Student Name:
CATEGORY
________________________________________
20
15
5
1
Organization
Content is well
organized using
headings or
bulleted lists to
group related
material.
Uses headings
or bulleted lists
to organize, but
the overall
organization of
topics appears
flawed.
Content is
logically
organized for the
most part.
There was no
clear or logical
organizational
structure, just
lots of facts.
Requirements
All requirements All requirements One requirement More than one
are met and
are met.
was not
requirement was
exceeded.
completely met. not completely
met.
Content
Covers topic indepth with
details and
examples.
Subject
knowledge is
excellent.
Includes
essential
knowledge about
the topic. Subject
knowledge
appears to be
good.
Includes
essential
information
about the topic
but there are 1-2
factual errors.
Content is
minimal OR there
are several
factual errors.
Mechanics
No misspellings
or grammatical
errors.
Three or fewer
misspellings
and/or
mechanical
errors.
Four
misspellings
and/or
grammatical
errors.
More than 4
errors in spelling
or grammar.
Attractiveness
Makes excellent
use of font, color,
graphics, effects,
etc. to enhance
the chart.
Makes good use
of font, color,
graphics, effects,
etc. to enhance
the chart.
Makes use of
font, color,
graphics, effects,
etc. but
occasionally
these detract
from the chart
content.
Use of font,
color, graphics,
effects etc. but
these often
distract from the
chart content.
Total Score _____________
Maximum 100 Points
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12
E-Marketing
E-Commerce Marketing Plan #2
Student Name:
CATEGORY
________________________________________
20
10
5
1
Required
Elements
The plan
includes all
required
elements as well
as additional
information.
All required
elements are
included in the
plan.
All but one of the Several required
elements were
required
missing.
elements are
included in the
plan.
Knowledge
Gained
Student can
accurately
answer all
questions related
to facts in the
plan.
Student can
accurately
answer most
questions related
to facts in the
plan.
Student can
accurately
answer about
75% of questions
related to facts in
the plan.
Student appears
to have
insufficient
knowledge about
the facts or
processes used
in the plan.
Attractiveness
The marketing
plan is
exceptionally
attractive in
terms of design,
layout, and
neatness.
The marketing
plan is attractive
in terms of
design, layout
and neatness.
The marketing
plan is
acceptably
attractive though
it may be a bit
messy.
The marketing
plan is
distractingly
messy or very
poorly designed.
It is not
attractive.
Grammar
There are no
grammatical
mistakes on the
plan.
There is one
grammatical
mistake on the
plan.
There are two
grammatical
mistakes on the
plan.
There are more
than two
grammatical
mistakes on the
plan.
Graphics Relevance
All graphics are
related to the
topic and make it
easier to
understand.
All graphics are All graphics
relate to the
related to the
topic.
topic and most
make it easier to
understand.
Graphics do not
relate to the
topic.
Total Score _____________
Maximum 100 Points
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13
E-Marketing
Marketing Venn Diagram #3
Student Name:
CATEGORY
________________________________________
20
All statements of
Placement of
similarity are in
statements
within diagram the overlapping
section and
differences are in
the appropriate
outer circles.
10
5
1
Most statements
are placed in the
correct places,
but one
statement may
be misplaced.
Less than half of
the statements
are placed in the
correct circles.
Few, if any,
statements are
placed in the
correct circles.
Number of
Quality
Statements
Student made
more than five
comparisons in
each circle.
Student made
four to five
comparison
statements in
each circle.
Student made
only three
comparison
statements in
each circle.
Little thought was
put into making
any comparison
statements.
Accuracy
Accurately
compared and
contrasted all
characteristics
Most
characteristics
were compared
and contrasted
accurately.
Some
characteristics
were compared
and contrasted
accurately.
Few
characteristics
compared and
contrasted
accurately.
Content
All information is Most information Some
easy to read and is easy to read
information is
understand.
and understand. difficult to read
and understand.
Most information
is difficult to read
and understand.
Quality of
Information
All spelling,
grammar, and
mechanics are
correct in the
completed
diagram.
Some spelling,
grammar, and
mechanics are
correct diagram.
Many spelling
and mechanics
errors present in
the diagram.
Most spelling,
grammar, and
mechanics are
correct in the
completed
diagram.
Total Score _____________
Maximum 100 Points
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14