James E. Coleman coleman_je@mercer.edu (once the term begins, see below for class related emails)

Room A123 Davis (I will post my new office location when the new business building opens.)

678-547-6303 (email will usually provide a quicker response)

Description: Focuses on the strategy and decision making aspects of direct marketing and electronic marketing. Emphasis is placed on various  choices available for creation and execution of a modern, efficient direct promotional campaign.   Relevant to both business-to-consumer and business-to-business settings.

Textbook needed:  Successful Direct Marketing Methods, by Bob Stone, 2001, seventh edition, NTC Business Books.  You will also need access to some type of website software (such as FrontPage).  There are several free versions available on the internet, and some free web hosting sites include their own free page building software. More on this during the first class session.

Purpose: The purpose of this course is to provide interested students with a deeper exposure to planning both traditional and electronic direct marketing campaigns and creating related advertisements for the various media.

Objectives: Upon completion of the course the student should:

Communications Skills: Well developed communication skills, both written and oral, are of vital importance to a successful career. Your ability to express yourself has a significant impact on others’ perceptions of your performance. Therefore, communications skills will represent a part of your grade in this course. Emphasis will be placed on the ability to make a concise, coherent presentation of thought rather than on grammatical precision. All tests will be graded both for content and for communication skills. Oral presentations will also be graded in terms of communications skills.

Class Attendance: Students are expected to attend all class sessions. Assignments are designed to maximize class participation and discussion; therefore, excessive absences for which you have not obtained advance permission from the instructor will affect your grade. Even if advance notice has been given, you are responsible for any assignments due on or given on the day of absence. Unless assignments are turned in on time or in advance, they will be counted as late. Important Note: Not all assigned text material will be covered during lectures. Therefore, it is your responsibility to ask questions about any material you do not understand after reading and class discussion.

Assignments: Any assignment made is due at the start of the class period for which it is assigned. If homework or in-class assignments are turned in late, a letter grade will be deducted from the grade earned. If absent from class, it is your responsibility   to determine if an assignment has been made and turn it in on time. If you are absent on a day when an in-class assignment is done, it will be accepted as on time only at the start of the next class period. This means that you must either contact me in advance of the absence or before the next class in order to turn in the assignment on time.

Tests: Tests must be taken during the class period for which they are scheduled, unless you have arranged in advance to take the test at some other time. Failure to do so may result in a grade of zero.

Grading : The following weights will be placed on the course segments: