Which classes do you teach online?
MKT 205 and MKT 605
What do you want students in your courses to learn? What is the learning outcome or objective?
Both marketing courses I teach are introductions to the marketing discipline. Therefore, I want students to understand the fundamental principles of marketing while also being able to identify them in the world around them. This could be the consumptive world (MKT 205) or the managerial world (MKT 605).
Why did you start teaching?
I was good at the "school-thing," so I pursued my Ph.D. I first taught while in the doctoral program, and after some growing pains I learned that I really enjoyed it and was actually OK at it.
What advice would you give to those considering this online program?
Plan, plan, plan. Online education is wonderful because it flexes to your schedule, but that also makes it easy to forget. Plan very specific times to do your work, and do not stray from that designated time.
What qualities make someone particularly successful in marketing?
Success in marketing is all about controlled creativity. One has to be creative and willing to take chances. But they also need to fully understand the underlying strategy and adhere to that while being creative.
What do you think is the biggest challenge that marketers face today?
I think everyone is weary of budget cuts. Marketing is an area that can be targeted if the executive team doesn't fully understand the value of the discipline.
The other thing is expectations. Digital marketing has brought along with it a great deal of data that can trace consumers from the start of their search beyond their purchase. Because we know that much about them, expectations that we can market to them increase dramatically.
What is the one book you think everyone should read?
"Switch" by Chip Heath (it's not actually me, but a very insightful book).
Tell us something interesting about yourself that your students may not know.
I am not only an academic, but also a musician and a black belt in Taekwondo. I started a few months after my son, who is also a black belt. Musically, I have been a drummer since grade school and also play guitar.
