Yes, We DO Teach Database Marketing at the Undergraduate Level

If you have heard of "Big Data" you may be interested in taking Database Marketing or hiring some of our grads for your company. "Big Data" technically refers to databases that are so large they can't be analyzed using standard statistical techniques.  However, all companies today are benefiting from data analysis and Database Marketing can help you understand how this is done and build the foundation for an entry-level job in the industry.  Together with Google Analytics from Marketing 470, students graduation from the IM program have a sound foundation in data analytics.

This video describes what we do in Database Marketing 455 at Northern Illinois University.  Students work with real-life company data that has been cleansed for teaching purposes.  They use basic statistical techniques in IBM SPSS such as t-tests, cross-tabs and regression to analyze a company's internal customer information, augmented with outside data and predict who the best customers will be and what will most likely make them profitable.  We them move on to segmentation techniques and  logistics regression to predict response.  Finally we look at some non-statistical data mining techniques such as CHAID and Neural Networking using IBM SPSS Modeler.  We compare three different predictive response models and analyze lifts, gains, and profitability.

Thanks to +Nicole Gault and +Mike Glassberg for putting this information together.

Congratulations to them both and to all our Spring 2013 Interactive Marketing graduates!

By Debra Zahay-Blatz.
You can find Debra on Google+ and Twitter as well as LinkedIn.

Database Marketing at NIU

Accoriding to a recent ebook, the U.S. Educational system is failing in terms of the demand for skilled workers and there is predicted to be a 1.5 million shortfall in terms of the number of workers that can anlayze data and make effective decisions. Here at NIU we are working to bridge that gap and help our students be productive in the workforce.

As the semester ends I want to say how proud I am of each student in database marketing class at NIU this year. The students stepped up to the plate and learned a great deal in terms of how to prepare data for analysis and various statistical modelling techniques. Their final project was to find patterns in real-life company data and build a valid model around that data. They used regression, logistic regression, clustering and other techniques. More importantly, they learned how to recognize what technique to use and in what context. Whether they become modelers or not, and most won't, they have a rich understanding of how these techniques are used in the workplace and I have a real sense of pride in their accomplishments. Anyone looking for undergraduates to train in this area can look to our Interactive Program.

Mary Aurich gets full-time job from internship at Lever Interactive

Mary Aurich writes, "The internship at Lever Interactive went great! I am still there, and they offered me a full-time position upon graduation. I learned and am still currently learning a lot. I am currently working on my Google certification for the company and learning such tools as Google Ad Words and Analytics. I have learned so much and have used my knowledge from the Interactive Marketing Program! I am enhancing my understanding and skills in Microsoft Access (used for database analysis), SEO, Paid Search as well as enhancing my knowledge in programs such as Google Adwords and Analytics and other software such as Miva (ecommerce), and Merchant advantage.

I use these programs on a daily basis for pulling and creating customized reports for different clients. These reports all differ and consist of analysis on the performance from all the search engines, shopping comparisons, keywords, and adgroups the client uses for paid search as well as CPA, CPC and much much more! The solid foundation from the IM program gave me something to build upon at my job.

Depending on what client I am assisting, my roles and duties change.I have also assisted in some email marketing campaigns, new ad launches in new regions/markets, and assisted in the creation of new ad copy for some clients.I am also learning more about html and the backend of things. These are just the basics but the environment at Lever is constantly changing (depending on the clients needs), and this has helped me to stay up-to-date in an ever-changing world."

Learn more at http://www.leverinteractive.com/

Database class update

I am so proud of my database marketing class. We have spent the last several weeks working on some non-statistical techniques of data analysis such as RFM, neural networking, decision trees and cluster techniques. We have also introduced the class to data mining as a discipline and the SPSS Clementine data mining software. The students were so familiar with SPSS that it took a while to get used to Clementine. Although Clementine has an 'easier to use' graphical interface, the students liked the control offered through the traditional SPSS interface. Clementine is more of a 'black box' environment, although it makes certain functions easier than in traditional SPSS. Some of the functions that are easier include neural networking, creating lifts and gains charts and comparting multiple models. Clementine also includes advanced graphics capabilities. I like being able to get a graphic representation of how large a cluster grouping is and the relative importance of different variables in creating the clusters. The students handed in their data mining assignment today. It was great seeing them play with the program and the data and get a real life taste of data mining.