BEREA, Ohio–One of the newest business clinics at Baldwin Wallace University is a growing force for building skills and success in small and medium businesses in Berea and beyond. BW’s student-powered Digital Marketing Clinic (DMC) provides consulting and training in emerging, low-cost digital marketing tactics that can be difficult for mom and pop shops to master on their own.
Berea economic development director, Matt Madzy, says the DMC is a key partner for the city, “providing…small and medium-size businesses with needed services, while simultaneously giving students real-world experiences.” Part of this win-win partnership allows Berea businesses to apply for reimbursement to cover clinic expenses through Berea economic development grants.
Targeting real-world business objectives
A DMC team at the Union Club in Cleveland for a client meeting with the Northeast Ohio International Business Network, (l to r) Tyler Cendroski, Allison Thompson, Tessa Louche, Gwyn Dubel.Baldwin Wallace University, special to cleveland.com
“The DMC provides paid, experiential learning opportunities for our students so they can stand out in the job market,” said Tim Marshall, director of the DMC in BW’s School of Business. “The second part of our mission is to help local businesses thrive in the marketplace.”
To achieve those goals, the DMC matches teams of highly skilled students majoring in marketing, public relations and graphic design with local businesses.
The teams provide marketing communications support, as well as an “actionable, comprehensive, digital marketing strategy” to “tackle real-world business objectives,” according to Marshall.
Clients from Berea Police to small business and nonprofits
DMC client projects in the fall 2016 semester included an analysis of social media best practices in law enforcement for the Berea Police Department, as well as a communications consultancy with Northeast Ohio International Business Network (NEOIBN), a prominent group of C-level executives spearheading global business development in Cleveland. Other fall clients included an ACT-tutoring program founded by a BW alumna, a local salon and campus neighbor St. Paul Evangelical Lutheran Church.
Student consultant David Brubaker leads a training session on Facebook advertising for regional small business owners.Baldwin Wallace University, special to cleveland.com
For the spring 2017 semester, the DMC has 25 paid students serving six clients.
In addition to targeted client projects, the DMC also stages #BereaBizNight small business development seminars on a variety of topics. At a fall session, for example, senior business and computer science major David Brubaker and senior marketing and finance major Tessa Louche led a training session for more than 40 regional small business owners on social media management.
The next #BereaBizNight is coming up on March 29, 6:30-8 p.m. at the BW Center for Innovation & Growth, 340 Front Street, Berea. The event, which is co-sponsored by the BW DMC, City of Berea and Berea Chamber of Commerce, happens to fall on National Mom and Pop Business Owners Day. The program will present the latest social media and digital marketing trends that Berea businesses can use to increase awareness and revenue. It is free to attend, but registration is required by emailing mmadzy@cityofberea.org with your contact information and company name.
Producing powerful outcomes for student and client
The proof that the collaboration works is in the outcomes for both students and small businesses. Marshall says the DMC, like many experiential learning opportunities at BW, provides expertise and value to the community, while building resumes and bridges for students.
“Students get a connection to the broader, off-campus community that they wouldn’t have had,” he said. “We can talk about digital marketing in class all day long, but to give students the opportunity to interact professionally with external stakeholders is magic.”
Our editors found this article on this site using Google and regenerated it for our readers.
