For aspiring business students to learn and apply general marketing strategies and create marketing plans for microenterprises in rural Central America.

Students engage in a sequence of international business experiences
to develop a marketing plan proposal for a rural small business in
Panama. Students will:
● Engage in real-time with local business experts and rural business owners
● Explore details of existing microfinance opportunities
● Understand how business principles are applied in a small business in a rural setting
● Learn how to use business assessment tools during a consulting process
● Develop business communication and assessment skills
● Work to develop intercultural competencies throughout the course.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

Marketing Planning program Learning Objectives- Students that
successfully complete the program will be able to:
● Analyze a business’s cultural context to develop appropriate marketing materials and strategies.
● Learn how to consult with clients from rural and indigenous communities.
● Discuss economic and social issues impacting rural and indigenous communities in a developing country.
● Understand microfinance concepts utilized in community banks
● Create a marketing plan for a microenterprise.

PROGRAM OVERVIEW

Module 1: Introductions and Program Overview

Coordinator and student introductions along with a presentation on Squads Abroad (SA) and the work of our parent organization Global Brigades (GB) in Panama. Self-paced activity: Group reviews Panama economic development program materials in the context of GB’s Holistic Model for community development.

Module 2: Small Businesses in Indigenous and Rural Panama

Our small business expert talks about the culture and business environment for indigenous and rural communities. Self-Paced Activity: Reading Material: Can we Know Better? Reflections for Development (Chambers, 2017)

Module 3: Globalization and Market Opportunities

Talk with GB Economic Development Expert to learn about Panama’s unique role in globalization and both the economic and social effects as it relates to market opportunities for microenterprises. Self-paced activity: Group reflects on strategic market opportunities within the context of countries fast-growing economy.

Module 4: Business Selection

Coordinator presents potential businesses and supports students to choose which they will work with. Self-paced activity: Group reviews business information and informs staff of selection.

Module 5: Marketing Plan Overview

Coordinator walks through the template Marketing Plan Framework that the group will develop with the business leaders. Self-paced activity: Group reviews Marketing Plan framework further

Module 6: Initial Meeting Preparation

Coordinator presents business information, including a virtual community tour and current marketing initiatives that the business is implementing. Self-paced Activity: Students review the Spanish business packet and Executive Summary template to prepare their initial questions for the business.

Module 7: Initial Meeting with Entrepreneur

Introductory meeting between entrepreneur and group to build relationship and have cultural exchange. Self-paced Activity: Group reviews notes from meeting and divides into teams and assigns tasks by sections of the marketing plan and any unique marketing deliverables (i.e. brochures or a website).

Module 8: Mentor Session with Professional Consultant

Mentor and SA coordinator help prepare the group to ask the most strategic questions during the consultation day. Self-paced Activity: Group prepares and assigns questions to ask business clients based on mentor guidance.

Module 9: Second Meeting with Entrepreneur

Live virtual session with the entrepreneur to answer questions and gather information for the marketing plan and deliverables. Self-paced Activity: Group begins work to create a business plan utilizing Canvas Model.

Modules 10, 11 and 12: Marketing Plan and Deliverable Creation

Two working sessions with coordinators to answer questions and help students create their marketing plan and any additional deliverables. Self-paced Activity: Continuing working in teams to finalize.

Module 13: Marketing Plan Submission and Final Mentor Feedback

Group submits final marketing plan and deliverables for final feedback from mentors. Self-paced Activity: Make any last edits to presentation and deliverables based on mentor feedback.

Module 14: Presentation to Entrepreneur

Group presents via a video conference to the client with the coordinator providing translation. Group receives feedback from the client. Up to 2 hrs. Self-paced Activity: Group decides to make a donation to capitalize any loans needed to execute a marketing plan. Students complete the evaluation survey and prepare final reflections. Procure cooking materials and watch an instructional cooking video.

Module 15: Cultural Activity and Project Celebration

Squads coordinator debriefs the group on feedback from the entrepreneur and reflects on personal and professional development. The team celebrates and shows off how their local dish turned out. Self-paced Activity: Group reviews monitoring and evaluation reports

Impact Reporting

Students will be included in Squadsd Abroad’s regular newsletters and receive project updates and overall monitoring and evaluation of our programs.