Target Audience Profiling and Marketing Strategy Development

Upstate is a software startup that builds tools to help the public, nonprofits and lobbyists track state legislation in the North Carolina General Assembly (NCGA). The NCGA is only in session from January 30th to July 7th (ish) this year. They will be rolling out our new tracker in March and they are looking for helping in driving sales through a lean marketing strategy. They plan to release new features in March, which will further enhance their value proposition and hopefully convert interested parties into customers. They need help further segmenting and targeting the different audiences they serve. They also need help better understanding how to connect with their customers and covert interested parties into paid users.

Students who enroll in this course will:

• Understand the importance of state government and its impact on individuals and local businesses 
• Get a feel for the workflow of lean, agile software product development 
• Gain a greater understanding of state legislatures and the industries that surround them
• Gain a greater perspective on the legislative process
• Utilize design thinking to arrive at resolutions
• Gain insight into strategic decision making for companies serving a civic purpose 

Prerequisites:

This opportunity is open to everyone, but it would be particularly valuable for students that are interested in public policy and state government. It would also be particularly helpful if you’re generally aware of how state political systems typically operate and the process they use to pass legislation.

PLEASE NOTE: Participants will be required to sign a non-disclosure project agreement regarding the handling of confidential information and intellectual property.

Logistics: This “Interterm” Immersion will be based in Raleigh, North Carolina. Students will need to secure transportation and lodging on their own. Additional details on travel can be found under “Travel Reimbursement Details” at the front of this document.