Can you tell us a little about yourself?
My name is Luis, I'm a first-generation student attending WVU's Digital Marketing Communications graduate program. I wouldn't be where I am right now without the help of my parents, they came to this country with a dream to open up their own restaurant. Which came true through hard-work and relentless dedication.
While I want to help with the family business, I wanted to do it in a way that made more sense to me. I left Charles Town to pursue my undergraduate degree at WVU, they were so heartbroken their oldest (and favorite) child left, so they followed me here. Shameless plug: El Pollon is a Peruvian rotisserie chicken restaurant with several locations including one in Morgantown!
Today, I am applying what I'm learning from the DMC program to help the family business. In the distant future, I hope to have a business of my own.
What inspired you to pursue a master’s degree in Digital Marketing Communications, and what led you to choose West Virginia University?
In all honesty, I'm a family-man. I wanted to make my folks proud and one-up my siblings by any means necessary. Why I chose the DMC program specifically is because there's a lot of different things you can do within this field. My mind jumps around a lot, oftentimes leaving me with a desire to steer the ship and do something entirely different.
Within the field of Digital Marketing, there's a ton of leeway with what you choose to do. You're truly never tied down to having to do one specific task, you'll always be on your toes. One day you might be researching which keywords work best for your website, and then the next you're designing a billboard for a brand new product. It's this kind of versatility I absolutely love.
Oh and WVU is awesome. This is the only school where you somehow learn every word to Country Roads without ever looking at the lyrics. Go Mountaineers!!
What are your career goals, and how do you see the Digital program helping you reach them?
My main objective in the Digital program was to learn more about SEO. Specifically so I can apply my findings to the current family business and use this information for my very own business someday.
After taking IMC 542, I am abundantly confident that I can develop a strong online campaign to strengthen my position on SERPs. In my opinion, it's the most competitive area in the entirety of digital marketing. It's also the most important! To put it into perspective, the internet has been around for a little over 40 years, and there's over a billion websites and counting. Putting your site on the map is no easy task.
How do you apply what you’re learning in the digital program to your work?
Very carefully. I'm kidding. As I mentioned previously, SEO is an absolute essential for any business. So I'm currently reformatting El Pollon's website to rank better and addressing any issues found through tools like Semrush and Google Analytics. What makes the process a little smoother is that I chose El Pollon as my brand for the semester, so I can implement a ton of these changes with ease.
What’s one marketing tool or platform you can’t live without?
Without a doubt, it's Canva. While there are other tools that are WAY more helpful, Canva is reliable and consistent. I use it more than any other platform and it's extremely cost-effective. While the premium version of Canva is nice to have, it's not really necessary. I encourage everyone to familiarize themselves with this free to use program, and get first hand-experience in graphic design. Who knows? You might surprise yourself!
What advice would you give to prospective students considering the Digital Marketing Communications program?
Do not overthink it!!! Digital Marketing is supposed to be fun! Yes, it can be difficult and it does take a lot of effort at times, but please know you do not need to be abnormally creative in everything you do. Sometimes all you need to do is put yourself in the mind of a consumer; think about what draws you towards a brand you like! It's a much cleaner approach than creating a super intricate hypothetical scenario (trust me, you might get in your head and do this a few times).
Just have fun with the DMC program, and if you ever need help PLEASE reach out to your professor, YOUR PEERS, or even alumni from the program. We're communicators for Pete's sake!
Is there a quote that has guided your career path?
Not necessarily guided my path, but a quote I can stand behind is by Sir Paul McCartney: "I don't work at being ordinary". It's important to solidify yourself and think outside the box, which is especially important in digital marketing. Personally, I try my best to stand out.
Share a fun fact about you.
Well I can speak fluent Spanish. My partner and I have two cats named Finch and Crane; we like birds! Crane is actually still just a little kitten, he only recently turned one. Pets aside, I used to work at a rock radio station where I had a little nightly segment. And I love to bake, I make a mean Flan.