Clearly lay out the important elements of the situation. Understand what is critically important to your target customer. Define a clear position for your product or service for that target customer. Report the return that can be expected from the proposed marketing investment. Successful companies have both machine and soul.
Soul is what motivates the people to create more than the sum of the parts.
Aligning the individual pieces of the machine increases the odds for success. That is what the Marketing Plan framework is designed to encourage. Even a great Marketing Plan will not ensure success, but it will greatly shift the odds in your favor. Add to this list as the semester progresses and above all, use it as a guide to even more relevant questions, not a shallow checklist. Be as specific and as concrete as possible.