E-Marketing never fail to sound appealing to people when they first hear it. The term attracts one to think, "E-Marketing...does it allow me to work from home? Earn lots of revenue without even leaving the desk? Able to reach out to a wider and further range of clients and customers with convenience?"
I am sure people would be often drawn to this interesting idea of cyber business and in the beginning, jump at opportunites to try out the idea. However, the crucial question is: How easy is it for e-marketing to be a real success?
I did a bit of research and discovered many steps, techniques and strategies for the success of e-marketing. There is no sure-way or "perfect" method that will guarantee one a successful e-business. If there is, well, the world would already have been filled with billionaires! Therefore, I would say that they only serve as guides to help a beginner with his or her journey; to warn them of possible risks and prepare them with the right mindset and attitude before they start plunging in with all the wrong ideas or expectations.
Out of hundreds of e-marketing success "strategies", I found this one by Greg De Blasio interesting and more importantly, helpful. Penned down in an article on BNET, he lists a Seven Step Recipe for Cyber Success to start e-marketing.
"In this ever-growing world of dot.coms, Web surfing, Internet ventures, and new art Web sites, navigating the murky world of e-commerce can be a tricky endeavor. For a gallery trying to get into the mix, getting plugged in can be down-right intimidating. But be it on the Web or not, marketing your product is always a good idea, and e-marketing can be vital to the success of your Internet venture." - Greg De Blasio, an E-commerce consultant for the Quell Communications Group Inc. of Troy, Mich.
1) FIRST POINT OF CONTACT
There's no need to drown in focus groups and survey data to realize that business-to-business and business-to-consumer contact is often first made online. Professionals check Web sites often to ascertain whether company featured has the depth of product and technology offerings promised by its advertising or sales representative. Prospective vendors are quickly weeded out if their sites suggest they can't deliver the goods. Consumers may follow the same course to check specifications or price. From their initial visit to the Web site, prospects decide on the follow-up required. Every business must realize that a Web site can be your company's first impression with customers and prospects. How deeply will the customers be permitted to peer into your company simply by visiting your site?
2) DIALOG LEVEL SETTING
Going beyond the simple monitoring of customer activity and transactions, a Web site encourages the testing, introduction and maintenance of business issues that have the most meaning to customers and prospects. Online interaction means you aren't talking at anyone; you're talking with them. When issues originate from the customer side of the fence, it's good to know that there is always the opportunity for an appropriate response and a continuation of the dialog. Savvy marketers won't allow this advantage to slip.
3) DIALOG IN REAL TIME
Issues discussed online don't need to be postmarked, picked up, carried or otherwise simmered and aged. Real-time communication means you can expect nearly instantaneous feedback. Customer and market feedback of this kind is a good example of how online transactions cause what is usually considered to have strategic value to have enormous tactical value as well.
4) INTEGRATION OF INFORMATION
Online information emanates from disparate sources and follows what can seem to be random streams. Sources and streams can be found and followed inside your organization and from anywhere in the outside environment. That means the boundaries of your organization are probably a great deal more porous than just a few years ago. That's good. Once again, the online environment provides more data, more knowledge and more ideas to apply to the way your organization interacts with prospects and customers. The goal here is to work with customers and prospects in a way that demonstrates you are integrating and presenting information in their best interests.
5) INTEGRATION OF TECHNOLOGIES
The integration of different technologies is what really steals the show. Already in use are revolutionary warehouse management systems with powerful inventory control mechanisms and automated GPS tracking. A management system of this type benefits suppliers and customers because it allows access to nearly every phase of the transaction. Data can be accessed from order entry and inventory control to customer delivery and through countless steps along the way. This high level of service is a marketable commodity itself. Online technology urges professional marketers to evaluate how the service levels of their own organization are promoted.
6) TRANSACTION EFFICIENCY
The entire argument for e-commerce begins with efficiency. What was once written and printed and required many phone calls and faxes to complete is now a short series of online transactions. Customers who expect the information they need to be available from Web site files for easy access and download are not making unreasonable demands. Many technical sites encourage customers to custom-specify and cost out jobs online. The customer's order can then be checked and quickly returned. Competitive quotes go out faster and decisions are made faster, In addition, quality checks can be built into the system so when information is released to the customer, it's more likely to be accurate. A great deal of second-guessing and wasted time is eliminated.
7) GLOBAL OPERATION
Online technology allows marketing to extend throughout your own organization to customers throughout the world. That means dialog with prospects, strategic information, innovative use of technology and new levels of efficiency all become just a click away from worldwide distribution through e-marketing. The move from traditional marketing to global e-marketing allows multi-level and affiliative approaches that might otherwise be too distracting from core business activities to be tried on for size.
Implementing an e-marketing initiative can be done at all levels of Web savvy-organizations looking for prospects and to establish better interaction with customers, or for businesses just getting starting with e-commerce. E-marketing does not require the most expensive or amazing technology. With these seven nodes of marketing and technology operation, determination and maybe a little pinch of luck, you might just be on your way to great cyber success!
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