e-Marketing Strategy: 7 Dimensions to Consider (the e-Marketing Mix)

Written by Otilia Otlacan


Continued from page 1

For these reasons, we should considerrepparttar Customer Service function (in its fullest and largest definition) as an essential one withinrepparttar 141208 e-Marketing mix.

As we can easily figure out,repparttar 141209 service (or assistance if you wish) can be performed upon any element fromrepparttar 141210 classic 4 P's, hence its moderating character.

4. Community We can all agree that e-Marketing is conditioned byrepparttar 141211 existence of this impressive network thatrepparttar 141212 internet is. The merely existence of such a network implies that individuals as well as groups will eventually interact. A group of entities that interact for a common purpose is what we call a "community" and we will soon see why it is of absolute importance to participate, to be part of a community.

The Metcalf law (named after Robert Metcalf) states thatrepparttar 141213 value of a network is given byrepparttar 141214 number of its components, more exactlyrepparttar 141215 value of a network equalsrepparttar 141216 square ofrepparttar 141217 number of components. We can apply this simple law to communities, since they are a network: we will then conclude thatrepparttar 141218 value of a community rises withrepparttar 141219 number of its members. This isrepparttar 141220 power of communities; this is why we have to be a part of it.

The customers / clients of a business can be seen as part of a community where they interact (either independent or influenced byrepparttar 141221 marketer) – therefore developing a community is a task to be performed by any business, even though it is not always seen as essential.

Interactions among members of such a community can address any ofrepparttar 141222 other functions of e-Marketing, so it can be placed next to other moderating functions.

5. Site We have seen and agreed that e-Marketing interactions take place on a digital media –repparttar 141223 internet. But such interactions and relations also need a proper location, to be available at any moment and from any place – a digital location for digital interactions.

Such a location is what we call a "site", which isrepparttar 141224 most widespread name for it. It is nowrepparttar 141225 time to mention thatrepparttar 141226 "website" is merely a form of a "site" and should not be mistaken or seen as synonyms. The "site" can take other forms too, such as a Palm Pilot or any other handheld device, for example.

This special location, accessible through all sort of digital technologies is moderating all other functions ofrepparttar 141227 e-Marketing – it is then a moderating function.

6. Security The "security" function emerged as an essential function of e-Marketing once transactions began to be performed through internet channels.

What we need to keep in mind as marketers arerepparttar 141228 following two issues on security:

- security during transactions performed on our website, where we have to take all possible precautions that third parties will not be able to access any part of a developing transaction;

- security of data collected and stored, about our customers and visitors.

A honest marketer will have to consider these possible causes of further trouble and has to co-operate withrepparttar 141229 company's IT department in order to be able to formulate convincing (and true, honest!) messages towardsrepparttar 141230 customers that their personal details are protected from unauthorized eyes.

7. Sales Promotion At least but not last, we have to consider sales promotions when we build an e-Marketing strategy. Sales promotions are widely used in traditional Marketing as well, we all know this, and it is an excellent efficient strategy to achieve immediate sales goals in terms of volume.

This function counts onrepparttar 141231 marketer's ability to think creatively: a lot of work and inspiration is required in order to find new possibilities and new approaches for developing an efficient promotion plan.

Onrepparttar 141232 other hand,repparttar 141233 marketer needs to continuously keep up withrepparttar 141234 latest internet technologies and applications so that he can fully exploit them.

To conclude, we have seen that e-Marketing implies new dimensions to be considered aside of those inherited fromrepparttar 141235 traditional Marketing. These dimensions revolve aroundrepparttar 141236 concept of relational functions and they are a must to be included in any e-Marketing strategy in order for it to be efficient and deliver results.

Otilia is a certified professional with expertise in e-Marketing and e-Business, currently working as independent consultant and e-publisher. She developed and teach her own online course in Principles of e-Marketing and can be contacted through her Marketing portal Tea with an Edge of Marketing


Marketers: Are We Getting Dumb?

Written by Otilia Otlacan


Continued from page 1

You might say this sounds paranoid, and you would not be too wrong. The purpose ofrepparttar above statements, with all their intended exaggeration, is to ring a bell.

Another issue is that ofrepparttar 141192 audience andrepparttar 141193 purpose ofrepparttar 141194 writings discussed here. Since they are published mostly on sites claiming to offer marketing resources forrepparttar 141195 professionals, we might assume this isrepparttar 141196 target audience. Still, it is very doubtful that true professionals would bother to read something entitled "Increase your sales – 10 easy tips", unless some morbid curiosity or a weird sense of humor drives them on. Why? Because they know there is nothing new underrepparttar 141197 sun, those "tips" are just rewritten old principles, same content with a different cover. Taking a better look atrepparttar 141198 content ofrepparttar 141199 "incriminating" works, one can recognizerepparttar 141200 principles taught in school, now extremely summarized and simplified, written in a very accessible language level, and in most ofrepparttar 141201 cases presented asrepparttar 141202 authors' very piece of mind. Well, ifrepparttar 141203 professionals are notrepparttar 141204 audience, then who is? Students? They are stuck with their bulky books trying to becomerepparttar 141205 next Philip Kotler... Maybe business owners? No... they must have either hired someone or they got busy runningrepparttar 141206 business themselves, unaware ofrepparttar 141207 Z number of advices waiting to be read.

It means we return torepparttar 141208 first assumption, thatrepparttar 141209 number – entitled articles address torepparttar 141210 marketing professionals. And, hey, almost forgot to mention thatrepparttar 141211 author is, in most cases, a "marketing guru" (I am terrified by this guru thing!) From this point,repparttar 141212 real worries begin: since whenrepparttar 141213 level of professionalism lowered so much? Are we losing our creative thinking? Can't we come up with something new anymore? Do we need those cheap works to have us promoted?

... Finally, are we getting dumb?

Otilia is a certified professional with expertise in e-Marketing and e-Business, currently working as independent consultant and e-publisher. She developed and teach her own online course in Principles of e-Marketing and can be contacted through her Marketing portal Tea with an Edge of Marketing


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