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Marketing:
The Branding Power of the InternetThe Internet
has incredible potential to become one of the most
successful sales and marketing platforms available. The
Internet allows advertisers to build brand awareness
with their customers, offers consumers a chance to gain
information about specific products, and provides a
means for making a purchase all in one click of the
mouse. The Internet is a one-stop shop for consumers,
whereas traditional advertising mediums present the
product, but require extra steps to make a purchase.
Traditional media also provides powerful initial
awareness of a product, but it can’t match the Web’s
ability to build long-term consumer relationships.
According to Jupiter Communications, U.S. companies
spent $3.5 billion on Web advertising in 1999. By 2005,
spending is predicted to increase to $16.5 billion,
making online spending 8 percent of the total amount of
money spent on advertising. As the Internet medium
continues to grow, the competition for the attention of
the online consumer intensifies as well." - The Industry
Standard
The continuing convergence of the television and the PC
will provide an interactive way to promote new products
and services. Customers can participate in product polls
during a television show or view endorsements of star
athletes during the game. Like the glasses Tom Cruise
wears in MI2? Just click on them, find out who the
manufacturer is, how many different styles and colors
are available, go to their Website, and even purchase
them in real time with your secured electronic signature
and online account.
Convenience to the customer is fast becoming the
cornerstone of effective marketing. The ability to
access company information, product and service
information, stock quotes and other news from anywhere
at anytime is what will separate an effective marketing
campaign from a failed one. To market interactively to
people you must know your customer and be proactive. An
effective marketing strategy of today and tomorrow will
be the ability to reach your desired customers at the
appropriate time. An effective marketer will know a
person's profile, her likes and dislikes, what time of
day she would be most receptive to contact, etc.
Companies will have this information stored on a
relational database through its Website.
The future of online marketing also involves the
reaching of targeted customers in locations other than
their PC.
M-commerce, or mobile commerce, is where many new
companies hope to be reaching customers. PDA's, cell
phones, laptops, your car, even your watch will all be
agents of a multitude of marketing campaigns. While
there is much to be done in the enhancement of this
fledgling field, the one thing that is an absolute
certainty is that m-commerce is here to stay.
Advertisers will continue to learn more about their
customers and will look for ways to reach them at every
convenience. It has become apparent that this
technology, without certain restrictions, can become a
nuisance. Companies that succeed using m-commerce will
find ways to market to their customers in a way that is
not intrusive.
Marketing in the Internet age does not mean that you
abandon traditional methods. Companies must create an
effective branding strategy to convey a consistent
image, which should be used across all platforms of
marketing. Today's effective strategies incorporate
online and traditional off-line marketing and
advertising campaigns, i.e., search engine optimization,
banner ad placement, industry positioning, print ad,
direct mail, radio and television, and use these as a
vehicle to increase business by driving targeted traffic
to that company's Website. Once there, an effective
Internet presence will better educate the customer on
the company's products and services and move them to an
action, whether it be by making an online purchase,
filling out a customer request form or visiting a store
location.
For more information on traditional or online marketing,
visit our online marketing section, or
contact us. A marketing
representative will be happy to field your questions and
offer assistance. |
