Monday, July 12, 2010
Saturday, June 26, 2010
The Top 10 Marketing Tips of All Time
With more than a decade of experience in marketing, ranking from pay-per-click to direct mail, I’ve seen a lot of failures and far more successes when it comes to marketing.
Today, the art of marketing is far more complex than it once was. However, many of the same basic principles still apply. Too often, professional marketers and small business owners overlook the basic techniques that have separated successful campaigns from those that never turn a profit. Here is my all time list of effective marketing tips.
Know your audience. Successful campaigns get that way because marketers know their audience. They fully understand their needs, how to help meet those needs and how to create demand. Knowing and understanding your audience through proper market segmentation means a well targeted campaign that generates a profitable return.
Focus on the offer. A marketing offer is the driving force of marketing promotions that drive results. In fact, market testing has proven that the offer is the most significant criterion for conversion. Focus on your offer if you want to be successful.
Split test. Never ever run a campaign without testing something. One of the most common is a split test which allows you to simultaneously test two versions of something. It can be a web page, post card, or email. Split testing is essential for improving performance.
Never work alone. The most creative ideas come from working with other creative people. Don’t feel like you need to have all the answers or great ideas. You may start with an idea, but an open dialog with creative individuals will make it better.
Don’t sell on price. I’ve seen so many marketers fail because they sell on price alone. This leads to a discounting war, lower profitability, and often bankruptcy. Rather, focus on creating so much value that the perception of price becomes insignificant.
Consistent messaging. Consider the entire user experience before you launch a campaign. From email to website to offer, is the prospect having a consistent user experience? If they are, your campaigns stand above 98% of others.
Create value after the sale. As marketers, it’s our job to understand our market segment and build relationships, not dump people off at the front door of our store and walk away. Focus as much of your energy on building relationships with customers as you do prospects.
Test. Test. Test. In addition to split testing, you should consider multiple forms of testing in each marketing discipline. For direct mail, test headlines, offers, copy, time of direct mail drop, etc. Consider testing a life long mission.
Integrated Marketing Works Best. You can’t rely on one form of marketing to carry you to success. It’s okay to generate most of your leads or sales through PPC marketing if you will but what happens when that dries out? Use multiple media sources to meet your goals.
Nothing can replace experience. You can run out and hire all of the best consultants in the world, but you still have to do the work. Nothing can replace actual experience. It will make you a stronger marketer and more successful in the long term.
Apply these helpful marketing tips if you want to be truly successful. These techniques and tips are applied by successful marketers on a daily basis. The result is an ever growing success rate of marketing success.
Today, the art of marketing is far more complex than it once was. However, many of the same basic principles still apply. Too often, professional marketers and small business owners overlook the basic techniques that have separated successful campaigns from those that never turn a profit. Here is my all time list of effective marketing tips.
Know your audience. Successful campaigns get that way because marketers know their audience. They fully understand their needs, how to help meet those needs and how to create demand. Knowing and understanding your audience through proper market segmentation means a well targeted campaign that generates a profitable return.
Focus on the offer. A marketing offer is the driving force of marketing promotions that drive results. In fact, market testing has proven that the offer is the most significant criterion for conversion. Focus on your offer if you want to be successful.
Split test. Never ever run a campaign without testing something. One of the most common is a split test which allows you to simultaneously test two versions of something. It can be a web page, post card, or email. Split testing is essential for improving performance.
Never work alone. The most creative ideas come from working with other creative people. Don’t feel like you need to have all the answers or great ideas. You may start with an idea, but an open dialog with creative individuals will make it better.
Don’t sell on price. I’ve seen so many marketers fail because they sell on price alone. This leads to a discounting war, lower profitability, and often bankruptcy. Rather, focus on creating so much value that the perception of price becomes insignificant.
Consistent messaging. Consider the entire user experience before you launch a campaign. From email to website to offer, is the prospect having a consistent user experience? If they are, your campaigns stand above 98% of others.
Create value after the sale. As marketers, it’s our job to understand our market segment and build relationships, not dump people off at the front door of our store and walk away. Focus as much of your energy on building relationships with customers as you do prospects.
Test. Test. Test. In addition to split testing, you should consider multiple forms of testing in each marketing discipline. For direct mail, test headlines, offers, copy, time of direct mail drop, etc. Consider testing a life long mission.
Integrated Marketing Works Best. You can’t rely on one form of marketing to carry you to success. It’s okay to generate most of your leads or sales through PPC marketing if you will but what happens when that dries out? Use multiple media sources to meet your goals.
Nothing can replace experience. You can run out and hire all of the best consultants in the world, but you still have to do the work. Nothing can replace actual experience. It will make you a stronger marketer and more successful in the long term.
Apply these helpful marketing tips if you want to be truly successful. These techniques and tips are applied by successful marketers on a daily basis. The result is an ever growing success rate of marketing success.
Where Marketing Goes Wrong
With the right planning, executing on an effective marketing campaign is easy. However, getting things right at the point of interaction with a prospective customer is where it all happens.
Not too long ago I was traveling and decided to run into a coffee shop. Upon entering, I noticed there weren't a lot of people there so I went right up to the cashier and ordered my coffee. She was miserable. No "hello", no "smile", nothing.
Imagine being the marketing guy (or gal) for this coffee shop. You could do everything right and then lose business because of a depressed cashier! I for one have not interest in going back to that place.
Yet this happens all the time. Prospective customers visit retailers only to have a bad experience. Or they buy products that under perform. Worse yet, they reach out for help only to speak to an unhelpful representative or call center where you can barely hear the customer service rep.
Marketing is more than running a direct mail campaign, its the whole package. If you want to take your marketing up a notch, think about the whole user experience. From first touch to repeat purchase, marketing needs to be involved with the entire purchase decision process and then some.
This week, take a closer look at your process from start to finish. It's always best to see things from a customers perspective. You may just find some opportunities for improvement!
Monday, June 21, 2010
Marketing Tips - Ten Tips To Communicate With Force
Here are ten tips to get your message across effectively to your target audience.
• Optimize your presentation of facts.• Choose your words carefully.• Build rapport with an informal tone.• Use rapport to strengthen acceptance.• Be persuasive with credibility and clarity.• Pay attention to pronoun use.• Maximize your opener.• Know your audience and how to reach it.• Influence reader receptivity through strategic word choice.• Add potency with powerful adjectives.
(Taken from the DMA insider, "Cutting Edge Creative.")
Sunday, June 6, 2010
The Top 50 Marketing Blogs To Watch
Search Marketing Blogs
| 1) Search Engine Land URL: http://searchengineland.com/ Editor: Danny Sullivan Search Engine Land brings you the latest information about all things search marketing. From SEM to optimization to how search engines work, Danny Sullivan and his team have it covered. 2) Search Engine Roundtable URL: http://www.seroundtable.com/ Editor: Barry Schwartz A rotating roster of authors takes you through some of the most interesting and talked about threads in Search Engine Marketing forums. They scan the forums on a daily basis to bring out some of the most anticipated trends and topics dealing with search marketing. 3) SEOmoz Blog URL: http://www.seomoz.org/blog Editor: Rand Fishkin Based out of Seattle , WA , SEOmoz staff brings you news, tips, and highlights from the Search Marketing industry. They cover everything from the players you need to know to technical issues to the events you should be at. 4) TopRank Online Marketing Blog URL: http://www.toprankblog.com/ Editor: Lee Odden Lee Odden is the CEO of TopRank Online Marketing, a search marketing agency whose blog offers news, resources, and interviews on search marketing and online public relations. 5) JenSense URL: http://www.jensense.com/ Editor: Jennifer Slegg SEM consultant Jennifer Slegg gives you insider information for Google AdWords, AdSense and Yahoo Publisher Network. Her blog is also filled with interviews and case studies relating to SEM. |
Online Marketing Blogs
| 6) Pronet Advertising URL: http://www.pronetadvertising.com/ Editor: Neil Patel A Californian of British origin, Neil Patel blogs about his personal experience with online marketing. He'll even give you the inside scoop on the likes of Facebook and Youtube. 7) Copyblogger URL: http://www.copyblogger.com/ Editor: Brian Clark It's often overlooked, but Clark knows that effective copywriting skills can make the difference between an online marketing campaign that bombs or soars. He's here to help you out. 8) Internet Marketing News URL: http://www.marketingpilgrim.com/ Editor: Andy Beal From breaking industry news stories to in-depth analyses of online marketing trends, Andy Beal has been blogging as the Marketing Pilgrim since 2005. 9) MarketingVOX URL: http://www.marketingvox.com/ Editor: Angela Natividad Geared towards marketers and media professionals, MarketingVox highlights the latest industry trends and news. They go beyond segmentation and markets to look at the big picture of things. 10) B.L. Ochman's Weblog URL: http://www.whatsnextblog.com/ Editor: B.L. Ochman Blogger and social media consultant to Fortune 500 companies, B.L. Ochman is the woman behind the whatsnextblog, a blog that looks at online marketing strategy and social media trends. |
Affiliate Marketing Blogs
| 11) ProBlogger URL: http://www.problogger.net/ Editor: Darren Rowse Once a hobby blogger, Rowse now offers a comprehensive site aimed at helping others learn how to make money online. His blog covers everything from affiliate marketing to other potential income generating streams. 12) Niche Marketing – Andy Beard URL: http://andybeard.eu/ Editor: Andy Beard Andy Beard blogs on everything from Wordpress to niche marketing to affiliate marketing tips, and never without “loads of attitude.” 13) Affiliate Watcher URL: http://www.affiliatewatcher.com/ Editor: Don Lawson For affiliate programs, affiliate program reviews, and everything affiliate marketing, Don Lawson's blog Affiliate Watcher is the place to go. 14) eMoms at Home URL: http://emomsathome.com/ Editor: Wendy Piersall After leaving her job, the original eMom at Home decided to start this blog to help others in their quest to master affiliate marketing. Now, Piersall is dedicated to helping others earn an income from home. 15) Marketing Ideas Online – Jim Kukral URL: http://www.jimkukral.com/ Editor: Jim Kukral If you want to know how to make money online, then Jim Kukral's blog should be one of your stops. He covers not only affiliate programs, but also events and strategy, and laces his site with handy videos. |
Small Business Marketing Blogs
| 16) Duct Tape Marketing Blog URL: http://www.ducttapemarketing.com/blog/ Editor: John Jantsch The award-winning John Jantsch offers his astoundingly practical advice, tips and tricks for small business marketing. 17) Seth Godin's Blog URL: http://sethgodin.typepad.com/ Editor: Seth Godin One of the most famous names in the industry, Seth Godin's blog has long been a favourite for all things small business marketing. As the author of the most popular ebook ever, his blog never fails to give you advice you need. 18) Instigator Blog URL: http://www.instigatorblog.com/ Editor: Benjamin Yoskovitz An entrepreneur for over ten years, Benjamin Yoskovitz uses his special brand of humour to discuss issues relating to better business, marketing and technology. 19) StartupNation Blog URL: http://www.startupnation.com/blog/ Editor: Rich and Jeff Sloan Brothers Rich and Jeff Sloan have dedicated their site to providing everything entrepreneurs need to know to achieve success, including some great stuff on marketing. 20) Ypulse URL: http://www.ypulse.com/ Editor: Anastasia Goodstein Journalist Anastasia Goodstein provides insights into everything to do with Generation Y, helping media and marketing professionals break into the market. |
Marketing and Advertising Blogs
| 21) AdRants URL: http://www.adrants.com/ Editor: Steve Hall With the wit that he has become known and loved for, Steve Hall takes you through the marketing and advertising industry and all its trends, shifts, and strategies. 22) Adland URL: http://commercial-archive.com/ Editor: Dabitch This site goes beyond being a valuable forum for discussion on advertising. It also serves as a commercial archive. So, if there's an ad you missed and want to see, this is the place to be. 23) gapingvoid URL: http://www.gapingvoid.com/ Editor: Hugh MacLeod Hugh MacLeod doesn't just draw “cartoons on the back of business cards.” He also writes about marketing and advertising, drawing from his experience in the wine trade. 24) advertising/design goodness URL: http://www.frederiksamuel.com/blog/ Editor: Frederik Samuel A daily updated blog about some of the world's best – and worst – ad designs. 25) PSFK URL: http://www.psfk.com/ Editor: Guy Brighton Guy Brighton examines some of the global trends occurring in every major industry, helping businesses better build and rebuild their brands. |
Business to Business Marketing Blogs
| 26) The WebMarketCentral Blog URL: http://webmarketcentral.blogspot.com/ Editor: Tom Pick A B2B marketer since 1992, Tom Pick maintains your portal to everything you need to know about B2B lead generation and marketing. 27) Marketing Profs URL: http://www.marketingprofs.com/ Editor: Allen Weiss What started as a simple blog by marketing professor Allen Weiss in 2000 has today turned into a fully-staffed venture that provides marketing know-how and offers valuable B2B articles and event information. 28) Marcom Writer Blog URL: http://marcom-writer-blog.com/ Editor: Dianna Huff A B2B marcom expert, Dianna Huff delivers news and her own personal commentary on all things dealing with B2B marketing communications. 29) Small Business B2B Marketing URL: http://www.smallbusinessb2b.com/ Editor: Scott Thompson Since 2006, Scott Thompson has been providing marketing trends for small B2B companies, covering everything from email and Internet marketing to trade shows and events. 30) Marketing Today Blog URL: http://marketingtoday.blogspot.com/ Editor: Peter DeLegge Recommended by Business 2.0 magazine, Peter DeLegge's blog takes a look at some of the most current issues and marketing trends facing B2B companies. |
Marketing and Technology Blogs
| 31) Micro Persuasion URL: http://www.micropersuasion.com/ Editor: Steve Rubel This senior VP at one of the world's largest independent PR firms takes you through technology's transformative effect on marketing and PR. 32) The Marketing Technology Blog URL: http://www.douglaskarr.com/ Editor: Douglas Karr Karr covers everything from api usage to code samples to market research in his blog, all in his efforts to “keep you up to date and build your knowledge.” 33) Buzz Marketing for Technology URL: http://buzzmarketingfortech.blogspot.com/ Editor: Paul Dunay From the man who currently serves as the Director of Global Field & Interactive Marketing for BearingPoint comes this blog all about marketing and creating buzz for technology. 34) Advertising Lab URL: http://adverlab.blogspot.com/ Editor: Ilya Vedrashko In his blog, MIT grad Ilya Vedrashko looks at the future of marketing and advertising technologies and where they are headed. 35) Technology Evangelist URL: http://www.technologyevangelist.com/ Editor: Robert Cringley With its motto of “Better Living Through Technology,” Technology Evangelist sets out to cover the latest trends when it comes to hardware, software, and marketing. |
Guerrilla Marketing Blogs
| 36) Guerrilla Marketing Tactics URL: http://www.gmarketing.com/articles/ Editor: Jay Conrad Levinson Although not officially a blog, the father of guerrilla marketing Jay Conrad Levinson posts regular articles on anything and everything guerrilla marketing. 37) Guerrilla Consulting URL: http://guerrillaconsulting.typepad.com/ Editor: Michael McLaughlin The co-author of “Guerrilla Marketing for Consultants” with Jay Conrad Levinson, Michael McLaughlin offers his insight into guerrilla tactics for consultants. 38) Guerrilla Communication URL: http://blog.guerrillacomm.com/ Editor: Herbert Krabel Herbert Krabel takes you through some of the most unique and successful guerrilla marketing campaigns out there. 39) AdverBox URL: http://www.adverbox.com/ Editor: Neuville This daily updated blog presents examples of guerrilla marketing campaigns from around the world. 40) Guerrilla Marketing Blog URL: http://gmarketingcoach.com/ Editor: Mitch Meyerson The author of six books and a recent guest on the Oprah Winfrey Show, Mitch Meyerson knows his guerrilla marketing. His blog offers tips and real-life examples on how to create a successful campaign of your own. |
Brand Marketing Blogs
| 41) Brand Autopsy URL: http://brandautopsy.typepad.com/ Editor: John Moore How do you conduct a marketing physical for your brand? Check out John Moore's blog to find out. 42) Logic + Emotion URL: http://darmano.typepad.com/ Editor: David Armano David Armano's self-professed “sweet-spot” lies in trying to find the intersection between marketing, brand engagement and experience design. In his blog he looks at how passive consumers can become active participants. 43) Branding Strategy Insider URL: http://www.brandingstrategyinsider.com/ Editor: Derrick Daye Covering everything from brand promises and identity to brand leadership and colours, Tom Asacker has created a blog that tries to help businesses create stronger and more trustworthy brands. 44) Branding & Marketing URL: http://brandandmarket.blogspot.com/ Editor: Chris Brown From logos to websites to press release, Chris Brown blogs about strategies to build your brand. 45) The Viral Garden URL: http://moblogsmoproblems.blogspot.com/ Editor: Mack Collier “Blurring the line between company and customer,” Mack Collier's blog offers valuable advice for those looking to build a strong brand presence with their customers. |
General Marketing Blogs
| 46) How to Change the World URL: http://blog.guykawasaki.com/ Editor: Guy Kawasaki Writing “A practical blog for impractical people,” Guy Kawasaki remains one of the most popular business bloggers out there. A venture capitalist, Kawasaki 's blog remains a must-read for entrepreneurs. 47) Marketing Sherpa URL: http://www.marketingsherpa.com/sherpablog.html Editor: Anne Holland Using case studies, surveys, and other techniques, Marketing Sherpa researches what works – and what doesn't – in all things marketing. 48) Drew's Marketing Minute URL: http://www.drewsmarketingminute.com/ Editor: Drew McLellan The name says it all. With brief and to the point posts, Drew McLellan offers his marketing tips to help your business generate customer loyalty and sales. 49) Marketing Roadmaps URL: http://getgood.typepad.com/ Editor: Susan Getgood Susan Getgood takes a broad look at the industry in general, where it's been and where it's going. 50) FutureLab URL: http://blog.futurelab.net/ Editor: Alain Thys A team of authors comes together to bring you customer centric advice relating to marketing, strategy, and innovation. |
Monday, May 24, 2010
The 3 Differences in Your International Marketing Plan
Already have a marketing plan for your household? You need a plan for international marketing? Of course, we can assume that these two marketing plans, will never be the same. There are three differences, you must include in the planning of international marketing.
Feedback
When marketing in the foreign markets is necessary to stimulate feedback from the market. Indeed, this must beof your top priorities right from the beginning.
When you first start targeting a foreign country you will need to adjust your communication and your marketing and sales strategies.
It is important to understand how your communication is received in a different culture. And this takes time to understand well.
As you get to know your foreign markets you still need to pay attention. In order to seize business opportunities, and avoid bad decisions, you need to know what is going on.
Place a high priority on stimulating feedback in your international marketing plan.
Flexibility
Again, it is all about getting to know markets that are different from your home market.
As you get to know and understand these new prospects better you will need to adjust your marketing. Simply put:
Your international prospects react differently to your products.
These differences may be very subtle. They can also appear at any stage of your international business. But if you stimulate feedback and listen for these differences you can:
Improve your international results.
Become present in your foreign markets.
A little time spent double checking your strategies can save you time, money and cultural blunders. So, plan for flexibility. Include a process of evaluations, and room for change, in your international marketing
Profitability
In an international marketing plan you need for accountability are even more elements of marketing. The economy may depend on international efforts.
What does this mean? Here is a simple action plan:
Check your international marketing plan
Creating a process
Include measures that can be measured
Review these steps for the relevance
Use this procedure to createaccountability
Review results for viability
This gives your business the tools to make the right decisions to grow in foreign markets. Include a process for marketing accountability in your international marketing plan.
Use Your International Marketing Plan
Incorporate these 3 elements in your international marketing plan and add one more. Next all you need is to:
Put your international marketing plan into action.
Even if you start with the most basic marketing plan, all you really need is to take action and give priority to these 3 differences. Your market feedback, flexibility and viability analysis will guide you through the rest.
Feedback
When marketing in the foreign markets is necessary to stimulate feedback from the market. Indeed, this must beof your top priorities right from the beginning.
When you first start targeting a foreign country you will need to adjust your communication and your marketing and sales strategies.
It is important to understand how your communication is received in a different culture. And this takes time to understand well.
As you get to know your foreign markets you still need to pay attention. In order to seize business opportunities, and avoid bad decisions, you need to know what is going on.
Place a high priority on stimulating feedback in your international marketing plan.
Flexibility
Again, it is all about getting to know markets that are different from your home market.
As you get to know and understand these new prospects better you will need to adjust your marketing. Simply put:
Your international prospects react differently to your products.
These differences may be very subtle. They can also appear at any stage of your international business. But if you stimulate feedback and listen for these differences you can:
Improve your international results.
Become present in your foreign markets.
A little time spent double checking your strategies can save you time, money and cultural blunders. So, plan for flexibility. Include a process of evaluations, and room for change, in your international marketing
Profitability
In an international marketing plan you need for accountability are even more elements of marketing. The economy may depend on international efforts.
What does this mean? Here is a simple action plan:
Check your international marketing plan
Creating a process
Include measures that can be measured
Review these steps for the relevance
Use this procedure to createaccountability
Review results for viability
This gives your business the tools to make the right decisions to grow in foreign markets. Include a process for marketing accountability in your international marketing plan.
Use Your International Marketing Plan
Incorporate these 3 elements in your international marketing plan and add one more. Next all you need is to:
Put your international marketing plan into action.
Even if you start with the most basic marketing plan, all you really need is to take action and give priority to these 3 differences. Your market feedback, flexibility and viability analysis will guide you through the rest.
How to set up an effective marketing plan
How to set up an effective marketing plan? The process of selling goods and services to customers through digital technology and through the Internet is called e-marketing. The expansion of computer technology and the Internet was a great opportunity for all types of business methods to complement their traditional marketing to generate more sales, the market reached a wider, all those who use e-marketing. It 'was also the basis for launchingmany small businesses. Today, every company, large or small, is known for the power of e-marketing, and all agreed that the future of marketing is the e-retail.
The e-mail marketing is very similar to traditional marketing. The goal is the same, and your message to your target audience to deliver. The difference with e-marketing is that you are new and powerful options for advertising your products, services or companies. It couldand always the traditional method, but it is recommended to exploit the opportunities that the Internet is in marketing. The use of e-marketing, you can greatly increase your market share and profits. It 'also less expensive and less labor intensive.
How to set up an effective marketing plan? To launch an effective e-marketing campaign, you should be an effective e-marketing plan if you wantensure a response with potential customers. Here are some things you should consider taking if you plan to start creating an effective e-marketing.
First you must identify your market. You have to learn their expectations, needs and requirements. You must have an idea how to build your sales letter, according to the market. It is also necessary to study the 'marketing strategies of your competitors and trying to find something newnoted. You need a serious search for keywords, for those keywords with less competition, you will find the opportunity to climb to the first page of search in search engines, and meanwhile, best describes the demands of your potential customers.
Before you define your policies, set your budget. This allows the identification of a campaign, strategies and techniques, marketing, you can use to start-E. Depending on your budget, you canTo formulate methods, most are on hand to capture the public's attention. You can vary the strategies and establish your priorities. It 'very important to carefully budget costs, especially if you decide to use pay per click "campaigns to promote their e-business. Make sure that the costs will not get out of your control. Analyze the cost compared to your benefit to a budget acceptable to be determined. Paid advertising is the fastest way toDrive targeted traffic to your website, but the incorrect handling may be a disaster for your e-business.
Then you have goals for your e-marketing campaign. The body needs your e-presence, is the information about your company. The free movement of targeted search engines is vital for your business. You have to study all options to increase website traffic and determine the methods to use to achieve your goals could. Never Stickone method. The use of multiple methods of e-marketing, you get more time, but the result will reward your efforts. Blogging and article marketing methods have proven effective for most companies craft free targeted traffic to your e-.
How to set up an effective marketing plan? There are many ways to free online help in your business to succeed-and, like social networking, submitting your site to search engines and canweb directory, free search engine optimization and online web site traffic analysis tools, and much more. If you want to schedule for more information on creating effective marketing, visit my website.
The e-mail marketing is very similar to traditional marketing. The goal is the same, and your message to your target audience to deliver. The difference with e-marketing is that you are new and powerful options for advertising your products, services or companies. It couldand always the traditional method, but it is recommended to exploit the opportunities that the Internet is in marketing. The use of e-marketing, you can greatly increase your market share and profits. It 'also less expensive and less labor intensive.
How to set up an effective marketing plan? To launch an effective e-marketing campaign, you should be an effective e-marketing plan if you wantensure a response with potential customers. Here are some things you should consider taking if you plan to start creating an effective e-marketing.
First you must identify your market. You have to learn their expectations, needs and requirements. You must have an idea how to build your sales letter, according to the market. It is also necessary to study the 'marketing strategies of your competitors and trying to find something newnoted. You need a serious search for keywords, for those keywords with less competition, you will find the opportunity to climb to the first page of search in search engines, and meanwhile, best describes the demands of your potential customers.
Before you define your policies, set your budget. This allows the identification of a campaign, strategies and techniques, marketing, you can use to start-E. Depending on your budget, you canTo formulate methods, most are on hand to capture the public's attention. You can vary the strategies and establish your priorities. It 'very important to carefully budget costs, especially if you decide to use pay per click "campaigns to promote their e-business. Make sure that the costs will not get out of your control. Analyze the cost compared to your benefit to a budget acceptable to be determined. Paid advertising is the fastest way toDrive targeted traffic to your website, but the incorrect handling may be a disaster for your e-business.
Then you have goals for your e-marketing campaign. The body needs your e-presence, is the information about your company. The free movement of targeted search engines is vital for your business. You have to study all options to increase website traffic and determine the methods to use to achieve your goals could. Never Stickone method. The use of multiple methods of e-marketing, you get more time, but the result will reward your efforts. Blogging and article marketing methods have proven effective for most companies craft free targeted traffic to your e-.
How to set up an effective marketing plan? There are many ways to free online help in your business to succeed-and, like social networking, submitting your site to search engines and canweb directory, free search engine optimization and online web site traffic analysis tools, and much more. If you want to schedule for more information on creating effective marketing, visit my website.
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
Finishing Your Marketing Plan
Marketing plans can feel like a pain in the neck (not to mention other body parts). Reality is quite the opposite. Small business owners, and others without a boss to impose a due date, often find themselves "too busy" to complete a marketing plan or update the existing one. If this sounds like you, then you are leaving profits on the table and the best thing you can do for your business is finish a 2007 marketing plan. Here are five tips to help you follow through with planning:
Once you have chosen your approach, stick to it. If you begin pulling procedures from several different methods, you may become overwhelmed and never finish. The critical part is completing the plan so you have a strategic document to act from.
You can use specialized project management tools to automate timeline creation or do it manually in a spreadsheet or text document. If you are completing a timeline manually, start with the due date and work backwards. Note each major project milestone leading up to completion and the time needed for each component. This will give you intermediate deadlines, so you will know if you fall behind schedule. Leave room for comments and notations about who is responsible for each aspect of implementation.
Also, know how you will measure success, and set up ways to monitor project results. Problems are easiest to solve early on, before the entire budget has been spent and there is time to adjust for improvement.
Take these tips to heart and you’ll find your business running more smoothly and profitably.
Have an Approach To Planning
Before you begin, research different options and tools for writing your marketing plan. There are several correct ways to complete a plan. Options range from a simple one-day plan to software-developed plans to detailed company-dictated procedures resulting in a book-length document.Once you have chosen your approach, stick to it. If you begin pulling procedures from several different methods, you may become overwhelmed and never finish. The critical part is completing the plan so you have a strategic document to act from.
Make Time To Finish a Formal Plan
If you do not set aside dedicated time for completing your marketing plan, it will always be pushed to the back burner and never completed. Schedule marketing plan development as you would a meeting. Block time out on your calendar and keep that appointment.Build in Implementation Timelines and Evaluation Measures
Your marketing plan isn’t worth the paper it’s printed on (or the drive it’s stored on) without strong implementation. Following timelines leading up to and evaluating performance during execution can make for smoother implementation.You can use specialized project management tools to automate timeline creation or do it manually in a spreadsheet or text document. If you are completing a timeline manually, start with the due date and work backwards. Note each major project milestone leading up to completion and the time needed for each component. This will give you intermediate deadlines, so you will know if you fall behind schedule. Leave room for comments and notations about who is responsible for each aspect of implementation.
Also, know how you will measure success, and set up ways to monitor project results. Problems are easiest to solve early on, before the entire budget has been spent and there is time to adjust for improvement.
Execute Year Round
The place for your marketing plan is "front and center," not in a drawer next to the tax returns. Refer to it often throughout the year as you execute the marketing programs you've planned. This keeps you focused on programs in the plan.Measure Opportunities Against Strategies
New marketing opportunities present themselves often. Without a visible plan, you may find yourself darting after opportunities instead of following a strategic plan. Whenever a new opportunity arises, refer to your marketing plan and ask yourself if it fits with one of your marketing strategies. If so, decide (1) which program in your plan it will replace and (2) if funds are best spent on the original or new project. By going through this exercise, you will be less inclined to make poor marketing decisions.Take these tips to heart and you’ll find your business running more smoothly and profitably.
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Friday, April 30, 2010
Small Business Marketing Planning
Small business marketing planning is something most entrepreneurs and small business owners never do, much to their detriment. They spend their time jumping from the latest new thing to the next big thing, never stopping for a breath.
So what does small business marketing planning entail exactly? Here are some of the steps that we take our marketing clients through that could help you to get your marketing efforts on track:
- Who are the clients you are trying to attract
- How have you found them before
- What products and services do they like
- What products and services should you offer
- What channels (online, offline, social media, direct mail, etc) should you use to reach those people with your offer
- What steps are you going to take this month, this week, today to implement your marketing plan
- What metrics are you going to use to gauge your success? Added contacts, friends, followers, sales, leads, etc.
One of the first things you should notice about this is that at no time did I say do you want a new logo, blog, email program or any other specific thing that is the flavor of the moment. all of the shiney marketing things like Facebook, Wordpress, and Email are just the TOOLS to use and are a HUGE distraction to your plan. Figure out WHAT to do BEFORE you figure out HOW you are going to accomplish it!
Sunday, April 18, 2010
Top 10 Marketing Concepts for Small Business
Over the past decade more and more people are getting fired, getting downsized, or getting fed up with their corporate jobs and embark on the journey as a small business owner. Unfortunately, most of the new small business owners fail to consider their marketing plans or strategy. There are many marketing concepts for small business marketing to consider and plan for, but here is our list of Top 10 Marketing Concepts For Small Business Marketing.
Marketing Concept # 1: Consistency
Consistency is the number one marketing concept for small business marketing only because it is left out of marketing concepts for so many businesses. I have worked with a long list of clients, big and small, that are extremely inconsistent in all areas of their marketing. Consistency helps lower the cost of marketing and increase the effectiveness of branding.
Marketing Concept # 2: Planning
Once small business owners decide to be consistent with their marketing, planning is the next major concept to engage. Planning is the most vital part of small business marketing or any level of marketing, for that matter, and so many owners, marketing managers, and even CMOs plan poorly. Put the time into planning your marketing strategy, budget, and other concepts presented here to ensure success.
Marketing Concept # 3: Strategy
Strategy immediately follows planning because your strategy is the foundation for the rest of your marketing activities. In the process of planning, you must develop your strategy: who you will target, how you will target them, and how will you keep them as a customer.
Marketing Concept # 4: Target Market
Target market is also another key concept for small business marketing. Defining exactly who you are targeting allows small business owners to focus on specific customers and reduce marketing waste. A well-defined target market will make every other marketing concept so much easier to implement successfully.
Marketing Concept # 5: Budget
Although it is listed at number 5, budgeting is important throughout the entire process. Creating a marketing budget is usually the hardest and most inaccurate part of small business marketing. Most small businesses owners lack a great deal of experience in marketing, so their budgets usually end up skewed. The most important part of this marketing concept is to actually establish a marketing budget. From there, you can worry about how to distribute your available funds.
Marketing Concept # 6: Marketing Mix
The marketing mix is usually defined as product, pricing, place, and promotion. As a small business owner, you must specifically decide on your products (or services), the appropriate pricing, where and how you will distribute your products, and how will you let everyone know about you and your products.
Marketing Concept # 7: Website
In today’s market, a business of any size must have a website. I hate when I see businesses that have a one page website with out-dated information. Customers, be it businesses or consumers, will search the web over 60% of the time before making any purchasing decisions. This marketing concept contains a slew of additional components, but you must at least develop a small web presence of some kind and keep it updated.
Marketing Concept # 8: Branding
Many small businesses owners also neglect this concept. Small business marketing must focus on this marketing concept just as much as large corporations do. Branding consists of the pictures, logo, design scheme, layout, make up, and image of your products and even your company. Branding is how your customers perceive (please place a lot of emphasis on that word!) your products and company. Make sure to pay special attention to what kind of brand you are building through each step of your planning and implementation.
Marketing Concept # 9: Promotion and Advertising
Promotion and advertising is a very complex marketing concept, but must be considered for any type of business and its products and services. Once you engage the previous 8 marketing concepts, you must finally let your target market know about you and your products. Proper promotion and advertising will result in effective brand recognition, and, ultimately, increased sales.
Marketing Concept # 10: Customer Relationship Management (CRM)
The concept of customer relationship management has become a huge industry in the marketing world. There are many types of software and services offered to help businesses of any size handle their customer relationship management. Since there is so much available, usually for a large sum of money, small business owners usually look at this concept as something they are not big enough for or have enough money to implement. Don’t be fooled by the massive industry that has evolved from this concept. Maintaining proper customer relationship management is essential to creating loyal and consistent customers.
This list of marketing concepts should be examined, researched, planned, and implemented, especially by small businesses, in order to be successful. Also, your marketing doesn’t stop here. Each business is unique and will have additional components that must be considered, but this list will jump-start any marketing plan.
Marketing Concept # 1: Consistency
Consistency is the number one marketing concept for small business marketing only because it is left out of marketing concepts for so many businesses. I have worked with a long list of clients, big and small, that are extremely inconsistent in all areas of their marketing. Consistency helps lower the cost of marketing and increase the effectiveness of branding.
Marketing Concept # 2: Planning
Once small business owners decide to be consistent with their marketing, planning is the next major concept to engage. Planning is the most vital part of small business marketing or any level of marketing, for that matter, and so many owners, marketing managers, and even CMOs plan poorly. Put the time into planning your marketing strategy, budget, and other concepts presented here to ensure success.
Marketing Concept # 3: Strategy
Strategy immediately follows planning because your strategy is the foundation for the rest of your marketing activities. In the process of planning, you must develop your strategy: who you will target, how you will target them, and how will you keep them as a customer.
Marketing Concept # 4: Target Market
Target market is also another key concept for small business marketing. Defining exactly who you are targeting allows small business owners to focus on specific customers and reduce marketing waste. A well-defined target market will make every other marketing concept so much easier to implement successfully.
Marketing Concept # 5: Budget
Although it is listed at number 5, budgeting is important throughout the entire process. Creating a marketing budget is usually the hardest and most inaccurate part of small business marketing. Most small businesses owners lack a great deal of experience in marketing, so their budgets usually end up skewed. The most important part of this marketing concept is to actually establish a marketing budget. From there, you can worry about how to distribute your available funds.
Marketing Concept # 6: Marketing Mix
The marketing mix is usually defined as product, pricing, place, and promotion. As a small business owner, you must specifically decide on your products (or services), the appropriate pricing, where and how you will distribute your products, and how will you let everyone know about you and your products.
Marketing Concept # 7: Website
In today’s market, a business of any size must have a website. I hate when I see businesses that have a one page website with out-dated information. Customers, be it businesses or consumers, will search the web over 60% of the time before making any purchasing decisions. This marketing concept contains a slew of additional components, but you must at least develop a small web presence of some kind and keep it updated.
Marketing Concept # 8: Branding
Many small businesses owners also neglect this concept. Small business marketing must focus on this marketing concept just as much as large corporations do. Branding consists of the pictures, logo, design scheme, layout, make up, and image of your products and even your company. Branding is how your customers perceive (please place a lot of emphasis on that word!) your products and company. Make sure to pay special attention to what kind of brand you are building through each step of your planning and implementation.
Marketing Concept # 9: Promotion and Advertising
Promotion and advertising is a very complex marketing concept, but must be considered for any type of business and its products and services. Once you engage the previous 8 marketing concepts, you must finally let your target market know about you and your products. Proper promotion and advertising will result in effective brand recognition, and, ultimately, increased sales.
Marketing Concept # 10: Customer Relationship Management (CRM)
The concept of customer relationship management has become a huge industry in the marketing world. There are many types of software and services offered to help businesses of any size handle their customer relationship management. Since there is so much available, usually for a large sum of money, small business owners usually look at this concept as something they are not big enough for or have enough money to implement. Don’t be fooled by the massive industry that has evolved from this concept. Maintaining proper customer relationship management is essential to creating loyal and consistent customers.
This list of marketing concepts should be examined, researched, planned, and implemented, especially by small businesses, in order to be successful. Also, your marketing doesn’t stop here. Each business is unique and will have additional components that must be considered, but this list will jump-start any marketing plan.
Monday, April 12, 2010
Marketing Is A System, Not An Event
Small business marketers love the chase. Love the new fangled way to make the phone ring. They love to think of a marketing promotion as a single event. But it's precisely this view of marketing that holds most small businesses back. They fall prey to the "marketing idea of the week" and never fully explore what it takes to create and build a completely functioning, consistently performing, marketing system.
In this article I am going to outline the basic steps that any business can follow on the way to creating their very own marketing system. But first let's explore this word system in the context of marketing. Small business owners have no problem thinking systems when it comes to say, accounting or hiring. When it comes to marketing though, all bets are off. It's as if they are waiting for magic fairy dust to fall upon them with the next great marketing innovation.
Look, effective marketing is little more than creating and operating an effective marketing system. Now, when I use the word system I mean several things. 1) The system is documented - You can't have a system or a step in a system unless you write it down. 2) The system is built on sound marketing principals and 3) You constantly measure, innovate, and refine the system.
Okay, so on to the system building steps.
1) Narrow and define a target market - Small business owners love to say yes. "Sure we can do that." The next thing you know the target market is roughly anyone they think will pay them. You must commit to a narrowly defined target market and you must focus all of your attention upon serving that market like no one ever dreamed of. A narrow marketing focus might be - Estate Attorneys - as opposed to Law Firms.
2) Discover and communicate a core message for that market - Until you can show how your firm is different and offers something unique, you will always compete on price. You must find a way to tell your newly defined narrow target market why you have something to offer that they value. Your core message might be - We show estate attorneys how gain all of the business they can handle - as opposed to: We help law firms.
3) Develop multiple forms of permission based lead generation - No one like to be sold to and more and more advertising is falling on numb ears and eyes. Your lead generation system must be built on several fronts, such as public relations, referral marketing, strategic partnerships, and targeted advertising. Your lead generation message must offer the target market a reason to want to know more. Forget about the sale, look for ways to build trust.
4) Construct a lead conversion and customer reselling process - No amount of leads in the world will help your business if you don't efficiently turn those leads into clients. You must have a plan that maps out what you will do when phone rings, when you make the sales call and when it's time to do more business with the clients you already have. Most small businesses completely ignore this aspect of their marketing, but this is where the real success in marketing lies.
5) Create educational based marketing and presentation materials - Forget about the glossy sales brochure, use your marketing materials to teach how your firm is different, how you solve real problems, how you work, why you work, what you believe and your marketing will be much more successful. Your web site must come from this point of view as well.
6) Define the most important marketing success indicators - Setting marketing goals for such things as leads, appointments, sales, phone calls, referrals, impressions, mentions and anything else you can think to measure is how you turn marketing into a game and how you keep score of the game. Everyone loves and game and the only way to improve something is to measure how well you are doing in the first place.
7) Build an annual marketing calendar and budget and stick to it - Once you have spent the time and energy to think through steps 1-6 you need to commit your plan to a marketing calendar and then allocate (or at least think about) the money it will take to implement your plan. Once you create a calendar it is much more likely that you will look at the tasks assigned to each month like a "to-do" list. So, instead of whining that you should do more marketing, you simply scratch each item off your list and plan for the next. It's an amazingly simple but effective device.
Okay...now the last bit of advice.
Every system needs a champion. Either find someone in your organization who does little else but operate the system or hire a marketing professional and charge them with helping you develop, implement and run the system.
Properly fed and maintained, this little marketing system can become the engine that drives your firm's climb to the top.
In this article I am going to outline the basic steps that any business can follow on the way to creating their very own marketing system. But first let's explore this word system in the context of marketing. Small business owners have no problem thinking systems when it comes to say, accounting or hiring. When it comes to marketing though, all bets are off. It's as if they are waiting for magic fairy dust to fall upon them with the next great marketing innovation.
Look, effective marketing is little more than creating and operating an effective marketing system. Now, when I use the word system I mean several things. 1) The system is documented - You can't have a system or a step in a system unless you write it down. 2) The system is built on sound marketing principals and 3) You constantly measure, innovate, and refine the system.
Okay, so on to the system building steps.
1) Narrow and define a target market - Small business owners love to say yes. "Sure we can do that." The next thing you know the target market is roughly anyone they think will pay them. You must commit to a narrowly defined target market and you must focus all of your attention upon serving that market like no one ever dreamed of. A narrow marketing focus might be - Estate Attorneys - as opposed to Law Firms.
2) Discover and communicate a core message for that market - Until you can show how your firm is different and offers something unique, you will always compete on price. You must find a way to tell your newly defined narrow target market why you have something to offer that they value. Your core message might be - We show estate attorneys how gain all of the business they can handle - as opposed to: We help law firms.
3) Develop multiple forms of permission based lead generation - No one like to be sold to and more and more advertising is falling on numb ears and eyes. Your lead generation system must be built on several fronts, such as public relations, referral marketing, strategic partnerships, and targeted advertising. Your lead generation message must offer the target market a reason to want to know more. Forget about the sale, look for ways to build trust.
4) Construct a lead conversion and customer reselling process - No amount of leads in the world will help your business if you don't efficiently turn those leads into clients. You must have a plan that maps out what you will do when phone rings, when you make the sales call and when it's time to do more business with the clients you already have. Most small businesses completely ignore this aspect of their marketing, but this is where the real success in marketing lies.
5) Create educational based marketing and presentation materials - Forget about the glossy sales brochure, use your marketing materials to teach how your firm is different, how you solve real problems, how you work, why you work, what you believe and your marketing will be much more successful. Your web site must come from this point of view as well.
6) Define the most important marketing success indicators - Setting marketing goals for such things as leads, appointments, sales, phone calls, referrals, impressions, mentions and anything else you can think to measure is how you turn marketing into a game and how you keep score of the game. Everyone loves and game and the only way to improve something is to measure how well you are doing in the first place.
7) Build an annual marketing calendar and budget and stick to it - Once you have spent the time and energy to think through steps 1-6 you need to commit your plan to a marketing calendar and then allocate (or at least think about) the money it will take to implement your plan. Once you create a calendar it is much more likely that you will look at the tasks assigned to each month like a "to-do" list. So, instead of whining that you should do more marketing, you simply scratch each item off your list and plan for the next. It's an amazingly simple but effective device.
Okay...now the last bit of advice.
Every system needs a champion. Either find someone in your organization who does little else but operate the system or hire a marketing professional and charge them with helping you develop, implement and run the system.
Properly fed and maintained, this little marketing system can become the engine that drives your firm's climb to the top.
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
Strategies For Internet Marketing Beginners
If you have been considering utilizing the internet to further develop your business there are some things you should understand in order to be as effective as possible with your internet marketing.
Internet marketing beginners often become overwhelmed with all the different approaches to this marketing approach, if you follow some basic principles then you will not need to feel overwhelmed.
There is a lot for internet marketing beginners to consider.
Of course there are similar marketing principles on the internet as there are in the traditional marketing world.
The benefit of internet marketing is that it can have lower costs associated with reaching your potential customer and your customer base has the potential to be much larger than it would be otherwise.
The key is to learn how to promote yourself and your business. There are marketing strategies that are unique to the internet. It is these strategies that can be confusing at first.
These marketing strategies will help to increase your traffic.
As internet marketing beginners there are effective ways to learn these internet marketing strategies. Obviously the better you become at utilizing certain strategies the greater the potential for you to have success.
As a beginner you should explore the internet to find strategies that work for others. You can profit from the success of others by investing in some instructional material that provides marketing strategies.
There are numerous guides on the internet that will provide you with instructional information on how to be successful as an internet marketer. These programs may provide information on how to generate traffic.
These programs may also provide information on creating brand awareness and positioning yourself for success.
The key to success with internet marketing is to understand that you need to get proper exposure. This exposure is often gained through social media marketing, such as face book and MySpace.
This strategy works much in the same manner as becoming known in the community if you have a physical business location.
The better known you become the larger your customer base will typically become.
When you approach your marketing campaign as internet marketing beginners you need to keep in mind that people tend to shop in a similar manner on the internet as they do in a store.
For this reason it is important to understand your potential customers and how they think. Figure out what techniques are most likely to attract your potential customers.
Internet marketing beginners often become overwhelmed with all the different approaches to this marketing approach, if you follow some basic principles then you will not need to feel overwhelmed.
There is a lot for internet marketing beginners to consider.
Of course there are similar marketing principles on the internet as there are in the traditional marketing world.
The benefit of internet marketing is that it can have lower costs associated with reaching your potential customer and your customer base has the potential to be much larger than it would be otherwise.
The key is to learn how to promote yourself and your business. There are marketing strategies that are unique to the internet. It is these strategies that can be confusing at first.
These marketing strategies will help to increase your traffic.
As internet marketing beginners there are effective ways to learn these internet marketing strategies. Obviously the better you become at utilizing certain strategies the greater the potential for you to have success.
As a beginner you should explore the internet to find strategies that work for others. You can profit from the success of others by investing in some instructional material that provides marketing strategies.
There are numerous guides on the internet that will provide you with instructional information on how to be successful as an internet marketer. These programs may provide information on how to generate traffic.
These programs may also provide information on creating brand awareness and positioning yourself for success.
The key to success with internet marketing is to understand that you need to get proper exposure. This exposure is often gained through social media marketing, such as face book and MySpace.
This strategy works much in the same manner as becoming known in the community if you have a physical business location.
The better known you become the larger your customer base will typically become.
When you approach your marketing campaign as internet marketing beginners you need to keep in mind that people tend to shop in a similar manner on the internet as they do in a store.
For this reason it is important to understand your potential customers and how they think. Figure out what techniques are most likely to attract your potential customers.
Saturday, March 27, 2010
Online Marketing Course - 3 Things You Never Knew
Seriously, don't you think the claims that they tell you about your ideal online marketing course is getting a little boring? The reason why this short report was created is so you can identify the ideal online marketing course for you.
Moreover, you even can do this in less than 24 hours flat. You do not need any technical skills or massive researching firepower. All you need is to discover the 3 things you ever knew about selecting the right online marketing course.
1) You Never Knew: What Defines A Good Online Marketing Course
Firstly, you have to admit this with me. We are all emotionally driven at some point so a little bit of logical tuning is needed in our hearts. At the very core, we can define that your ideal online marketing course would have to be based on your needs alone. That's right.
Let's just say that you really need to learn about article marketing via an online marketing course. That you need to learn it because you will apply this strategy soon. Then, go and ask around your Internet marketing colleagues for reference to some of the best article marketing courses that they've seen. Keep it as a list.
2) You Never Knew: How To Choose Properly...
You got that list of 5, maybe 10 recommendations. What you need to do is look at your budget. My education budget should be 10-15% of my monthly income. It's up to you. By looking at the list you have, keep the ones which do not go beyond your budget.
Cross out the ones which are over your learning allowance. Do keep in mind that an online marketing course can be anything from a membership based subscription, coaching or just an informational product. That is why you should not run out of options. Pick one, buddy.
3) You Never Knew: When You Will Get A Return On Investment
Trust me. Setting aside some money in a good online marketing course is 10 times better than buying yourself a pair of nice jeans at the end of the month. You are investing in yourself. When you finally identify a great online marketing course, make sure that you also put what you learn into practice.
Your investment in an online marketing course only becomes more visible when you begin to apply what you learn. I mean in a large scale manner. Just like a stallion that runs free. It doesn't just run around the lake. It runs over valley, wide open fields and countrysides!
In closing, you should never stop learning or stop taking any online marketing course. My mentor once told me that, "life is a lifetime of learning" and I agree. You are created with so much potential for success. All it takes is the strength to push forward every single day of your life.
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
Your Guide to Online Marketing Success
In today's business world, online marketing isn't just effective; it's essential
At one time, business essentials were limited to business cards, yellow page ads and brochures. Newspapers, radio and television were used by cutting-edge businesses of yore and still reap huge rewards for big-businesses today.
Mass media are generally just not cost-effective for most local businesses. In the 21st Century, it's clear that the impact of these tools is diminished by the world wide web. We search for products and services online from our desktops, laptops and cell phones. Yet most local business owners don't take advantage of the affordability and profits available through online marketing.
Like a business plan and a budget, an Internet marketing strategy is essential for modern-day small business success. While a website provides a good starting point, online marketing requires more than a couple of static web pages. Instead, a successful internet approach requires a dynamic and well-rounded web presence that builds relationships in addition to sales, fans in addition to customers.
A comprehensive Internet marketing strategy replaces newspaper ads with banner ads, yellow pages with search engines, snail mail with e-mail, town squares with social networks and sales letters with custom content. The technology is as evolutionary as it is revolutionary, and smart businesses are taking advantage of current environment to trounce their competition.
Tools and technology aside, there are dozens of reasons to engage actively and often in Internet marketing. Here are a few of the most persuasive:
1. When they need information, modern-day consumers go online; your successful internet marketing program will make sure they find you when they are shopping for your product or service.
2. Online marketing has tremendous research potential; if nothing else, companies should engage in online marketing research in order to collect data about their customers, prospects and competitors.
3. By marketing on the internet, companies can reach a highly targeted audience; what's more, they can reach it quickly, intimately and more cost-effectively online than traditional marketing approaches.
4. Online marketing lends itself to instant conversions. Customers can quickly and easily find what they want and immediately click through to purchase it.
5. Compared with many traditional marketing vehicles, Internet marketing services are both more affordable and more effective.
6. Internet marketing provides marketing power to local business owners; by marketing online, your company can enjoy big-business marketing exposure on a local marketing budget.
Action Steps. Some contacts and resources to help you get started with your online marketing:
Search engine marketing strengthens your online marketing strategy.
Once you have a website, Internet marketing via search engines will help your customers find it. Consider search engine optimization, which will improve your search engine rankings, and pay-per-click (PPC) advertising, which markets your company via relevant, targeted search engine queries.
ACTION: Before you build a web site, use Wordtracker's free keyword suggestion tool to choose keywords; use those keywords in your descriptions and meta-tags, PPC advertising via Google AdWords and Yahoo! Sponsored Search in order to build search engine traffic.
Select appropriate display advertising and leverage online marketing tools
Display advertising, including banner ads, is a basic form of online marketing. Because you'll pay for impressions - banner ads are usually priced using CPM, or cost per thousand impressions - make sure you place ads only on websites that your target markets visit.
ACTION: Yahoo! Advertising provides Internet marketing services to design, purchase and place your Internet advertisements
Public relations promotes your online marketing image
Marketing on the internet includes more than advertising; it's also about public relations. Generate publicity online and continually monitor, build and maintain your online reputation.
ACTION: Include Google Alerts in your online marketing strategy. Use them to keep tabs on mentions of your name, your company and your products online; search Technorati for mentions in blogs and social media. And, when you write press releases, distribute them via a newswire service like PRWeb, which allows you to tag your release for exposure on social bookmarking sites like Digg and Del.iciou.us.
Engage e-mail marketing to reach your online market
Promotional e-mails, including targeted messages and periodic e-mail newsletters, are effective, opt-in tools for one-to-one marketing. Send news or send coupons, but whatever you do, don't spam.
ACTION: VerticalResponse is a popular e-mail marketing vendor that can help you develop and execute a one-on-one marketing strategy; browse its resources page for e-mail marketing research, tips and advice.
Pursue affiliate marketing to leverage online marketing relationships
A collaborative approach to Internet marketing, affiliate marketing consists of advertisements on other people's websites. When a customer clicks on the ads and visits your website, your affiliate gets a small commission. You can also reverse the process and get profits from promoting other vendors' products
ACTION: LinkShare and ClickBank are examples of companies that provide affiliate-focused internet marketing services, AffiliateScout.com and AffiliatePrograms.com are directories where you can search for affiliate networks based on location, industry, etc.
Make blogging an integral piece of your internet marketing strategy
Blogs offer business owners an affordable and personable way to connect online with customers. Blogging about your business, your industry and your life positions you as an expert, an advocate and most importantly, a real person.
ACTION: For a low monthly fee, you can publish your own blog via sites like TypePad and Movable Type; Blogger and WordPress, meanwhile, are free. Don't forget to market your blog via RSS feeds; while most blogging software will create RSS feeds for you, online marketing companies like SimpleFeed can help, too.
Get involved in social networks to broaden your online reach
Social networks are the networking component to your modern-day online marketing strategy; giving your company a presence on popular social networks especially engages younger consumers and turns them into brand evangelists.
ACTION: While MySpace, Friendster and Facebook tend to be the most attractive social networks for companies who are marketing on the Internet, other sites, such as Second Life and Twitter, are becoming major players. Still other sites, like LinkedIn, are proving themselves important stomping grounds for B2B marketers.
Photos and video provide impact to your online marketing
Use pictures of your business, staff and customers everywhere you can. Images touch us emotionally and convey messages quickly. Remember that surfers have short attention-spans.
ACTION: Start taking pictures of your business' world right now, poast them to your website and social sites, like your Facebook page.
Release viral marketing to spread your online marketing message
Whether you send a viral e-mail, produce a viral video or build a viral website, Internet marketing of the viral variety spreads far and fast, allowing you to start small and finish big.
ACTION: Consider uploading branded media to sites like YouTube, Revver or Flickr. A video or photo that goes viral can attract heaps of new business.
Generate online word of mouth with consumer-driven Internet marketing efforts
Internet marketing is about interactivity. Give your customers a platform for expressing-and sharing-their opinions online in order to build buzz and goodwill.
ACTION: Customer reviews provide credibility for companies that give consumers the power to do their Internet marketing for them; while many shopping cart solutions, such as Zoovy, now include built-in customer review functions, companies like PowerReviews specialize in them.
Tips & Tactics
Helpful advice for making the most of this Online Marketing Guide
o More than advertising for your website, Internet marketing should provide you with an entire online brand. Your Internet marketing strategy should go beyond just making sales and toward building an engaging online web presence.
o Don't put all your eggs in one basket. When you're marketing online, reserve a portion of your budget for offline advertising, such as direct mail, which you can use to push traffic to your website.
o Keep in mind that not all online advertising can be bought; a big part of Internet marketing is building relationships and earning reputations.
o Whether off-line or online, marketing requires a clear and comprehensive understanding of your target customers. Find out who your best customers are and where you can find them online, then go after them.
o Internet marketing is about usefulness. It's not enough to build a pretty website; you must also build one that's engaging and easy to use. If you focus your Internet marketing strategy on creating a positive user experience, it will eventually be profitable to you.
At one time, business essentials were limited to business cards, yellow page ads and brochures. Newspapers, radio and television were used by cutting-edge businesses of yore and still reap huge rewards for big-businesses today.
Mass media are generally just not cost-effective for most local businesses. In the 21st Century, it's clear that the impact of these tools is diminished by the world wide web. We search for products and services online from our desktops, laptops and cell phones. Yet most local business owners don't take advantage of the affordability and profits available through online marketing.
Like a business plan and a budget, an Internet marketing strategy is essential for modern-day small business success. While a website provides a good starting point, online marketing requires more than a couple of static web pages. Instead, a successful internet approach requires a dynamic and well-rounded web presence that builds relationships in addition to sales, fans in addition to customers.
A comprehensive Internet marketing strategy replaces newspaper ads with banner ads, yellow pages with search engines, snail mail with e-mail, town squares with social networks and sales letters with custom content. The technology is as evolutionary as it is revolutionary, and smart businesses are taking advantage of current environment to trounce their competition.
Tools and technology aside, there are dozens of reasons to engage actively and often in Internet marketing. Here are a few of the most persuasive:
1. When they need information, modern-day consumers go online; your successful internet marketing program will make sure they find you when they are shopping for your product or service.
2. Online marketing has tremendous research potential; if nothing else, companies should engage in online marketing research in order to collect data about their customers, prospects and competitors.
3. By marketing on the internet, companies can reach a highly targeted audience; what's more, they can reach it quickly, intimately and more cost-effectively online than traditional marketing approaches.
4. Online marketing lends itself to instant conversions. Customers can quickly and easily find what they want and immediately click through to purchase it.
5. Compared with many traditional marketing vehicles, Internet marketing services are both more affordable and more effective.
6. Internet marketing provides marketing power to local business owners; by marketing online, your company can enjoy big-business marketing exposure on a local marketing budget.
Action Steps. Some contacts and resources to help you get started with your online marketing:
Search engine marketing strengthens your online marketing strategy.
Once you have a website, Internet marketing via search engines will help your customers find it. Consider search engine optimization, which will improve your search engine rankings, and pay-per-click (PPC) advertising, which markets your company via relevant, targeted search engine queries.
ACTION: Before you build a web site, use Wordtracker's free keyword suggestion tool to choose keywords; use those keywords in your descriptions and meta-tags, PPC advertising via Google AdWords and Yahoo! Sponsored Search in order to build search engine traffic.
Select appropriate display advertising and leverage online marketing tools
Display advertising, including banner ads, is a basic form of online marketing. Because you'll pay for impressions - banner ads are usually priced using CPM, or cost per thousand impressions - make sure you place ads only on websites that your target markets visit.
ACTION: Yahoo! Advertising provides Internet marketing services to design, purchase and place your Internet advertisements
Public relations promotes your online marketing image
Marketing on the internet includes more than advertising; it's also about public relations. Generate publicity online and continually monitor, build and maintain your online reputation.
ACTION: Include Google Alerts in your online marketing strategy. Use them to keep tabs on mentions of your name, your company and your products online; search Technorati for mentions in blogs and social media. And, when you write press releases, distribute them via a newswire service like PRWeb, which allows you to tag your release for exposure on social bookmarking sites like Digg and Del.iciou.us.
Engage e-mail marketing to reach your online market
Promotional e-mails, including targeted messages and periodic e-mail newsletters, are effective, opt-in tools for one-to-one marketing. Send news or send coupons, but whatever you do, don't spam.
ACTION: VerticalResponse is a popular e-mail marketing vendor that can help you develop and execute a one-on-one marketing strategy; browse its resources page for e-mail marketing research, tips and advice.
Pursue affiliate marketing to leverage online marketing relationships
A collaborative approach to Internet marketing, affiliate marketing consists of advertisements on other people's websites. When a customer clicks on the ads and visits your website, your affiliate gets a small commission. You can also reverse the process and get profits from promoting other vendors' products
ACTION: LinkShare and ClickBank are examples of companies that provide affiliate-focused internet marketing services, AffiliateScout.com and AffiliatePrograms.com are directories where you can search for affiliate networks based on location, industry, etc.
Make blogging an integral piece of your internet marketing strategy
Blogs offer business owners an affordable and personable way to connect online with customers. Blogging about your business, your industry and your life positions you as an expert, an advocate and most importantly, a real person.
ACTION: For a low monthly fee, you can publish your own blog via sites like TypePad and Movable Type; Blogger and WordPress, meanwhile, are free. Don't forget to market your blog via RSS feeds; while most blogging software will create RSS feeds for you, online marketing companies like SimpleFeed can help, too.
Get involved in social networks to broaden your online reach
Social networks are the networking component to your modern-day online marketing strategy; giving your company a presence on popular social networks especially engages younger consumers and turns them into brand evangelists.
ACTION: While MySpace, Friendster and Facebook tend to be the most attractive social networks for companies who are marketing on the Internet, other sites, such as Second Life and Twitter, are becoming major players. Still other sites, like LinkedIn, are proving themselves important stomping grounds for B2B marketers.
Photos and video provide impact to your online marketing
Use pictures of your business, staff and customers everywhere you can. Images touch us emotionally and convey messages quickly. Remember that surfers have short attention-spans.
ACTION: Start taking pictures of your business' world right now, poast them to your website and social sites, like your Facebook page.
Release viral marketing to spread your online marketing message
Whether you send a viral e-mail, produce a viral video or build a viral website, Internet marketing of the viral variety spreads far and fast, allowing you to start small and finish big.
ACTION: Consider uploading branded media to sites like YouTube, Revver or Flickr. A video or photo that goes viral can attract heaps of new business.
Generate online word of mouth with consumer-driven Internet marketing efforts
Internet marketing is about interactivity. Give your customers a platform for expressing-and sharing-their opinions online in order to build buzz and goodwill.
ACTION: Customer reviews provide credibility for companies that give consumers the power to do their Internet marketing for them; while many shopping cart solutions, such as Zoovy, now include built-in customer review functions, companies like PowerReviews specialize in them.
Tips & Tactics
Helpful advice for making the most of this Online Marketing Guide
o More than advertising for your website, Internet marketing should provide you with an entire online brand. Your Internet marketing strategy should go beyond just making sales and toward building an engaging online web presence.
o Don't put all your eggs in one basket. When you're marketing online, reserve a portion of your budget for offline advertising, such as direct mail, which you can use to push traffic to your website.
o Keep in mind that not all online advertising can be bought; a big part of Internet marketing is building relationships and earning reputations.
o Whether off-line or online, marketing requires a clear and comprehensive understanding of your target customers. Find out who your best customers are and where you can find them online, then go after them.
o Internet marketing is about usefulness. It's not enough to build a pretty website; you must also build one that's engaging and easy to use. If you focus your Internet marketing strategy on creating a positive user experience, it will eventually be profitable to you.
Sunday, March 21, 2010
Marketing in Transition
Introduction
Marketing is the management process that identifies, anticipates and satisfies customer requirements profitably. In pre-modern economies, the predominance of small enterprise and there was monopoly and there was no recognition of marketing as a separate field of expertise. Marketing emerged as a separate technical field only in the late 19th century.
In the present scenario, the changing needs and wants or taste and preferences among the customers leads to paradigm shift in marketing. This is due to changing attitude and behaviour of the customers, globalization, increasing purchasing power and changing life style of the customers.
Causes for Marketing in Transition
• Globalization - Globalization has brought changes in technology, quality, service, work culture and undoubtedly fierce competition.
• Emerging Middle-Class Consumers - the increasing Purchasing Power of the Middle-Class consumers creates the MNC's to seek opportunity in the emerging market.
• Changing Lifestyle and attitude of Consumers - since there is a change in the customers lifestyle due to western influence the customer's needs and expectations has increased.
• Increasing literacy rate
• Children influence in buying decision making
• Changing perspective of rural marketing in India
• Increasing penetration of mass media
• Consumer awareness
• Information revolution
• An Enormous growth in international business
Formation of marketing concepts and practices
• 1905 - the University of Pennsylvania offered a course in "The Marketing of Products"
• 1908 - Harvard Business School opens
• 1940s - electronic computers developed
• 1980s - emergence of relationship marketing
• 1984 - introduction of guerilla marketing
• 1995-2001 - the Dot-com bubble temporarily re-defines the future of marketing
• 1996 - identification of viral marketing
Emerging New Marketing Practices
Due to increased competition the companies had necessity to enhance additional features to their products to promote the sale of their products. Many companies followed different marketing practices to attract their customers.
Winning concepts and marketing practices are
• Relationship marketing
• Co-branding
• Viral Marketing
• Sachet Marketing
• Green marketing
• Rural marketing
• Destination marketing
• Online marketing
• Cause related marketing
MARKETING IN TRANSITION
A transition from a product oriented approach to a resource oriented approach
Transaction marketing Relationship marketing
Focus on Obtaining new customers Customer retention
Orientation to Service features Customer benefits
Timescale shorts long
Customer service Little emphasis High emphasis
Customer commitment Limited High
Customer contact Limited High
Quality
Primarily an operations concern
The concern to all
Nowadays many companies are practicing the new marketing concepts and practices. Some of the examples are as follows.
Relationship marketing:
The domain of relationship marketing extends into many areas of marketing and strategic decision making. In the phenomenon of cooperation and collaboration with customers becomes the dominant paradigm of marketing practices. Relationship marketing has the potential to emerge as the predominance perspective in the paradigm of marketing.
In the fierce competitive market customer relationship management is emerging as the core marketing activity in companies. For that to maintain companies practices customer retention strategies and having good relation with the customers.
Example:
HSBC bank sent greeting cards to the customers on their birthdays to have good relationship
Whirlpool do very good post sale service to the customers.
Sachet Marketing
In India, Unilever successfully markets Sunsil and Lux shampoo sachets sold in units of 2-4 dollar cents; Clinic All Clear anti-dandruff shampoo sachets at 2.5 rupees each; and 16 cent Rexona deodorant sticks.
Idhayam gingili oil available for Rs 4/- package.
To capture the BOTTOM OF PYRAMID also
Green Marketing
It refers to the process of selling products and/or services based on their environmental benefits. Such a product or service may be environmentally friendly in itself or produced and/or packaged in an environmentally friendly way.
Green marketing can be a very powerful marketing strategy though when it's done right. Nowadays all companies are trying to produce eco-friendly products. And many companies have got ISO 14001 awards and strive to get.
Examples are ITC products, in the note books, it is environment friendly notebook.
Changing Perspective Of Rural Marketing In India
The great Indian rural market is characterized by huge untapped potential and opportunities. It is estimated that almost 70% of Indian consumers live in rural areas, which generate almost half of the national income. The number of middle income households in rural India is growing to above 111 million by 2007. There are almost twice as many lower middle income households in rural areas as in the urban areas.
A large number of corporate are excited about tapping the potential of rural areas. The recent entry of some corporate like Bharti, ITC, DCM shriram consolidated, EID parry and Amul etc. proved their fascination towards this sector. These corporates tried to develop successful model of integrating information-technology in rural transformation in a profitable way.
The tamilnadu based EID parry has developed an agro-portal [http://www.indiaagrline.com] to cater the specific needs of the rural farming community. It is an endeavor to catalyze e-commerce in agricultural and non-farms products by offering a network of partnerships. The content is available in local tamil language.
The Anand, Gurajat based Amuls DISK dairy information system KIOSK project is yet another milestone of integrating corporate sector and information technology. These kiosk serve valuable information related to dairying, breeding and rearing cattle .
ITC e-choupal has emerged as one of the most ambitious project integrating information technology and corporate sector for rural transformation. ITC e-choupal network has already covered approximately 3.1 million farmers through 5050 choupal in 29,500 villages. The company has ambitious plan to reach 1,00,000 villages covering 10 million farmers by 2010 with whopping approximately 1,000 crore. It is opening 5-6 e-choupals everyday in six different states of India.
Pepsi rural marketing
Pepsi company India has entered into rural market by having joint programme with the Punjab agriculture university in ludiana and Punjab agro industries corporation in chandigarh. The programme focuses on evolving agricultural practices to help Punjab farmers produce crops that would make Indian products internationally competitive. To cultivate a range of sweet oranges for its Tropicana range.
Apart from that, they have given advertisement to attract the rural people with the celebrity of Amitabh bachchan and star cricketer sachin tendulkar.
Coca-cola rural marketing
With the help of Isha foundation coca-cola released the CD of the coca-cola tamil CSR film "NESA KARANGAL" and also acknowledged and appreciated coca-cola's efforts in promoting social cohesiveness and sportsmanship with an aim to transform rural lives,
Advertisements to attract the rural customers are maasa-actress Rani Mukherji acted in this advertisement and says "masti ka chataka" , Satis shah's maaza ad is also based on village background.
Aamir khan acted in the advertisement which showcases a beautiful village background with the punch line "thanda ka matlab cocacola" and also ad title "soni kudi" targeted the villagers.
Destination marketing:
Destination marketing is all about selling the experience. To sell the experience is far more difficult. In destination marketing media plays a major role . word of mouth plays a vital role in destination marketing . people love to discuss their tour, infact they feel proud in telling their experiences, they bring gifts for their close ones they show their photographs and purchases to their relatives and neighbours
Eg . kerala has implemented the destination marketing very successfully and emerged as the most acclaimed tourist destination of the country in the recent past. Because of this destination marketing kerala has achieved remarkable success in generating revenue and employment in state through tourism. It is estimated nearly $100 million which generate the employment opportunity in kerala.
In the recent past all the successful stories of destination marketing that is Malaysia, Goa, Kerala, Singapore etc.
Emergence of theme parks such as ADHISAYAM, MGM , BLACK THUNDER,- all are examples of destination marketing.
Transition from kirana stores to modern organized retail outlets:
Modern retailing in India is growing rapidly. Although it commands just 3% of the overall retail market share, changing demographics and consumer taste are driving the growth of more than 30% of the modern retail formats. It is expected to grow another 9% in the year of 2010. India is more attractive than ever to global retailers.
Major players in India are:
Pantaloon retail India limited or future group, RPG group, Tata group, k.Raheja corp. group of companies, RRL (Reliance retail limited), A.B.Birla group, Gati, Calvin klein,murjani group, Disney artist stores, Vishal group (vishal megamart)
Foreign players in India are
Wal-mart stores, Carrefour, Tesco, Rosy blue group, LVMH Group, Metro
This transition makes the marketing in transition
Transition in Segmentation:
Transition from demographic based segmentation to psychographic based segmentation . since 1950's market segmentation has been referred to as a process of identifying groups of individuals who are similar in attitudes etc. and the segmentation is of demographic segmentation . after 1970s it is psychographic segmentation , know about the customer taste and preferences and collect at the real time point of purchase data. And now it is need based segmentation is using for different marketing functions like advertising and new product development .
Cause related marketing
Cause related marketing is practiced on the rationale that consumers are human beings are kind hearted. The customer pay the amount with some satisfaction that the specific amount is to for relevant social cause.
Example
A sanitary napkin brand "whisper" announced a contribution o Re.1 on every pack of sales for blind relief society. This helps in improving whisper's market share.
HLL announced a contribution of Rs 0.50 on the sale of each of its brand of lifebuoy brand soap to a diarrhea project.
Co-branding
Co-branding is when two companies form an alliance to work together, creating marketing synergy. This co-branding is innovative in the marketing practices.
Examples:
• Andhra bank and ICFAI university are using the strategy of co-branding.
• Andhra bank and Hindustan petroleum also launched their co-branded card
• SBI card and LG electronics India launched the LG-SBI card. This is the country's first co-branded credit card for the consumer appliances industry and can be used at more than 2 lakh outlets in India.
• Idea cellular and HDFC Bank launched two co-branded cards providing multiple benefits to customers of both.
• Pillsbury Brownies with Nestle Chocolate
• Dell Computers with Intel Processors
Online marketing
Internet marketing, also referred to as online marketing, Internet advertising, or eMarketing, is the marketing of products or services over the Internet. Internet marketing also includes management of digital customer data and electronic customer relationship management (E-CRM) systems.
Samsung marketing practices
Viral marketing , interactive marketing
Samsung created its "Fun Club" as a way to engage with Samsung mobile phone owners to help them get the most from their phones. Samsung provides content such as games, ringers, and wallpapers that are designed specifically for Samsung mobile phone models. Hearing about new mobile content is one of the benefits of joining the "Fun Club." Samsung was looking for a new way to use rich multimedia to promote the game, Skipping Stone, to its customers. Samsung engaged Enpocket to create a mobile marketing campaign promoting Skipping Stone using the graphically rich MMS channel.
Conclusion
In the present competitive scenario, there should be transition in marketing practices in order to survive in the market. Since "change in the only thing which never change" in the world, companies have to adapt themselves according to the changing environment. The best emerging practices in the corporate world is win-win concept to be the leader in the market.
Marketing is the management process that identifies, anticipates and satisfies customer requirements profitably. In pre-modern economies, the predominance of small enterprise and there was monopoly and there was no recognition of marketing as a separate field of expertise. Marketing emerged as a separate technical field only in the late 19th century.
In the present scenario, the changing needs and wants or taste and preferences among the customers leads to paradigm shift in marketing. This is due to changing attitude and behaviour of the customers, globalization, increasing purchasing power and changing life style of the customers.
Causes for Marketing in Transition
• Globalization - Globalization has brought changes in technology, quality, service, work culture and undoubtedly fierce competition.
• Emerging Middle-Class Consumers - the increasing Purchasing Power of the Middle-Class consumers creates the MNC's to seek opportunity in the emerging market.
• Changing Lifestyle and attitude of Consumers - since there is a change in the customers lifestyle due to western influence the customer's needs and expectations has increased.
• Increasing literacy rate
• Children influence in buying decision making
• Changing perspective of rural marketing in India
• Increasing penetration of mass media
• Consumer awareness
• Information revolution
• An Enormous growth in international business
Formation of marketing concepts and practices
• 1905 - the University of Pennsylvania offered a course in "The Marketing of Products"
• 1908 - Harvard Business School opens
• 1940s - electronic computers developed
• 1980s - emergence of relationship marketing
• 1984 - introduction of guerilla marketing
• 1995-2001 - the Dot-com bubble temporarily re-defines the future of marketing
• 1996 - identification of viral marketing
Emerging New Marketing Practices
Due to increased competition the companies had necessity to enhance additional features to their products to promote the sale of their products. Many companies followed different marketing practices to attract their customers.
Winning concepts and marketing practices are
• Relationship marketing
• Co-branding
• Viral Marketing
• Sachet Marketing
• Green marketing
• Rural marketing
• Destination marketing
• Online marketing
• Cause related marketing
MARKETING IN TRANSITION
A transition from a product oriented approach to a resource oriented approach
Transaction marketing Relationship marketing
Focus on Obtaining new customers Customer retention
Orientation to Service features Customer benefits
Timescale shorts long
Customer service Little emphasis High emphasis
Customer commitment Limited High
Customer contact Limited High
Quality
Primarily an operations concern
The concern to all
Nowadays many companies are practicing the new marketing concepts and practices. Some of the examples are as follows.
Relationship marketing:
The domain of relationship marketing extends into many areas of marketing and strategic decision making. In the phenomenon of cooperation and collaboration with customers becomes the dominant paradigm of marketing practices. Relationship marketing has the potential to emerge as the predominance perspective in the paradigm of marketing.
In the fierce competitive market customer relationship management is emerging as the core marketing activity in companies. For that to maintain companies practices customer retention strategies and having good relation with the customers.
Example:
HSBC bank sent greeting cards to the customers on their birthdays to have good relationship
Whirlpool do very good post sale service to the customers.
Sachet Marketing
In India, Unilever successfully markets Sunsil and Lux shampoo sachets sold in units of 2-4 dollar cents; Clinic All Clear anti-dandruff shampoo sachets at 2.5 rupees each; and 16 cent Rexona deodorant sticks.
Idhayam gingili oil available for Rs 4/- package.
To capture the BOTTOM OF PYRAMID also
Green Marketing
It refers to the process of selling products and/or services based on their environmental benefits. Such a product or service may be environmentally friendly in itself or produced and/or packaged in an environmentally friendly way.
Green marketing can be a very powerful marketing strategy though when it's done right. Nowadays all companies are trying to produce eco-friendly products. And many companies have got ISO 14001 awards and strive to get.
Examples are ITC products, in the note books, it is environment friendly notebook.
Changing Perspective Of Rural Marketing In India
The great Indian rural market is characterized by huge untapped potential and opportunities. It is estimated that almost 70% of Indian consumers live in rural areas, which generate almost half of the national income. The number of middle income households in rural India is growing to above 111 million by 2007. There are almost twice as many lower middle income households in rural areas as in the urban areas.
A large number of corporate are excited about tapping the potential of rural areas. The recent entry of some corporate like Bharti, ITC, DCM shriram consolidated, EID parry and Amul etc. proved their fascination towards this sector. These corporates tried to develop successful model of integrating information-technology in rural transformation in a profitable way.
The tamilnadu based EID parry has developed an agro-portal [http://www.indiaagrline.com] to cater the specific needs of the rural farming community. It is an endeavor to catalyze e-commerce in agricultural and non-farms products by offering a network of partnerships. The content is available in local tamil language.
The Anand, Gurajat based Amuls DISK dairy information system KIOSK project is yet another milestone of integrating corporate sector and information technology. These kiosk serve valuable information related to dairying, breeding and rearing cattle .
ITC e-choupal has emerged as one of the most ambitious project integrating information technology and corporate sector for rural transformation. ITC e-choupal network has already covered approximately 3.1 million farmers through 5050 choupal in 29,500 villages. The company has ambitious plan to reach 1,00,000 villages covering 10 million farmers by 2010 with whopping approximately 1,000 crore. It is opening 5-6 e-choupals everyday in six different states of India.
Pepsi rural marketing
Pepsi company India has entered into rural market by having joint programme with the Punjab agriculture university in ludiana and Punjab agro industries corporation in chandigarh. The programme focuses on evolving agricultural practices to help Punjab farmers produce crops that would make Indian products internationally competitive. To cultivate a range of sweet oranges for its Tropicana range.
Apart from that, they have given advertisement to attract the rural people with the celebrity of Amitabh bachchan and star cricketer sachin tendulkar.
Coca-cola rural marketing
With the help of Isha foundation coca-cola released the CD of the coca-cola tamil CSR film "NESA KARANGAL" and also acknowledged and appreciated coca-cola's efforts in promoting social cohesiveness and sportsmanship with an aim to transform rural lives,
Advertisements to attract the rural customers are maasa-actress Rani Mukherji acted in this advertisement and says "masti ka chataka" , Satis shah's maaza ad is also based on village background.
Aamir khan acted in the advertisement which showcases a beautiful village background with the punch line "thanda ka matlab cocacola" and also ad title "soni kudi" targeted the villagers.
Destination marketing:
Destination marketing is all about selling the experience. To sell the experience is far more difficult. In destination marketing media plays a major role . word of mouth plays a vital role in destination marketing . people love to discuss their tour, infact they feel proud in telling their experiences, they bring gifts for their close ones they show their photographs and purchases to their relatives and neighbours
Eg . kerala has implemented the destination marketing very successfully and emerged as the most acclaimed tourist destination of the country in the recent past. Because of this destination marketing kerala has achieved remarkable success in generating revenue and employment in state through tourism. It is estimated nearly $100 million which generate the employment opportunity in kerala.
In the recent past all the successful stories of destination marketing that is Malaysia, Goa, Kerala, Singapore etc.
Emergence of theme parks such as ADHISAYAM, MGM , BLACK THUNDER,- all are examples of destination marketing.
Transition from kirana stores to modern organized retail outlets:
Modern retailing in India is growing rapidly. Although it commands just 3% of the overall retail market share, changing demographics and consumer taste are driving the growth of more than 30% of the modern retail formats. It is expected to grow another 9% in the year of 2010. India is more attractive than ever to global retailers.
Major players in India are:
Pantaloon retail India limited or future group, RPG group, Tata group, k.Raheja corp. group of companies, RRL (Reliance retail limited), A.B.Birla group, Gati, Calvin klein,murjani group, Disney artist stores, Vishal group (vishal megamart)
Foreign players in India are
Wal-mart stores, Carrefour, Tesco, Rosy blue group, LVMH Group, Metro
This transition makes the marketing in transition
Transition in Segmentation:
Transition from demographic based segmentation to psychographic based segmentation . since 1950's market segmentation has been referred to as a process of identifying groups of individuals who are similar in attitudes etc. and the segmentation is of demographic segmentation . after 1970s it is psychographic segmentation , know about the customer taste and preferences and collect at the real time point of purchase data. And now it is need based segmentation is using for different marketing functions like advertising and new product development .
Cause related marketing
Cause related marketing is practiced on the rationale that consumers are human beings are kind hearted. The customer pay the amount with some satisfaction that the specific amount is to for relevant social cause.
Example
A sanitary napkin brand "whisper" announced a contribution o Re.1 on every pack of sales for blind relief society. This helps in improving whisper's market share.
HLL announced a contribution of Rs 0.50 on the sale of each of its brand of lifebuoy brand soap to a diarrhea project.
Co-branding
Co-branding is when two companies form an alliance to work together, creating marketing synergy. This co-branding is innovative in the marketing practices.
Examples:
• Andhra bank and ICFAI university are using the strategy of co-branding.
• Andhra bank and Hindustan petroleum also launched their co-branded card
• SBI card and LG electronics India launched the LG-SBI card. This is the country's first co-branded credit card for the consumer appliances industry and can be used at more than 2 lakh outlets in India.
• Idea cellular and HDFC Bank launched two co-branded cards providing multiple benefits to customers of both.
• Pillsbury Brownies with Nestle Chocolate
• Dell Computers with Intel Processors
Online marketing
Internet marketing, also referred to as online marketing, Internet advertising, or eMarketing, is the marketing of products or services over the Internet. Internet marketing also includes management of digital customer data and electronic customer relationship management (E-CRM) systems.
Samsung marketing practices
Viral marketing , interactive marketing
Samsung created its "Fun Club" as a way to engage with Samsung mobile phone owners to help them get the most from their phones. Samsung provides content such as games, ringers, and wallpapers that are designed specifically for Samsung mobile phone models. Hearing about new mobile content is one of the benefits of joining the "Fun Club." Samsung was looking for a new way to use rich multimedia to promote the game, Skipping Stone, to its customers. Samsung engaged Enpocket to create a mobile marketing campaign promoting Skipping Stone using the graphically rich MMS channel.
Conclusion
In the present competitive scenario, there should be transition in marketing practices in order to survive in the market. Since "change in the only thing which never change" in the world, companies have to adapt themselves according to the changing environment. The best emerging practices in the corporate world is win-win concept to be the leader in the market.
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
Marketing For Your Business
Marketing
This is the process through which goods and services are promoted for sale. In this process different individuals or groups of people create awareness about a certain product in the market thereby creating a value and demand for the product and thus sale of it to the general public.
Through marketing, a company or business creates consumers for their product which did not exist initially or was at a minimum level. Marketing of goods and services was as a result of over production of goods and services and the presence of mature markets therefore in order for a company to make profits they had to change tactics from focusing on production of goods to creating consumers for the products they produced. Thus, by so doing they could be able to get profits and beat competition in the market.
In order for marketing of a product to be successful, a marketer should ensure that he/she grasps the basic concepts of marketing. The concepts dictate that a company should efficiently know the needs and wants of the market they wish to sell and ensure that they achieve the desires of the target consumers in a satisfactory manner. Achieving this market satisfaction should be done in a manner that is better than competitors in the same business thereby gaining more customers.
There steps which a marketer should follow to ensure effective marketing of his products, firstly a marketer should know the appropriate communication skill to use to get the attention of the public. The goal should be to ensure that the targeted market gets to know of the availability of a certain product and get interested in it. Different goods and services need different ways of promotion but the most important point is using a communication method that captures the attention of the desired buyers. There are different ways of promotion of products for example, print media and electronic media which is bound to reach many people.
Also one can use direct marketing and personally selling the product or service. Personal selling is where salesmen or women approach different individuals or groups of desired customers and directly promote the items telling the potential customers the benefits of their products against others in the market. This type of promotion is best for the promotion of complex products which consumers need adequate knowledge of them. Products that can use this type of service include motor vehicles and insurance policies which are very specific.
Another marketing strategy is sales promotion, this technique involves use of sales brochure and coupons which briefly give details of particular goods and services and are numerously distributed to clients' randomly. However this process does not build a relationship with the clients as compared with personal selling. Advertising is the most popular form of marketing, this is when a business firm directly procures the services of a media company to publicize its goods and services, and this is usually done through television, radio, branding and billboards. This method is very effective since it captures a wide attention of potential customers within a short time.
Also directing marketing is another way of promotion of products unlike advertising, it is more personal and seeks to directly communicate with potential clients. Marketers use this method to create and retain customers through direct communication by methods such as sending electronic brochures through emails and other social web sites.
This is the process through which goods and services are promoted for sale. In this process different individuals or groups of people create awareness about a certain product in the market thereby creating a value and demand for the product and thus sale of it to the general public.
Through marketing, a company or business creates consumers for their product which did not exist initially or was at a minimum level. Marketing of goods and services was as a result of over production of goods and services and the presence of mature markets therefore in order for a company to make profits they had to change tactics from focusing on production of goods to creating consumers for the products they produced. Thus, by so doing they could be able to get profits and beat competition in the market.
In order for marketing of a product to be successful, a marketer should ensure that he/she grasps the basic concepts of marketing. The concepts dictate that a company should efficiently know the needs and wants of the market they wish to sell and ensure that they achieve the desires of the target consumers in a satisfactory manner. Achieving this market satisfaction should be done in a manner that is better than competitors in the same business thereby gaining more customers.
There steps which a marketer should follow to ensure effective marketing of his products, firstly a marketer should know the appropriate communication skill to use to get the attention of the public. The goal should be to ensure that the targeted market gets to know of the availability of a certain product and get interested in it. Different goods and services need different ways of promotion but the most important point is using a communication method that captures the attention of the desired buyers. There are different ways of promotion of products for example, print media and electronic media which is bound to reach many people.
Also one can use direct marketing and personally selling the product or service. Personal selling is where salesmen or women approach different individuals or groups of desired customers and directly promote the items telling the potential customers the benefits of their products against others in the market. This type of promotion is best for the promotion of complex products which consumers need adequate knowledge of them. Products that can use this type of service include motor vehicles and insurance policies which are very specific.
Another marketing strategy is sales promotion, this technique involves use of sales brochure and coupons which briefly give details of particular goods and services and are numerously distributed to clients' randomly. However this process does not build a relationship with the clients as compared with personal selling. Advertising is the most popular form of marketing, this is when a business firm directly procures the services of a media company to publicize its goods and services, and this is usually done through television, radio, branding and billboards. This method is very effective since it captures a wide attention of potential customers within a short time.
Also directing marketing is another way of promotion of products unlike advertising, it is more personal and seeks to directly communicate with potential clients. Marketers use this method to create and retain customers through direct communication by methods such as sending electronic brochures through emails and other social web sites.
How to Get New Clients in 2010 - Three Strategies That Work and How to Get Started
Are you wondering how to you get new clients in 2010? Read on for three strategies that get results.
Of course, many of your strategies from 2009 will still work -- but if you haven't used many online marketing strategies, now is the time to get going. If you haven't started at all, now is the time to get started, or add new ones to the one or two you're already using. And if you've started using them, you should use them more -- and yes, add another one or two to your repertory.
That's because more and more people are looking online for whom they should call for the goods and services they need. And while face-to-face networking should continue to be a key component of your marketing strategy, you really need to ramp up your online presence as well.
But where to start? Here are a four things that can help you make a big difference in your 2010 business bottom line:
1) Twitter
Are you on Twitter? If not, set up an account and start tweeting. If you do have an account, make it a goal to add at least a hundred targeted new followers a week and send out a few tweets most days. Be sure to spend some time learning about Twitter and how to use it effectively. And make sure you invite people to follow you on Twitter in your signature line and on your website.
2) Facebook
Are you on Facebook? You can set up Twitter so that it will forward you tweets to Facebook -- which allows you to cover two social media venues at once.
Be sure to go visit Facebook regularly though. You want to make sure you approve new friends, add some new ones yourself, and respond to some of the "status reports" your friends are sending. That's what builds relationship and a sense of being part of the team.
As with Twitter, be sure to invite people to "friend" you on Facebook. You can add a note in any and all of your signature lines, and you should also mention it on your website and/or blog.
3) A blog
Do you have a blog yet? If not, it's high time to set one up. If you do, start using it more by posting more regularly and promoting it more regularly.
A blog has tremendous power to put you on the front page of Google for your keywords -- if you set it up and optimize it correctly. Also make sure you have a way to allow your customers-to-be to sign up for more information and your newsletter.
You may notice that it gets harder and harder to get them to do that, however. So what you should consider is creating an "ethical bribe" that you can offer to your visitors in exchange for their email addresses.
Of course, many of your strategies from 2009 will still work -- but if you haven't used many online marketing strategies, now is the time to get going. If you haven't started at all, now is the time to get started, or add new ones to the one or two you're already using. And if you've started using them, you should use them more -- and yes, add another one or two to your repertory.
That's because more and more people are looking online for whom they should call for the goods and services they need. And while face-to-face networking should continue to be a key component of your marketing strategy, you really need to ramp up your online presence as well.
But where to start? Here are a four things that can help you make a big difference in your 2010 business bottom line:
1) Twitter
Are you on Twitter? If not, set up an account and start tweeting. If you do have an account, make it a goal to add at least a hundred targeted new followers a week and send out a few tweets most days. Be sure to spend some time learning about Twitter and how to use it effectively. And make sure you invite people to follow you on Twitter in your signature line and on your website.
2) Facebook
Are you on Facebook? You can set up Twitter so that it will forward you tweets to Facebook -- which allows you to cover two social media venues at once.
Be sure to go visit Facebook regularly though. You want to make sure you approve new friends, add some new ones yourself, and respond to some of the "status reports" your friends are sending. That's what builds relationship and a sense of being part of the team.
As with Twitter, be sure to invite people to "friend" you on Facebook. You can add a note in any and all of your signature lines, and you should also mention it on your website and/or blog.
3) A blog
Do you have a blog yet? If not, it's high time to set one up. If you do, start using it more by posting more regularly and promoting it more regularly.
A blog has tremendous power to put you on the front page of Google for your keywords -- if you set it up and optimize it correctly. Also make sure you have a way to allow your customers-to-be to sign up for more information and your newsletter.
You may notice that it gets harder and harder to get them to do that, however. So what you should consider is creating an "ethical bribe" that you can offer to your visitors in exchange for their email addresses.
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