GOOD E-MARKETING CAN TRANSFORM YOUR BUSINESS

AND FIVE STRATEGIC REASONS YOU SHOULD BE DOING IT NOW

Four thousand years ago, the ancient Egyptians began hanging up papyrus scrolls that advertised everything from cornmeal to camels. Suddenly, a new marketing medium was born and business would never be the same. Shopkeepers and traders now had a cheaper, more efficient way to market their products (imagine the benefits of not having to chisel your sales pitch into stone!).

Obviously, the art and science of marketing has come a long way since that dramatic innovation of so long ago. In the last century, we’ve seen the addition of other marketing game changers in the forms of radio and television, with each demanding its own strategy. And, in the last 15 years, another revolutionary platform has emerged (you guessed it, the Internet) and with it has arisen yet another form of marketing — e-marketing.

WHAT IS IT? SIMPLY PUT, E-MARKETING IS THE PROCESS OF MARKETING A BRAND USING ELECTRONIC MEANS, PARTICULARLY THE INTERNET

This happens through websites, emails, banner ads, blogs, social media and search engine optimization among others. For most businesses today, e-marketing is, or should be, part of their overall marketing strategy.

E-marketing (also often called online or Internet marketing) aims to attract new business, retain current customers and strengthen brand identity and loyalty. 

however, unlike other more “traditional” forms of marketing, e-marketing enjoys the pronounced benefit of yielding a much higher return on investment (ROI)

Just as with other forms of marketing, the key to success with e-marketing is designing a clear strategy and then creating the means (website, email, online ads, etc.) to execute that strategy.

that’s why it’s always wise to consult with experts who can help you develop an e-marketing strategy from scratch or overhaul an existing one that needs refinement or replacement

SETTING YOUR E-MARKETING GOALS

When developing an e-marketing plan, it’s vital to keep the following objectives in mind (before having a website or other online tangibles created) to achieve the best results:

1. increase sales —This should be the primary purpose of your e-marketing strategy, even if you aren’t operating an e-commerce site that actually sells products online. The fact is you are always building your brand and reinforcing customer confidence, interest and loyalty. Today’s customers often go online for information before making a buying decision. So, while you may not receive direct online revenue, you could see significant increases in revenue because of buying decisions directly influenced by your e-marketing efforts.
   
   
2. decrease costs — As mentioned earlier, the costs associated with e-marketing are substantially less over the long run compared to other forms of marketing including print, radio and television. Money, time and resources are saved and costs per transaction are significantly less than over the phone or in person. Customers like online transactions because, if done right, they are quick, easy and cost them less time and effort.
   
   
3. build the brand — Careful thought must be given to how your e-marketing efforts will impact and build your brand. Brands are critical to increasing recognition, trust and strengthening relationships between you and your customers. Your website, online ads, email campaigns, e-newsletters, blogs and social media efforts all should integrate to make your brand stronger.
   
   
4. increase value to customers — When customers visit your website or encounter any of your electronic communications, they should have an exemplary experience that makes it easy and pleasant for them to get information or conduct transactions. They should be given reasons to visit again and a chance to offer feedback on your products, services and presentation. Importantly, online customer requests/feedback ought to be handled quickly to further enhance your reputation and validate your e-marketing efforts.
   
   
5. build relationships — It may seem counterintuitive since the Internet isn’t an interpersonal medium, at least in the traditional sense, but e-marketing can help you create and reinforce relationships with your customers.  Various tools can allow you to track your customers’ online behavior so you can respond better to their needs.  Also, it is an inexpensive way to collect data, query your customers and respond to their input and queries. This fosters a kind of dialogue that if handled promptly and carefully, will only serve to bolster your relationship with them. 

written by Scott Wigton

Ahead of the Curve — or Treading Water?

At T.MOSS when we troll the waters of social and technological change it’s to make sure we’re keeping our friends informed of significant tidal shifts. Thanks for paddling with us.

Sometimes we note an undercurrent — a change in process, usage or style that draws our attention. A case in point –

You say tomato, I say tomahto

When we first started writing about “the Web”, there wasn’t a hard and fast rule for using the term “website.” We researched it, and based on usage common among leading publications, dictionaries and style manuals, we made an informed decision on the standard T.MOSS would follow. We decided to use Web site. That was then.

Well, we’ve taken another look around and now find that usage is trending toward website. Here’s what we’ve discovered. According to Dictionary.com:

“The transition from World Wide Web site to Web site to website as a single uncapitalized word mirrors the development of other technological expressions which have tended to take unhyphenated forms as they become more familiar. Thus email is gaining ground over the forms E-mail and e-mail, especially in texts that are more technologically oriented. Similarly, there is an increasing preference for closed forms like homepage, online, and printout.”

Further, though they do acknowledge “Web site” and “web site” as alternatives; American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, Webster’s New World CollegeDictionary, Compact Oxford English Dictionary and Cambridge Advanced Learners Dictionary list “website” as the preferred spelling — just to name a few sources. Britannica Online Encyclopedia was the only reference we found that used “Web site” exclusively — and you know how fusty the old men in monocles can be.

Let’s see, is it Beyonce or Brenda Lee?

Our conclusion: though you’ll continue to see Web site and web site in print; it looks like website has won the day. So, lest your customers and colleagues assume you’re out of touch because you use Web site instead of website — remember the flak George W. Bush got when he made reference to “the Internets” — now’s the time for a little re-education.

Website  |  Email  |  Blog  |  Podcast  |  Facebook  |  Twitter

And, if you still think Facebook is a computer game teenagers play with their friends, it’s definitely time to step into the wide world of social media and do a little poking around. To stay literate, you should at least begin to explore the explosion of new tools businesses, large and small, now use to reach out to their customers – before the next generation of innovations comes along and changes the game yet again. Who knows, in a few years tweeting may seem as outmoded as shouting at your customers through a megaphone.

by Dianne Clay, Librarian