| What is e-Marketing?e-Marketing is still quite a | | | | assistance on a non-temporal level, permanently, over |
| controversial subject to talk about, since no one | | | | time.For these reasons, we should consider the |
| succeeded to unify the various theories around it; | | | | Customer Service function (in its fullest and largest |
| however there is one thing upon which there is no | | | | definition) as an essential one within the e-Marketing |
| doubt - that e-Marketing first appeared under the | | | | mix.As we can easily figure out, the service (or |
| form of various techniques deployed by pioneer | | | | assistance if you wish) can be performed upon any |
| companies selling their products via the internet in the | | | | element from the classic 4 P's, hence its moderating |
| early 90's.The frenzy around these new marketing | | | | character.4. Community |
| techniques created by e-tailers and supported by the | | | | We can all agree that e-Marketing is conditioned by |
| internet rapidly gave birth to a new dimension of | | | | the existence of this impressive network that the |
| what we knew as Marketing: the e-Marketing | | | | internet is. The merely existence of such a network |
| (electronic Marketing).There are many definitions to | | | | implies that individuals as well as groups will eventually |
| what e-Marketing is, the simplest and shortest one | | | | interact. A group of entities that interact for a |
| being formulated by Mark Sceats: e-Marketing is | | | | common purpose is what we call a "community" and |
| Marketing that uses the internet as manifestation | | | | we will soon see why it is of absolute importance to |
| media. A working definition is that coming from a | | | | participate, to be part of a community.The Metcalf |
| group of CISCO specialists: e-Marketing is the sum of | | | | law (named after Robert Metcalf) states that the |
| all activities a business conducts through the internet | | | | value of a network is given by the number of its |
| with the purpose of finding, attracting, winning and | | | | components, more exactly the value of a network |
| retaining customers.e-Marketing StrategyThe | | | | equals the square of the number of components. We |
| e-Marketing Strategy is normally based and built upon | | | | can apply this simple law to communities, since they |
| the principles that govern the traditional, offline | | | | are a network: we will then conclude that the value |
| Marketing - the well-known 4 P's (Product - Price - | | | | of a community rises with the number of its |
| Promotion - Positioning) that form the classic | | | | members. This is the power of communities; this is |
| Marketing mix. Add the extra 3 P's (People - | | | | why we have to be a part of it.The customers / |
| Processes - Proof) and you got the whole extended | | | | clients of a business can be seen as part of a |
| Marketing mix.Until here, there are no much aspects | | | | community where they interact (either independent |
| to differentiate e-Marketing from the traditional | | | | or influenced by the marketer) - therefore developing |
| Marketing performed offline: the extended Marketing | | | | a community is a task to be performed by any |
| mix (4 + 3 P's) is built around the concept of | | | | business, even though it is not always seen as |
| "transactional" and its elements perform transactional | | | | essential.Interactions among members of such a |
| functions defined by the exchange paradigm. What | | | | community can address any of the other functions |
| gives e-Marketing its uniqueness is a series of specific | | | | of e-Marketing, so it can be placed next to other |
| functions, relational functions, that can be synthesized | | | | moderating functions.5. Site |
| in the 2P + 2C+ 3S formula: Personalization, Privacy, | | | | We have seen and agreed that e-Marketing |
| Customer Service, Community, Site, Security, Sales | | | | interactions take place on a digital media - the |
| Promotion.These 7 functions of the e-Marketing stay | | | | internet. But such interactions and relations also need |
| at the base of any e-Marketing strategy and they | | | | a proper location, to be available at any moment and |
| have a moderating character, unlike the classic | | | | from any place - a digital location for digital |
| Marketing mix that comprises situational functions | | | | interactions.Such a location is what we call a "site", |
| only. Moderating functions of e-Marketing have the | | | | which is the most widespread name for it. It is now |
| quality of moderate, operate upon all situational | | | | the time to mention that the "website" is merely a |
| functions of the mix (the classic 4 P's) and upon each | | | | form of a "site" and should not be mistaken or seen |
| other.1. Personalization | | | | as synonyms. The "site" can take other forms too, |
| The fundamental concept of personalization as a | | | | such as a Palm Pilot or any other handheld device, for |
| part of the e-Marketing mix lies in the need of | | | | example.This special location, accessible through all |
| recognizing, identifying a certain customer in order to | | | | sort of digital technologies is moderating all other |
| establish relations (establishing relations is a | | | | functions of the e-Marketing - it is then a moderating |
| fundamental objective of Marketing). It is crucial to | | | | function.6. Security |
| be able to identify our customers on individual level | | | | The "security" function emerged as an essential |
| and gather all possible information about them, with | | | | function of e-Marketing once transactions began to |
| the purpose of knowing our market and be able to | | | | be performed through internet channels.What we |
| develop customized, personalized products and | | | | need to keep in mind as marketers are the following |
| services.For example, a cookie strategically placed on | | | | two issues on security:- security during transactions |
| the website visitor's computer can let us know vital | | | | performed on our website, where we have to take |
| information concerning the access speed available: in | | | | all possible precautions that third parties will not be |
| consequence, if we know the visitor is using a slow | | | | able to access any part of a developing transaction;- |
| connection (eg. dial-up) we will offer a low-volume | | | | security of data collected and stored, about our |
| variation of our website, with reduced graphic | | | | customers and visitors.A honest marketer will have |
| content and no multimedia or flash applications. This | | | | to consider these possible causes of further trouble |
| will ease our customer's experience on our website | | | | and has to co-operate with the company's IT |
| and he will be prevented from leaving the website on | | | | department in order to be able to formulate |
| the reason that it takes too long to load its | | | | convincing (and true, honest!) messages towards the |
| pages.Personalization can be applied to any | | | | customers that their personal details are protected |
| component of the Marketing mix; therefore, it is a | | | | from unauthorized eyes.7. Sales Promotion |
| moderating function.2. Privacy | | | | At least but not last, we have to consider sales |
| Privacy is an element of the mix very much | | | | promotions when we build an e-Marketing strategy. |
| connected to the previous one - personalization. | | | | Sales promotions are widely used in traditional |
| When we gather and store information about our | | | | Marketing as well, we all know this, and it is an |
| customers and potential customers (therefore, when | | | | excellent efficient strategy to achieve immediate |
| we perform the personalization part of the | | | | sales goals in terms of volume.This function counts |
| e-Marketing mix) a crucial issue arises: that of the | | | | on the marketer's ability to think creatively: a lot of |
| way this information will be used, and by whom. A | | | | work and inspiration is required in order to find new |
| major task to do when implementing an e-Marketing | | | | possibilities and new approaches for developing an |
| strategy is that of creating and developing a policy | | | | efficient promotion plan.On the other hand, the |
| upon access procedures to the collected | | | | marketer needs to continuously keep up with the |
| information.This is a duty and a must for any | | | | latest internet technologies and applications so that |
| conscious marketer to consider all aspects of privacy, | | | | he can fully exploit them.To conclude, we have seen |
| as long as data are collected and stored, data about | | | | that e-Marketing implies new dimensions to be |
| individual persons.Privacy is even more important | | | | considered aside of those inherited from the |
| when establishing the e-Marketing mix since there are | | | | traditional Marketing. These dimensions revolve |
| many regulations and legal aspects to be considered | | | | around the concept of relational functions and they |
| regarding collection and usage of such information.3. | | | | are a must to be included in any e-Marketing strategy |
| Customer Service | | | | in order for it to be efficient and deliver results.Otilia |
| Customer service is one of the necessary and | | | | Otlacan is a young certified professional with |
| required activities among the support functions | | | | expertise in e-Marketing and e-Business, currently |
| needed in transactional situations.We will connect the | | | | working as independent consultant and e-publisher. |
| apparition of the customer service processes to the | | | | She developed and teach her own online course in |
| inclusion of the "time" parameter in transactions. | | | | "Principles of e-Marketing" and is also a volunteer |
| When switching from a situational perspective to a | | | | Economics teacher.You can contact her via her |
| relational one, and e-Marketing is mostly based on a | | | | personal website at BRAINmarketing.net or check out |
| relational perspective, the marketer saw himself | | | | her latest developing Marketing resources project at |
| somehow forced into considering support and | | | | TeaWithEdge. |