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