Best Practice Marketing

All successful marketing programs are founded on good product or service qualities, good pricing strategies, good distribution planning, and good promotional activities. Underlying the marketing plan is good research on the prospect’s needs and wants.

These motivating factors are uncovered through a thorough and expansive effort called the situation analysis, the initial step of either the traditional marketing process or the online marketing process. Electronic marketing resources bring into sharper focus the profiles and behaviors of targeted market segments.

Huge enterprises such as Dell Computers and Microsoft, which serve the general public and the business public alike, have been created using electronic commerce. E-commerce is the practice of satisfying consumer and business wants and needs through online procurement.

Online technology has greatly enhanced the process of electronic marketing and has facilitated electronic commerce. An electronic communications and information medium called the Internet has spawned software and hardware innovations designed specifically to aid the convenience of online shopping.

Collectively with the Internet, electronic marketing resources are being integrated into traditional marketing programs, improving reach, effectiveness, and efficiency of contact to targeted audiences.

Examples of these resources are: online customer research, e-mail, viral marketing, instant messaging, Web sites, Palm Pilot-like devices, intelligent shopping agents for efficient selections, whether at the stock market or supermarket, including the self-identifying online surveys, and online customer service.

Online marketing is a high-tech, strategic and tactical extension of information gathering. Direct marketing tools such as Amazon.com, eBay, and customer feedback are all-important activities of the IMC (Integrated Marketing Communications) program.