Explain the nature and the scope of advertising and marketing and its importance as a business function.

Advertising is the promotion of a product or service and is extremely pervasive in contemporary society. To maximize sales, companies will pay a premium for wide exposure through the mass media. Advertising space is common, but not restricted to these realms; billboards, public transportation, movies (product placement), schools, clothing, even bathroom stalls carry ads and the industry is constantly finding new ways to advertise. The United States has the largest advertising market, accounting for half of the world's advertising expenditures (estimated at 500 billion in 2004 by the New Yorker). Japan holds a secure second place over Germany and the United Kingdom but still at less than one fifth of the U.S. total. In the United States, the number one target market for...

Nature and the scope of advertising

The nature of advertising is persuading and attracting bees to the flower you want to be pollinated. Or in other words, attracting customers that bring in money for exchange of the product or service you want to sell. The basic nature of advertising is "Persuasion" and "Exchange".

Five Ways to Build Customer Trust

Increasing the trust your customers have in you, your company, products, and industry is one of the most cost-effective ways to sell more When your customers trust you, you can charge higher prices than your competitors do, offer a different feature set than your customers are looking for, and require a longer wait for deliveryand customers will still buy from you. Customer trust is that powerful. When salespeople lament that they didn't win the big sale they thought they deserved, the reason is often because the customer had more trust in another vendor. This is actually good news for everyone who is not the low-price purveyor or who doesn't represent products with the latest bells and whistles. It means that sometimes the salesperson who wouldn't get the sale based on measurable criteria like speed and cost actually wins the order based on an intangible like trust. Don't get madget smart. Here are five suggestions on how you can earn more trust. Don't forget, it's far more powerful to demonstrate reasons to be trusted than to just talk about it. 1. Build trust in your company. If your company has any type of certificates that attest

to the trustworthiness of how you do business, make sure all sales reps carry color copies. If customers or vendors come to your office, post copies in the reception area of your business. These certificates are "silent sellers." For example, I recently had a salesman from a heating and air conditioning service call on me. During his presentation, he showed me his company's city business license, HVAC license, and Better Business Bureau certificate. Each document was in a plastic page, which increased its value to me. That selling step increased my trust in his company. 2. Build trust in your products and services. Testimonial letters are a great way to build customer trust in what you sell, especially those letters that describe how life or business changed for the better after a customer bought from you. Make color copies, put them in plastic page protectors, and, again, have all the sales reps carry them and frame them for your office walls, too. Hiring outside companies to measure your results is also a great way to increase trust. When I see an Underwriter's Laboratory tag hanging on any electrical device, I trust its safety more. When I see statistics with a footnote that the results have been approved by a certified accounting agency, I trust the facts more. Think of simple ways you can help your customers trust your offerings more completely and quickly. 3. Build trust in you. Earning a customer's trust in you as a person starts with the basics. Are you on time? If you say you'll be there at 9 in the morning and you show up at 9:10, how do you expect your customer to believe you when you say your copier makes 25 copies per minute or your products are within 0.001 mm of the specifications? You may not think being on time and the quality of your offerings are related, but when a customer is just getting to know you, they don't have a lot of history to evaluate, so every bit counts. I hope I don't have to say it, but be ber-ethical in all your business dealings. Many years ago, I owned a company that sold safety products. One of my customers ordered and paid for a product, but when I delivered it a week later, it had gone on sale and I didn't refund the difference. Several years later, a friend of hers told me about my lapse in judgment. I bet in that intervening time my customer told more of her friends about what I did and, as a result, they all had less trust in me. Ouch. Learn from my lesson and be scrupulous in how you deal with your customers, especially with regards to pricing and money. Also note how my customer didn't confront me for her refund; rather, she told her friends about the situation. Your customers may not confront you when you do the wrong thing, either.

4. Build trust in your marketing. Don't stretch the truth in any of your sales or marketing materials. Customers have their radar on for "sins of omission and commission," so stick to the truth. This applies to all your marketing materials, sales presentations, press releases, advertising, business cards, and Web sites. 5. Build trust in your industry. Sometimes, entire industries have a bad reputation. Even if you run a trustworthy operation in such an industry, you have a selling challenge persuading your customers to trust your industry as well as your particular operation. Be on the lookout for articles in respected media that show the good side or the progress in your industry. When you find them, make copies available to your customers so they can judge for themselves based on current information. There are many ways you can increase your sales. Increasing the trust your customers have in you, your company, your products, your marketing, and even your industry is one of the most cost-effective ways to sell more and close faster at better profit m

Three hallmarks of effective web design - Document Transcript

1. Three Hallmarks of Effective Web DesignWhats the difference between a good website and a bad website? Generally we know it when we see it, but its notan easy thing to define in a simple sentence because so many different factors contribute to the success or failure of online ventures. Since youre probably more interested in choosing a web design for an effective and profitable page, lets think about what makes one. Of course, not all successful websites are identical, but, on closer inspection, all are very likely to display dedicated attention to some of the same specific aspects of web design. In short, effective web design focuses on the user experience by creating websites that are easy for the eye to scan, simple to navigate, include high quality graphics and text and dontfrustrate visitors with complex applications or long load times. Successful web designs are prepared with the understanding that people generally turn to the internet toresearch a topic when they want quick, clear and relevantinformation.So, how can elements of web design be combined to create an enjoyable user experience? 1 2. Here are three quick tips to get you thinking: 1. Simplicity: It is essential that all aspects of the web design remain as simple as possible. This means eliminating the inclusion of any extraneous information, images and pages, keeping the colour scheme to a maximum of three colours, and picking a maximum of two fonts. Not only should the design of the website be clean and stylish, the navigation must be easy to follow with clearly identifiable icons. The requirements you ask of your site visitors should also remain minimal. For example, random site visitors are more likely to browse and purchase at an online store if they are not required to complete a registration form before being allowed to view the goods. 2. Quality Content: Effective web design extends to the written content placed on the website which should also priorities simplicity by avoiding technical jargon and dense, lengthy paragraphs. Some fail-safe tips for effective web

content include the use of short and concise sentences, plain language, and the arrangement of text in a way that is easily and quickly scanned by the eye. This can be achieved using techniques such as bullet points, category lists, headings and subheadings. 3. Cross Browser Compatibility: One of the fastest ways to alienate your site users is to provide a web design that is not compatible with the most popular web browsers, requiring them to download additional plugins or programs in order to access the information they require. Stringent testing for cross-browser compatibility is an essential aspect of effective web design. Before a website goes live, it must be tested across browsers, as well as on laptops, tablets and

ECRM
eCRM This concept is derived from E-commerce. It also uses net environment i.e., intranet, extranet and internet. Electronic CRMconcerns all forms of managing relationships with customers making use of Information Technology (IT). eCRM is enterprises using IT to integrate internal organization resources and external marketing strategies to understand and fulfill their customers needs. Comparing with traditional CRM, the integrated information for eCRM intraorganizational collaboration can be more efficient to communicate with customers.[1]

From Relationship Marketing to Customer Relationship Marketing

The concept of relationship marketing was first coined by Leonard Berry[who?] in 1983. He considered it to consist of attracting, maintaining and enhancing customer relationships within organizations.[2] In the years that followed, companies were engaging more and more in a meaningful dialogue with individual customers. In doing so, new organizational forms as well as technologies were used, eventually resulting in what we know as Customer Relationship Management (CRM). The main difference between RM and CRM is that the first does not acknowledge the use of technology, where the latter uses Information Technology (IT) in implementing RM strategies.

The essence of CRM

The exact meaning of CRM is still subject of heavy discussions.[4] However, the overall goal can be seen as effectively managing differentiated relationships with all customers

and communicating with them on an individual basis.[5] Underlying thought is that companies realize that they can supercharge profits by acknowledging that different groups of customers vary widely in their behavior, desires, and responsiveness to marketing.[6] Loyal customers can not only give operational companies sustained revenue but also advertise for new marketers. To reinforce the reliance of customers and create additional customer sources, firms utilize CRM to maintain the relationship as the general two categories B2B(Business-to-Business) and B2C(Business-to-Customer or Business-toConsumer). Because of the needs and behaviors are different between B2B and B2C, so that the implementation of CRM should come from respective viewpoints.[7]

Differences between CRM and eCRM

Major differences between CRM and eCRM:

Customer contacts

CRM Contact with customer made through the retail store, phone, and fax. eCRM All of the traditional methods are used in addition to Internet, email, wireless, and PDA technologies.

System interface

CRM Implements the use of ERP systems, emphasis is on the back-end. eCRM Geared more toward front end, which interacts with the back-end through use of ERP systems, data warehouses, and data marts.

System overhead (client computers)

CRM The client must download various applications to view the web-enabled applications. They would have to be rewritten for different platform. eCRM Does not have these requirements because the client uses the browser.

Customization and personalization of information

CRM Views differ based on the audience, and personalized views are not available. Individual personalization requires program changes. eCRM Personalized individual views based on purchase history and preferences. Individual has ability to customize view.

System focus

CRM System (created for internal use) designed based on job function and products. Web applications designed for a single department or business unit. eCRM System (created for external use) designed based on customer needs. Web application designed for enterprise-wide use.

System maintenance and modification

CRM More time involved in implementation and maintenance is more expensive because the system exists at different locations and on various servers. eCRM Reduction in time and cost. Implementation and maintenance can take place at one location and on one server.

ECRM
As the internet is becoming more and more important in business life, many companies consider it as an opportunity to reduce customer-service costs, tighten customer relationships and most important, further personalize marketing messages and enable mass customization.[9] ECRM is being adopted by companies because it increases customer loyalty and customer retention by improving customer satisfaction, one of the objectives of eCRM. E-loyalty results in long-term profits for online retailers because they incur less costs of recruiting new customers, plus they have an increase in customer retention.[10] Together with the creation of Sales Force Automation (SFA), where electronic methods were used to gather data and analyze customer information, the trend of the upcomingInternet can be seen as the foundation of what we know as eCRM today. As we implement eCRM process, there are three steps life cycle:[11] 1. Data Collection: About customers preference information for actively (answer knowledge) and passively (surfing record) ways via website, email, questionnaire. 2. Data Aggregation: Filter and analysis for firms specific needs to fulfill their customers. 3. Customer Interaction: According to customers need, company provide the proper feedback them. We can define eCRM as activities to manage customer relationships by using the Internet, web browsers or other electronic touch points. The challenge hereby is to

offer communication and information on the right topic, in the right amount, and at the right time that fits the customers specific needs.[12] eCRM strategy components When enterprises integrate their customer information, there are three eCRM strategy components[1]: 1. Operational: Because of sharing information, the processes in business should make customers need as first and seamlessly implement. This avoids multiple times to bother customers and redundant process. 2. Analytical: Analysis helps company maintain a long-term relationship with customers. 3. Collaborative: Due to improved communication technology, different departments in company implement (intraorganizational) or work with business partners (interorganizational) more efficiently by sharing information.

VIRAL MARKETING
Viral marketing is any strategy that encourages people to pass along a marketing
message, creating a potentially exponential growth in the message's visibility and effect. Simply, viral marketing is the same as word of mouth. Viral marketing depends on a high pass-along rate from person to person. If a large percentage of recipients forward something to a large number of friends, the overall growth snowballs very quickly. Referrals are the most powerful form of marketing that you can use and also the least expensive. Before the Internet viral marketing has long been known as word of mouth, recommend a friend, MGM or network marketing. On the Internet it's called viral marketing though other terms have been suggested avalanche, buzz, cascading style, centrifugal, exponential, fission, grass roots, organic, propagation, ripple, self-perpetuation, wildfire and 'word of mouse' (sic) marketing amongst others.

Examples of viral marketing include: rumours, chain letters with warnings, "leaked" information, gossip, urban myths and secondhand versions of official reports. Elements of a viral marketing strategy:

Easy to replicate or pass on Becomes personalised by referral Offers an 'incentive' Contains humour, greed, sex or fear and taps into the zeitgeist. Can track and analyze click thru

n marketing terms EMail marketing saves time and money as there are no need for printing nor for printing and postage costs so it takes less time to create and send. This means that a good EMail marketing campaign can have an ROI from about 10 - 30 times greater than direct mail. And it does not just have to be an acquisition campaign - brand building and education via EMail newsletters is also very effective. This is not only due to the lower costs as there are increased sales from higher response rates to opt-in EMail generally. Moreover there are instant results as you can time your EMail campaigns exactly for maximum response and, minutes after sending out your EMail campaign, you can start seeing responses and orders that can be are instantly tracked in full. There are some basics to any EMail campaign perhaps the most important of which is its legality. European law requires that you have opt in / prior consent or an existing customer / business relationship before you can send bulk EMail. Once you have decided that EMail is for you then you have to decide whether you are going to deploy it via:

Your own EMail marketing software installed on your server(s). A hosted / ASP EMail marketing solution where you login via the Internet to manage your campaigns. [N.B if the servers are based outside the EU you might be breaking the Data Protection Act by placing personal data on them and you also need to check whether they are blacklisted by Spamcop and others]. A bureau or a managed EMail marketing service, which can be the best solution if you do not have the appropriate skills or time to setup and manage EMail campaigns. - you

Whatever solution you choose - and we recommend 12All EMail software have to make sure that it can cover all the following points

A/B Split Testing Adding data Approval process Bounce Management Campaign scheduling Customer data De-duplication Delivery & scalability Exclude lists MIME Multiple lists Multiple users Personalisation Proven solution Reporting Segmentation Test & seed functionality Unsubscribe management White listing

Once you have decided how to manage your EMail marketing campaign then you have to produce an effective EMail and to do that you have to think about some really importants things: Just like all direct marketing the headline is the hook! A good headline communicates and encapsulates the EMail.

Personalizing the EMail is likely to make a difference - what a surprise! Making the message clear - you have to test, test, test to see whether long copy or short copy works, whether graphics and photos make a difference but if the message is unclear then you stand no chance. Attachments need to be very relevant and never something that is likely to cause an issue such as an executable (.exe).

Don't be afraid to make it a campaign with the same message - people sometimes need several EMails to respond; they are busy, EMails are easy to delete, so don't ruin a winning campaign by pulling it to soon, just tweak it. Real-time tracking is now an industry standard. It allows you to see when a user opens your EMail, clicks on your link and makes that purchase. Understanding recipients behaviour to make each campaign better than the last, really understanding those EMail campaign statistics is essential to effective EMail marketing.

STOREFRONT
Storefront retains all the original functionality of the Themes feature, but, instead of using the incDesign.asp file exclusively, Theme design parameters are now also stored in a cascading style sheet named sfCss.css. This style sheet is loaded into the root folder and SSL folder of each Storefront web store. Storefront users can add their own style selectors to the sfCss.css, or add additional properties and property values to those selectors and classes already defined by Storefront. The purpose of this article is to assist users in performing the latter task by defining the purpose of each selector in the sfCss.css and describing the pages where each is used, and what area of a page (generally speaking) each will affect. Note: you can edit the sfCss.css with a text editor or through Dreamweaver, UltraDev, or FrontPage to add your own style selectors or to add additional properties to the Storefront selectors. However, if you make a change to the Storefront Theme through the Web Manager, any additional properties you have added to the Storefront selectors will be overwritten. Also keep in mind that any changes you make the sfCss.css in the root folder must be duplicated in the sfCss.css in the SSL folder, or else your site won't have a uniform appearance. The contents of the sfCss.css file are described in more detail below. To learn more about each element of a Storefront Theme and the area of a page that it affects, refer to the Storefront help files (Step 3/Storefront Themes/Storefront Theme Elements Defined). The following selectors correspond to the Footer element of a Storefront Theme. It will be assigned those values entered under the Footer section of the Theme Design Wizard. Footer forms the bottom portion of each page using the Storefront Themes