Digital Marketing for Small Businesses

Online channels have become a cost-effective and mass means of a good marketing plan. Digital marketing has picked up as a way of marketing one’s products or services via online distribution channels. Interactive channels are also a part of a good digital marketing mix. This includes display ads, banner ads, and digital outdoor ads. Digital marketing therefore goes a long way in reaching potential consumers in a timely, relevant and personal manner.

Why is it being lapped up by marketers like never before? Because online marketing has time saving and cost effective features that come with the added benefit of having a wider appeal. Therefore, digital media is a boon for small businesses. Using website marketing, email marketing and social media marketing, small businesses can reach a wider customer base with a minimum of marketing and promotional expenses. Digital media marketing mainly consists of pull and push techniques--both of which have their pros and cons. An intelligent mix of pull and push techniques, which work along multiple channels, ensures maximum returns for small businesses.

Under the pull varieties of digital marketing technologies, users have to directly seek content by way of a web search. Pull digital marketing mediums such as websites, blogs and streaming media (audio and video) have a specific link (URL) to view the content. Though cost effective and simple to approach, these have limited result options that require considerable marketing effort for users to find the relevant content. Pull techniques also lack a personalised approach.

Push digital marketing technologies include Email, SMS and RSS. These involve interaction between the marketer/creator of the message, and the recipient or the user. Push technologies can be personalized depending on the targeted audience. Small businesses using these techniques can keep a track on the number of people who saw their message along with specific information about each user. Although high on return, push digital marketing technologies come with many regulations to be adhered to. Also, there is a risk of the message being blocked in case of non-compliance of regulations.

When used effectively and with well planned content strategy, digital marketing can be a profitable investment for small businesses. By winning the trust of clients and honouring them, business houses can establish a long and profitable relationship with their potential customers. One should ensure that the e-mail is sent only to those who have opted-in to receive it. Also, clients should be allowed to specify their preferences. There should be clarity on the kind of information they want to receive and how often. By regularly and promptly responding to customer e-mail enquiries small business houses can show their customers how valuable they are. This way, consumers are also convinced that there are real, live people managing the web site. One should also add fresh, relevant content to the website on a regular basis.

Another aspect of digital marketing is social media marketing. By using free social network sites to promote products, small businesses can reach a large number of customers easily. There are popular ones like Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn that one can use. A well maintained Google Profile also adds to the business. By setting up Google Alerts account, one can keep a track on what customers think about their products, brand and the company. This will also help to get an insight into the keywords that drive the business. Such information can be used to better the Google profile of a company.

Starting a blog is a great way of creating an image for the business and oneself. Posts can speak about the latest happenings in an industry. But care should be taken that they are not promotional in any way. Well thought and rightly phrased blogs can go a long way in establishing one as a thought leader in an industry. Another way of getting noticed by potential customers is by finding and commenting on blog sites that are popular with customers.

Small businesses can remain in the customer’s vision by publishing regular E-newsletters. Such outbound communication tools help businesses in maintaining a healthy relationship with their clients. Care should always be taken to develop newsletters that have an opt-in feature.

Digital media has various mediums that can be used by small businesses to their advantage. Regular online news release is one of them. One can plan at least one online news release per month for promoting eBooks, events or for new promotions. Nothing attracts costumers more than a free gift. Small businesses can use digital media to take advantage of this psyche of customers. One can develop an eBook as a packaged content download for customers. Taking some basic information from clients before they download the content can help one in getting customer leads too. By keeping it free, one can be sure that the content is downloaded and shared too.

Digital marketing has an advantage over traditional techniques as the content in this case is sent directly to audience mailbox. This makes it possible for small business houses to create personalised mails and messages for each client. One can also use various email marketing solutions to measure the effect of marketing campaign. This gives them complete control over the marketing process and its result on customers. For successful results, one should write short and interesting content for the website. Also, by using software that reports the success of the campaign, one can ensure improved and more focused marketing strategy.

Digital marketing has made many small businesses see happy and sunshine days. Leave the recession behind.

Digital Media Predictions for 2010

Sharing the Digital Media Predications for 2010 made by Tessa Wegert.

At about this time every year, media strategists start to contemplate what the fast approaching New Year might bring. There's always endless speculation about which trends will continue, and which mediums will finally gain the traction they've long been promising. This year is no exception. Talk to 10 of your peers and you're likely to get 10 different opinions on what will be big in 2010, but you can be certain they'll all incorporate at least a few of the following digital media predictions.

Prepare to Make a Date with Data

Data ownership and retention, and the value of audience data to both advertisers and publishers, was a hot topic in 2009. So, it will continue to be in the next. As companies like BlueKai and eXelate actively partner with publishers to collect user data from their sites and sell it through their data marketplaces, marketers can gain greater insight into the Internet users they're trying to reach.

When working with an individual site, you typically get limited user information: the kind that relates specifically to how the sites' visitors interact with them and their products and services. Data exchanges, however, pull demographic and behavioral data on those same consumers from many more sites to fill in the blanks and create a more complete user profile. Particularly given the increased importance of making every ad dollar deliver, such improved targeting capabilities are sure to become an even more desirable commodity among planners and buyers in 2010.

Opportunities With Mobile Apps

As advertisers find success in creating mobile applications for iPhones, BlackBerry models, and other makes of smartphones, more marketers will be trying their hand at this direct line of consumer communication. It's a useful way to distribute branded content that can be easily integrated into an overall digital advertising strategy.

The more prominent trend, however, may be advertising on these apps. Publishers are reporting an increased interest in this form of mobile advertising, and are increasingly partnering with companies like Rich Media and mobile advertising and analytics platform, Medialets to facilitate app ads. Medialets places adaptable ad tags on existing publisher apps that don't require an up-front commitment to a specific type of advertising. Once a publisher's iPhone app is approved for distribution, the placement of the ads can be controlled remotely, allowing the publisher and advertiser to not only swap out ads for different campaigns, but also vary the ad formats themselves.

Tags can even be placed on behalf of ad networks, such that buyers can supplement their mobile advertising campaign with a network buy. The result is a flexible approach to mobile advertising that provides access to a popular branded app, along with the on-demand delivery of proven ad units.

New Ad Sizes and Formats

This year saw the introduction of the Online Publishers Association's (OPA) larger display ad formats, designed to promote creativity among advertisers and encourage Internet users to actively share ads, as they would site content. Major brands like Mercedes-Benz, Frito-Lay, and Bank of America have already experimented with the ads, and we can expect others to follow suit.

In addition to more prominent ad sizes, watch for ad formats to deliver more in-depth product information. Product preview and inventory data-based banners, for example, are allowing consumers to view entire product lines within the confines of a display ad, and check inventory levels to determine whether their desired vehicle, pair of jeans, or swimsuit is available for purchase or sold out. Such banners are well positioned to lead to impromptu purchases, as users unexpectedly find themselves shopping online before even making their way to the advertiser's online store.

Standardization in Media Buying

The request for proposal (RFP) process is frequently a thorn in the media buyers' side; many times, digital marketers have wished for a more standardized process that would simplify and speed up the exchange of information between agency and site publisher. Digital advertising management platforms from such companies as Traffiq, can deliver this by eliminating many of the inefficiencies of conducting the RFP process offline. The idea is to instead take the RFP process to the Web, with agencies creating and posting their RFPs directly to targeted publishers, and managing the response process more effectively. Look for more of this in large and boutique agencies in the months to come.

The year ahead promises to be an exciting one: there will be bigger and bolder efforts from digital marketers, and an evolving relationship between advertisers and consumers. What trends do you predict for 2010? Don't forget to share your point of view below.

A True Spirit of Leadership…

We All talk much in educating others about the True Value of a great leader and leadership. But actually most of us takes a back seat at the time when we need to exhibit the same. This is one story that not only tell about what is a true leader is but equally exhibits the importance of a leader’s uncalled responsibility(s). A must Read….

Mr. Ratan Tata is the chairman of Indian hotels who own the Taj Mahal Hotel Mumbai, which was the target of the terrorists on 26/11/08. Hotel President a 5 star property also belongs to Indian Hotels.

The following is really touching. What Mr. Ratan Tata did for the Mumbai victims.... Don't miss!!!!!!

SALUTE TO MR. RATAN TATA and the True spirit of Leadership

The Tata Gesture

• All category of employees including those who had completed even 1 day as casuals were treated on duty during the time the hotel was closed.
• Relief and assistance to all those who were injured and killed
• The relief and assistance was extended to all those who died at the railway station, surroundings including the “Pav- Bha ji” vendor and the pan shop owners.
• During the time the hotel was closed, the salaries were sent by money order.
• A psychiatric cell was established in collaboration with Tata Institute of Social Sciences to counsel those who needed such help.
• The thoughts and anxieties going on people’s mind was constantly tracked and where needed psychological help provided.
• Employee outreach centers were opened where all help, food, water, sanitation, first aid and counseling was provided. 1600 employees were covered by this facility.
• Every employee was assigned to one mentor and it was that person’s responsibility to act as a “single window” clearance for any help that the person required.
• Ratan Tata personally visited the families of all the 80 employees who in some manner – either through injury or getting killed – were affected.
• The dependents of the employees were flown from outside Mumbai to Mumbai and taken care off in terms of ensuring mental assurance and peace. They were all accommodated in Hotel President for 3 weeks.
• Ratan Tata himself asked the families and dependents – as to what they wanted him to do.
• In a record time of 20 days, a new trust was created by the Tatas for the purpose of relief of employees.
• What is unique is that even the other people, the railway employees, the police staff, the pedestrians who had nothing to do with Tatas were covered by compensation. Each one of them was provided subsistence allowance of Rs. 10K per month for all these people for 6 months.
• A 4 year old granddaughter of a vendor got 4 bullets in her and only one was removed in the Government hospital. She was taken to Bombay hospital and several lacs were spent by the Tatas on her to fully recover her.
• New hand carts were provided to several vendors who lost their carts.
• Tata will take responsibility of life education of 46 children of the victims of the terror.
• This was the most trying period in the life of the organization. Senior managers including Ratan Tata were visiting funeral to funeral over the 3 days that were most horrible.
• The settlement for every deceased member ranged from Rs. 36 to 85 lacs [One lakh rupees tranlates to approx 2200 US $ ] in addition to the following benefits:
• Full last salary for life for the family and dependents;
• Complete responsibility of education of children and dependents – anywhere in the world.
• Full Medical facility for the whole family and dependents for rest of their life.
• All loans and advances were waived off – irrespective of the amount.
• Counselor for life for each person

Epilogue

• How was such passion created among the employees? How and why did they behave the way they did?
• The organization is clear that it is not something that someone can take credit for. It is not some training and development that created such behaviour. If someone suggests that – everyone laughs
• It has to do with the DNA of the organization, with the way Tata culture exists and above all with the situation that prevailed that time. The organization has always been telling that customers and guests are #1 priority
• The hotel business was started by Jamshedji Tata when he was insulted in one of the British hotels and not allowed to stay there.
• He created several institutions which later became icons of progress, culture and modernity. IISc is one such institute. He was told by the rulers that time that he can acquire land for IISc to the extent he could fence the same. He could afford fencing only 400 acres.
• When the HR function hesitatingly made a very rich proposal to Ratan – he said – do you think we are doing enough?
• o The whole approach was that the organization would spend several hundred crore in re-building the property – why not spend equally on the employees who gave their life?

This is NOT COVERED BY Any NEWS CHANNELS ! I wonder are we living in state of the so Called “Breaking News” that the true news of leadership needs no cover.

I Salute the true Spirit of Leadership & Mr. Ratan Tata!

Save the Tiger

It’s not just people that social networking is getting closer. The new way of the world is also bringing us closer to some real issues. The Save the Tiger appeal of the WWF has picked up like wild fire! Everyone is hopping on to join the campaign that has been unleashed to protect our national animal from extinction.

If you are not clued into the numbers yet, here’s a lowdown. WWF statistics suggest that at the turn of the 20^th century, India had a population of 40,000 tigers. After that, the numbers started to decline rapidly. There were only 3642 of them left in 2002 and by 2008 Indian soil had to reel under disgrace for the 1411 tigers that remained. I am not even sure if the number of 1411 still valid after a death of 2 tigers recently.

What’s social networking got to do with it? The biggest driver of conservation is awareness. And that comes quickly and easily with social networking. We are particularly prone to following the herd and social networking uses the advantages of that in a surprisingly positive way. What follows is tremendous debate, people knowing the significance of preserving forests, all of us wanting to restore protective corridors, strong policy debate and promoting the issue as particularly chic.

While the tiger is a fascinating and beautiful animal, it also sits on top of the food chain. This makes the tiger important to conservation of all other species and the human race. A loss in the number of tigers will lead to a decline in the diversity of the ecosystem. Forests are water catchment areas and tigers play a pivotal role in protecting these. With each tiger that we protect, we are safeguarding 100 sq. km. of forest area. With land and water being predicted as the most scare resources of the future, this is a great saving not just for India but for the entire planet. Imagine how much saving the tiger population will aid in overall environmental conservation!

In 1973 Indian government launched the Project Tiger conservation program, which led to a steady increase in the population of tigers in India till 1989. As of now India has 19 tiger reserves that cover about 29,716 sq. km. of forest area. But the population of tigers has only declined over the past decade. This implies lethargy on the part of authorities and nonchalance on the part of you and me! Goes without saying then that something needs to be done urgently to protect our tigers. With collective knowledge and group attempts this might be easy to do. Safeguarding our forests, blowing the whistle on poachers and maintaining other species of the environment are some things all of us can do to Save the Tiger. The predator is the protector of the environment. The earlier we start to do our bit towards protection of this gorgeous animal the better.

Luxury Portals Take on Indian buyers

For millions of web users in India fashion portal www.fashionandyou.com in nothing new. This online web portal has a huge catalogue of apparels from all major international brands. What sets this portal apart from any other site offering hi fashion clothes is that you can find fabulous discounts on high-end labels which are sometime as high as 70 per cent. The list of brands includes Boggi Milano, Baume and Mercier, DKNY, Tag Heuer, Escada and Forever New. So if you have been eyeing that stunning DKNY bag or that posh watch from Tag Heuer, it is a good idea to snap it up here. What difference does it makes that it’s a season old?

Brain child of Uppal and Harish Bahl, www.fashionandyou.com is a private shopping club where top-end brands can be bought at throwaway prices. After they tasted success in Russia, Switzerland, Turkey and Brazil working on the similar lines they turned towards India. Their first sale in India was a greater hit than they had expected. Uppal, CEO of fashionandyou.com says “There is a greater awareness of fashion and international brands in India. It’s the perfect time to introduce this aspect of e-commerce here.”

As if to validate his statement, five online luxury portals have been launched in India in last as many months, and most of them are doing extremely well. The reason can be attributed to the unflagging purchasing power of Indian middle class. The only thing that has changed with the exposure to international brands is that now they are more conscious of what they buy. This characteristic, which is unique to India, works in the favour of these luxury portals who offer these high end brands at great discount.

For those who think most buyers of these luxury brands belong to the metros, Meghna Pradipak Reddy of www.desicouture.net offers an insight. She tied up with designers like Shantanu and Nikhil, Neeta Lulla and Swapnil Shinde, besides a number of up-and-coming designers from India’s various fashion weeks and launched her portal last August. But the overwhelming response came from places like Coimbatore, Vizag and Ludhiana. Her regular clientele now also include people from US, UK, Dubai, Singapore and New Zealand

Discounts up to 70 percent are possible as these portals are mostly selling off the excess stuff or leftovers from the previous season which these portals pick at discounted rate. The mantra of success is to give kitschy items that might not be in vogue after a particular season a miss and stick to what is classic. They choose apparels that can be used across seasons.

For Indian clients looking for top brands at an affordable price it’s a win-win situation. With minimal shipping charges and attractive incentives for getting more members, these interactive sites offer alteration services and close-ups of the outfit from every possible angle. It works well for the brands too. They get larger geographical penetration without compromising on their brand image. It also takes care of their excess stock.

Ethics in Viral Marketing

Something as new as viral marketing calls for a framework of ethics that will act as a guideline when it is implemented. Many have already begun working on this. Here is a thought about the ethics that I feel should be incorporated by the players of viral marketing to ensure fair and professional practices.

What is Viral Marketing?

Before you think this is some kind of virus doing the rounds, let me define viral marketing for you in simple words. This is a marketing tool that uses an idea to spread through pre-existing social networks. The plan is to actually help market one’s business or cause while spreading this idea. This marketing technique encourages individuals to pass on a marketing message to others to produce exponential increase in brand awareness. It is called viral because like viruses, such strategies get rapidly multiplied and thus, help send the message across to a large number of customers.

To make it more simple, viral marketing can be described as online referral marketing used by marketers to get new marketing leads. When used off the internet, ‘word-of-mouth’, ‘creating a buzz’, ‘leveraging the media’ and ‘network marketing’ are the more commonly used terms for viral marketing.

Content

To start with, it is very important to create specific content keeping in mind the community you are writing for. Just don’t be in any rush to write generic content with the sole aim of submitting it to every site. This will only mislead people and will have negative impact on your brand image in the long run. Create content with the thought of making it successful even if everyone is aware of its purpose of being created specifically for viral marketing.

‘Knowing what people are looking for and providing them with relevant information’ is the key to successful viral marketing.

Participate in social marketing sites

It is our ethical obligation to participate in the community not only for promoting self interest but also to benefit the community. This is a great way of building ones reputation too!

You can help the community you believe in by inviting new members. Giving your profits a back seat for once, you can find useful content for the community. By extending support to the members and their activities on a community, you can help add value to the community without any hidden selfish motives.

Vigilance

Though tough, but keeping a check on your employees and clients for unethical practices will help maintain the viability of these communities as markets in the future for you.

It is in your interest to ensure that employees and clients are not creating multiple accounts, purchasing or trading votes and in any way trying to harm competitor’s content or accounts. Go with the notion that if someone is harming these sites and communities it will, in the time to come, harm you and your business as well.

Here, I would also like to mention a new set of rules introduced by The Direct Marketing Association (The DMA) for the use of online referral, or viral marketing. These guidelines relate to the kind of marketing where personal information about a prospect is taken by the marketer.

As per the rules, the marketer must disclose intended uses of the information when taking any reference. The referring individual should also be informed that their own contact information will be provided to those they have referred to the marketer. Also, the recipient should be given the option of opting out from any future communication in the first and any subsequent e-mail communications.

Also, it is the moral responsibility of the marketers to take prior permission from the referred person before selling, renting, sharing, transferring or exchanging a referred e-mail address.

Facebook Techniques of Marketing

From being a mere networking site used by college students for sharing pictures to a business- networking platform used for self-promotion, advertising and multimedia interaction, Facebook has grown beyond expectation. The high volume of traffic that Facebook receives on a daily basis makes it an important marketing tool for generating tons of traffic. It is a sure short way of reaching the precise audience through relevant targeted ads.

What makes Facebook a favoured marketing tool among businesses is the endless ways in which one can advertise their business for free here. With many new applications and add-ons, Facebook allow its users to advertise their businesses through social ads and more. The tools make it possible for businesses to easily tap into the Facebook crowd with some high-profile advertising. What is needed is creativity along with a deep understanding of the opportunities offered by Facebook to make optimum use of these applications for ones own benefit.

It must be understood that marketing in a social community takes a little different approach than marketing in other contexts. One thing that must always be remembered is that what ever you do never offend a community of facebook! Once you loose your trust, it’s difficult to win it back. This is a continuously growing community with almost 46 million members, with a growth rate of 3% a week. For figures, almost all of my friends and relatives are on facebook! Don’t let this vast sea of customers go by.

To start with, create an impressive and informative profile page. This is a great way to brand yourself or your business. But remember, that a profile page is not where you can promote your product or service. Just try and create a likable page that talks about you and your ideologies.

Once profile is ready, you need to add friends with same interests to your profile. You can also try to add friends from the same industry that you belong to. This will give you an exposure and link you with right people for your business growth. Getting attention of prospective customers can be a tough task. You can do this by putting links to articles you’ve written.

Joining a Facebook Group can get you immediate response. There are all kinds of groups active on facebook. Choose the one that suits you and your product and use this platform to share information with others. You can text-message other members, send them emails, comment on their profiles or contact them too.

Another great way to target advertising to a specific demographic is by buying an ad on Facebook. Called Facebook Flyers Basic, the tool helps you to create banner-like advertising on networks. You can also use Flyers Pro, a cost-per-click advertising program that works through keyword searches just like Google AdWords does.

Facebook is no doubt a very powerful platform that can be used to get your brand, product, service, or business mainstream. With millions of users online from college students to housewives you can truly get your business out there.