Identifying Marketing Issues

Marketing efforts must identify customers，determine their needs and their wants，and then develop methods of providing appropriate products or services．Firstly，we will look at some of the issues related to marketing an online business．Many of these issues are the same in the cyber-world as they are in the real world．Taking a business online does not guarantee success any more than does opening a store and waiting for customers to walk through the door．

Marketing Questions

A key component of any company's business plan is the development of marketing strategies．One way of establishing a framework for these strategies is to use the 5W questions shown in Figure 1．Each question relates to one of the issues discussed below．

1．Customer Identification

Without customers，we do not have an online business—or any kind of business．Therefore，our first priority is to identify the customers who will visit our Web site and buy our products．These customers could be existing customers to a brick and mortar store，brand-new customers，or a combination．We need to determine if our customers are willing to buy online．For example，people who are accustomed to personal attention might not be ready to make the transition to a cyber-world shopping experience．We might need to direct some of our marketing efforts toward educating our customers about the benefits of transacting business online．

2．Location

Because our customers can be located in any geographical area，we can concentrate on developing a niche market consisting of customers located around the world．The decision whether to target customers spread across a wide geographical area or target customers in a relatively small area depends on factors such as shipping costs，language，currency，import and export restrictions，and available technology．Even if we want to market our products to customers in Africa，for example，we might not be able to ensure that the customers we want to serve have access to the Internet，are interested in or need the products we sell，and can legally purchase our products．

3．Product Identification

Once we have identified our customers，we need to determine what products they want．For example，if our customers are businesses that purchase printing supplies，we need to determine which brands they prefer and what prices are willing to pay．

4．Timing

Marketing strategies must be timed to when customers are willing to buy，such as at holidays or during certain seasons．Usually we don't sell ski equipment in the late spring，or mountain bikes in the middle of winter．The issue of timing also relates to when in the shopping process customers decide to buy．Do our customers require a great deal of information before they buy，or will they buy on impulse?

5．Motivation

What motivates a customer to purchase a product online rather than from a traditional brick and mortar store?Is the product less expensive online?Can we customize the shopping experience?Can we offer a new experience or better-than-average service? Do customers like to buy in a low-pressure environment?Answers to all these questions will help us determine why our customers will choose to buy from our online business，rather than click away to a competitor．

E-marketing Trends

Figure 2 lists some of the trends in e-marketing．The one thing that all of these trends have in common is that they aim to build customer loyalty—which means that customers will return to a Web site numerous times，buy more than once，and recommend the Web site to their friends．

Figure 1:5W marketing questions

Figure 2:E-Marketing trends

Notes

1．niche:A narrow but unified market or audience segment．The Internet is particularly suited to niche market and audience．

2．real world:Everything outside the Internet．

3．e-marketing:Using the Internet to market products and services．

4．customization:Serving the individual needs of each customer that visit a Web site and purchases products or services．

Questions for Further Discussion

1．If you are a seller online，what should you do to give your company competitive ad-vantages?

2．Some customers might be impulsive buyers，some might be patient buyers，and some might be analytical buyers．How to attract them in different ways?