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电子商务英语
1.8.2.1 E-Marketing Planning

E-Marketing Planning

Let's begin by defining a marketing plan and then move into defining its“new economy cousin”:the e-marketing plan.A marketing plan is a written document that details the current marketing situation,threats and opportunities,marketing objectives,and the strategies for achieving those objectives.A marketing plan can be written for each product,service,brand,or a company as a whole.An e-marketing plan is a bit more focused than the traditional marketing plan.Although it often includes some of the same topics as a traditional marketing plan,it is more centered on the marketing opportunities,threats,objectives and strategies of the Internet.

Understanding E-Business Model

The e-marketing plan gives you a road map or a blue print to e-Business success.The prerequisite to write a good e-marketing plan is a complete understanding of your e-Business model.As you prepare your e-marketing plan,you may go through a learning process;you will analyze your e-Business model in detail in an attempt to learn what drives your online sales and revenue streams.

What is your e-Business model?Can you define it in a paragraph or two?A business model describes your architecture for products,service,and information delivery and a description of sources of revenues(revenue streams).A business model identifies the value chain elements of the business such as inbound logistics,operations(or production),outbound logistics,marketing,service and support activities.

You must define your business model by writing your own description of it.From that description,can you identify each significant revenue stream and each potential revenue stream?Can you identify expenses that will be incurred in generating those revenue streams?Do you see the critical things that must be measured(metrics)and tracked to help assuring success?Can you see how your business model will use e-marketing to price,promote,sell and distribute your products?

As you develop your e-marketing plan you must think about how your e-marketing effort“fits”your business model.At a minimum,your business model will influence the way you forecast sales and predict e-marketing expenses.However,beyond basic sales forecasting and budgeting,there are aspects of your e-marketing plan that address the specific way you will do business,generate revenue,and consume resources.Your e-marketing plan should discuss how you will use information technologies to manage the marketing mix(product,price,place and promotion),how you will plan to optimize your content,and how you will allocate resources to attract new customers,create loyalty with existing ones,and create revenue streams.

Be sure you define your business model before you write your plan.Can you identify your e-Business model in the descriptive sections below?

img41Merchant Model

The merchant model is Web marketing of wholesalers or retailers of goods and services.The goods and ser-vices might be unique to the Web or an extension of a traditional“brick and mortar”storefront.This model includes catalogers who have decided to complement their catalog operation with a Web site or have decided to migrate completely to an online model.Benefits of this model include increased demand for goods and services via an entry into the global market,potential lower costs of promotion and sales,24/7 ordering and customer service,and one-to-one custom marketing.

img42Auction Model

The auction model is Web implementation of bidding mechanism through multimedia presentation of goods and services.Revenue streams are derived from licensing of the auction technology platform,transaction fees and advertising.

img43Manufacturer Model

The manufacturer model uses the Web to compress the distribution channel so that rather than use intermediaries to get your products and services to market,you go direct to the customer via the Web.For example,Dell Computer Corporation(www.dell.com),maker of personal computer systems,uses this model by selling direct to consumers via their Web site.About 50%of Dell's sales are Web-enabled.

img44Affiliate Model

The affiliate model is a“pay for performance model”.Revenue streams are created when customers click through links or banner ads to purchase goods and services.Affiliate marketing is when one Web site(the affiliate)promotes another Web site's products or services(the merchant)in exchange for a commission.The affiliate earns a commission(i.e.,10%of the purchase)while the merchant derives a sale from an affiliate(partner Web site).Through affiliate marketing,merchants can place their advertising banners and links on content sites worldwide and only pay a commission when those links generate a sale or a qualified lead.Affiliated content sites can convert their online content into e-Business by populating it with these revenue-generating links.

img45Advertising Model

Like a traditional broadcaster or news media business models,the Web advertising model provides content and services(i.e.,e-mail,chat,forums,auctions,etc.)supported by banner ads and other forms of online advertising(perhaps e-mail newsletter ads).Some advertising models are called portals(like AOL,Yahoo!,and Alta Vista) while others are called“free models”,like Blue Mountain Arts(Figure 3: www.bluemountain.com)where giveaways(like free electronic greeting cards and invitations)help creating high volume.

img46Infomediary Model

This is a Web model whereby the infomediary collects data from users and sells the information to other business.Traffic is driven to the infomediary's site by free offers(such as free Internet access or free hardware).

img47Subscription Model

In a subscription model,users pay for access to the site and the high value content that they view.Some models offer free content with premium content available only to paid subscribers.Advertising revenues may also be part of the revenue stream.

img48Brokerage Model

A brokerage model is a Web market maker that brings buyers and sellers together.The model ranges from virtual malls to online stock and bond traders and can include business-to-business(B2B),business-to-consumer(B2C),and consumer-to-consumer(C2C).Transaction fees or commissions generate the revenue under this model.

img49Virtual Communities Model

The virtual communities model facilitates the online interaction of a community of users(members,customers,partners,students,etc.).The model makes it easy for the community members to add their own content to the online community Web site.Revenue streams are generated from membership fees and advertising revenue.

img50Logistics Model

A business that utilizes the Internet to help other businesses manage logistical functions such as electronic payment,ordering systems,and shipping services is operating under the logistics model.Fees are the basis for the revenue scheme.

img51

Figure 3:www.bluemountain.com

E-Business Model and E-Marketing

What is the relationship between e-Business models and e-marketing?Central problems to all the models identified in the previous part are three issues.

1.For these models to work,e-marketing planning is critical.

2.These models generate tremendous amounts of strategic information from Web site activity,which can be used to better meet the needs of e-customers and to sell more products.

3.Metrics are needed to provide accountability and to analyze the information for strategic advantage.

Preparing the E-Marketing Plan

Writing an e-marketing plan is not an easy task.There are obstacles.However,the intent of this white paperis not to provide a guide for developing an e-marketing plan,rather,we will identify some of the hurdles that must be overcome to develop a good plan.

What are some of the obstacles of writing a good e-marketing plan?For starters,procrastination is a problem.Busy executives put off writing a plan.Yet,with businesses moving at such a rapid pace(Internet time),there is a big opportunity cost to e-procrastination.Putting off the development of an e-marketing plan can cost you market opportunities and profits.

Another obstacle is time.The process of developing an e-marketing plan is time consuming.Think about ways to streamline the process.Examples and templates could be the answer.Seeing an example plan to emulate and following a proven template can save you a great deal of time.A template suggests an effective outline,headings,and in some cases,texts.

Other issues related to the writing process such as writer's block and the labor-intensive circuitous nature of writing are also major barriers.Other difficulties include the challenge of identifying the right analysis,the tricky nature of developing revenue stream forecasts,and question of which expense budgets to develop.

New Words and Expressions

1.blue print(n.)蓝图,设计图,方案

2.prerequisite(n.)something that is required or necessary as a prior condition先决条件,前提

3.revenue stream收入流

4.value chain价值链

5.inbound(a.)bound inward向内去的

6.outbound(a.)outward bound向外去的

7.incur(v.)to acquire(something usually undesirable)招致

8.forecast(v.)to estimate or calculate in advance预测,预报

9.budget(v.)to plan in advance the expenditure of预算

10.address(v.)to direct(a spoken or written message)to the attention of提交(口头或书面的报告)以引起…的注意

11.marketing mix营销组合

12.allocate(v.)to distribute according to a plan分配

13.wholesaler(n.)批发商

14.retailer(n.)零售商

15.catalog(n.)a list目录册

16.auction(n.)a public sale in which property or items of merchandise are sold to the highest bidder拍卖

17.bid(v.)to offer or propose(an amount)as a price出价

18.intermediary(n.)one that acts as an agent between persons中介

19.affiliate(n.)a person,an organization,or an establishment associated with another as a subordinate,subsidiary,or member会员

20.banner(n.)横幅,标语

21.commission(n.)a fee or percentage allowed to a sales representative or an agent for services rendered佣金

22.portal(n.)an entrance入口

23.subscription(n.)a purchase made by signed order,as for a periodical for a specified period of time or for a series of performances订购

24.premium(a.)of superior quality or value质量或价值极高的

25.brokerage(n.)the business of a broker经纪业

26.metrics(n.)a standard of measurement度量,衡量标准

27.accountability(n.)有责任,有义务,可说明性

28.procrastination(n.)延迟,拖延

29.template(n.)a pattern used as a guide in making something accurately模板

30.emulate(v.)to strive to equal or excel,especially through imitation争取平等或超越,尤指通过模仿

31.circuitous(a.)being or taking a roundabout,lengthy course曲折的,迂回的

Notes

1.Your e-marketing plan should discuss how you will use information technologies to manage the marketing mix(product,price,place and promotion),how you will plan to optimize your content,and how you will allocate resources to attract new customers,create loyalty with existing ones,and create revenue streams.本句中提到的“the marketing mix”是指“营销组合”,包括产品、价格、渠道和促销四个方面。

2.This model includes catalogers who have decided to complement their catalog operation with a Web site or have decided to migrate completely to an online model.本句中的who从句比较长,包括“have decided to complement their catalog operation with a Web site”和“have decided to migrate completely to an online model”两个并列部分。

3.Benefits of this model include increased demand for goods and services via an entry into the global market,potential lower costs of promotion and sales,24/7 ordering and customer service,and one-to-one custom marketing.本句的谓语动词为“include”,宾语是以“increased demand”,“lower costs”,“service”,“custom marketing”为主干的四个并列的名词短语。

4.Revenue streams are derived from licensing of the auction technology platform,transaction fees and advertising.本句中的谓语是动词短语“be derived from something”;其中“licensing”,“transaction fees”和“advertising”是介词from的三个宾语。

5.Affiliated content sites can convert their online content into e-Business by populating it with these revenue-generating links.本句中,介词短语“by populating it with these revenue-generating links”作方式状语,其中it指前面出现的“online content”。短语可译为“通过植入产生收入的链接”。

6.Blue Mountain Arts著名网站,提供各类电子贺卡和电子请柬。

7.infomediary该词为新造词,info指“信息”,media指媒介,-ry是形容词后缀。合成后被赋予“信息媒介的”之新义。

8.The model ranges from virtual malls to online stock and bond traders and can include business-to-business(B2B),business-to-consumer(B2C),and consumer-to-consumer(C2C).本句中,谓语为由and连接的两个并列部分,前一个是动词短语“range from...to...”,这里“virtual malls”和“online stock and bond traders”分别是介词“from”和“to”的宾语。

9.本文中所列举的十种电子商务模式分别为Merchant Model商人模式,Auction Model拍卖模式,Manufacturer Model制造商模式,Affiliate Model会员模式,Advertising Model广告模式,Infomediary Model信息媒介模式,Subscription Model订购模式,Brokerage Model经纪人模式,Virtual Communities Model虚拟社区模式,Logistics Model物流模式。

10.This text is an excerpt from E-Marketing Planning:Accountability and E-Metrics,the White paper sponsored by Embellix Software.