Before the world of e-branding and internet is discussed, I would like to share an original incidence which happened with me long back when I was new to internet .I happened to be with my client some nine years back and the client being a big businessman who had one leg always in abroad countries simply asked me for my e-mail id and I had to struggle with his eyes to somehow manage to say that yes I have an email id but it got blocked and so I will intimate the new one. But, the fact was I was not having one. This was India some years back or atleast I was backward with the usage of internet.
In India, google.com is god of search engine, this I came to know in order to create my first email id with yahoo.com. I went with my brother and asked how to make an email id, he told me a long route that was to open google.com and then write yahoo.com and then click on it and then there will be an option of new registration for an email id. It was nice to create a email id finally. I was happy as well as shocked as to how if I have created a mail id cannot be used by other person and mine will be unique, how yahoo can know about my creating of email. But, it happened with a MBA graduate of India some nine years back.
But, now without internet, life gets crippled. One must have an email id and if you are businessman, you should have a website otherwise you will be out of reach by potential customers. Even people take you as outdated person or businessman if you don't have a well designed website.
One fine day a gentleman happened to visit my office at dawn hours while I was about to leave the office , he was talking about expansion of business and was talking that he has increased the annual budget for advertisement as without advertisement , now business is getting more competitive. It was more than an hour, he went on explaining about the advertisement benefits without even a single question of curiosity was thrown on him about advertisement. But, because the unawareness of his misconception made me to finally involve myself and had to stop in the mid way to address him, what if your budget is reduced to one fourth in advertisement and you get more benefit and result then ever.
The man before me just got stunned and stared at me as if I had abused me , then with a cunning smile, ofcourse by such time he was considering himself to be smarter as he was sharing his expertise in business through advertisement , asked , is..is you meant one fourth and more benefits ? Simply I had to reply with a more pleasant smile while feeling pity on his knowledge that offline print media is all for him about advertisement.
I had to say rather shower various questions on him, some of them were
a) Have you ever cared why people are advertising so much on internet?b) Have you ever thought why big brands are shifting to internet while cutting their advertisement budget?c) Have you ever thought why our politicians namely Shri L.K.Advani had to launch a nice website for the purpose of reaching voters in lieu of polls to be held in India in 2009?d) Why e-filing of income tax return has become necessity for HNI and companies?e) Why e-payment of taxes is compulsory for big companies?f) Why e-governance is being talked like anything?g) Why even TV channels are having their uptodate website and at times showing their website url for more information?
The gentleman was more in shocked condition as upto sometime before he was thinking me to be a fool and now he felt that he was the fool as his pale colour of face was describing it all.
Realising the situation of loss made by him going on his mind, I politely told him, gone is the time when print media was everything for the purpose of advertisement, it is the e-age which is of internet. Internet is the greatest invention of this century as it is gold mine of information and solutions for each and every person on this world. Business is being conducted through the help of e-commerce so how can one survive and miss the bus of e-branding .Especially when decision makes are online through out their working hours and the sellers and businessman cannot afford to miss the business cycle while keeping themselves aloof with offline status. One has to be in the ambit of internet world and without brand written on even a tea stall, a tea vender does not sell tea as well. So, merely having a website even cannot be a solution to business worries, but it is e-brand which can matter and bring a logical difference to business existence. The prices of advertisement is much much lesser and viability and visibility is enormous as any person, at anytime and from anywhere can access your information and contact you at ease without travelling to your place , but through a computer or laptop on his desk. To add the importance, it is now well known as per the latest research by a leading institute of world that internet media has surpassed the media in effectiveness and is neck to neck with TV media even in largest penetration. Since, young generation is net savvy and their world revolves and starts with internet if they are into business.
So the proverb, out of sight is out of reach is suitably applicable for internet presence. The dependency of people for information is that much that people cannot afford to read, people cannot afford to watch TV,as they don't get that much time, but they being online for most of the time try to finish every work via internet and mailing .Hence, the innovative video conferencing is the current media in demand also possible through internet. Even voice calling i.e VOIP is also possible through internet. Even the online TV culture has suddenly seen a surge, this all shows how optimistic our entrepreneurs are towards e-business. God knows what more to come through internet, so still if one feels happy without internet branding, then it will be at their risk.
Since, decision makers are online , they try to complete the entire work through internet and entire world has shrinked to internet world and hence social networking sites have evolved and have even became a tool for exploring new business contacts and expanding the business horizons.
Since, decision makers are online , they try to complete the entire work through internet and entire world has shrinked to internet world and hence social networking sites have evolved and have even became a tool for exploring new business contacts and expanding the business horizons. This all made the gentleman to ask , can you suggest as to how to go for e-branding , I had only one suggestion go for proper platform which can give you international exposure, be it online exhibitions, products launch et all.
The author is the business editor of www.made-from-india.com
About the Author
www.made-from-india.com has evolved itself as a trusty B2B. With a unequalled combining of understanding of applicatory requirements of Indian exporters, Suppliers and manufacturers. Get best Import-Export trade intelligence information. Also large database for buyers from all over the world as one place Made-from-India.com as it is an International trade sources. It is solid platform as B2B portal of Indian industrial resources.
Friday, August 21, 2009
Thursday, August 20, 2009
How to Market with Postcards
Associated with both nostalgia and modern flair, postcards are an excellent way to communicate with your clients. With their catchy appearance, post cards can help you to generate new sales leads and reach new clients. Here is a look at some of the ways that marketing postcards can work for you.
Have a Good Mailing List
One of the most important elements of a mailing campaign is ensuring that your postcards get to your target market. Look for mailing lists with prospects who would be interested in your offer. This includes customers of non-competing businesses in your market, customers who read magazines with information about your market, or even customers who have contacted you previously.
Be Friendly
Your postcard should not look like a magazine ad, but instead like a message a friend would send. This will cause your customer to have a positive reaction to the card. Personalizing the card can also help it to feel more personal.
Don't Close the Sale
There is not enough room on your postcard to try and close a sale. Instead, the aim of the postcard should be to try and get customers to contact you for more information. Go over the major benefits that you offer, and don't forget to include the information that your customer will need to be able to contact you. Make sure you include phone numbers, websites, addresses, and other important information.
Stick to the Point
Unlike letters, postcards are ready to read from the moment that a potential customer picks them up. Keep the message short, to the point, and interesting. The prospect should be able to get the message of the postcard is a short glance. If the verbiage is so lengthy they have to sit down to digest the information, then there is a good chance that they won't.
Spend the Money for First Class
Postcards are inexpensive to mail in the first place, and it only costs a few cents more to send them first class. This means that you will get all the benefits of first class mail, as well as a higher likelihood of replies.
Time it Right
Because of no mail delivery on Sundays, Mondays tend to have the biggest mail deliveries. Avoid sending your postcards so that they arrive on Monday, as they are more likely to be overlooked when the recipient is flipping through the other mail that was delivered. Instead, aim to have them delivered on a Tuesday or a Wednesday, which usually have the lightest amounts of mail.
Go Professional
Having a great postcard for marketing doesn't have to cost you a lot of money. A commercial printer can print a great design for you at just a few cents per card. You will simply have to choose the design and layout that you like best, add your information, and the printer can have a professional looking card sent out to you. Make sure that the layout, graphics, and colors that you choose are complimentary to your business and branding strategy. Postcards should be eye-catching but easy to read.
Postcards can be a great marketing tool when they are used properly. Use the above tips, and you will be able to reach more customers than ever before - without breaking your budget!
About the Author
Make sure your postcards create the best impression for your company. Learn about PsPrint’s postcard printing and printing services that can help you leverage your marketing investments for maximum returns.
Have a Good Mailing List
One of the most important elements of a mailing campaign is ensuring that your postcards get to your target market. Look for mailing lists with prospects who would be interested in your offer. This includes customers of non-competing businesses in your market, customers who read magazines with information about your market, or even customers who have contacted you previously.
Be Friendly
Your postcard should not look like a magazine ad, but instead like a message a friend would send. This will cause your customer to have a positive reaction to the card. Personalizing the card can also help it to feel more personal.
Don't Close the Sale
There is not enough room on your postcard to try and close a sale. Instead, the aim of the postcard should be to try and get customers to contact you for more information. Go over the major benefits that you offer, and don't forget to include the information that your customer will need to be able to contact you. Make sure you include phone numbers, websites, addresses, and other important information.
Stick to the Point
Unlike letters, postcards are ready to read from the moment that a potential customer picks them up. Keep the message short, to the point, and interesting. The prospect should be able to get the message of the postcard is a short glance. If the verbiage is so lengthy they have to sit down to digest the information, then there is a good chance that they won't.
Spend the Money for First Class
Postcards are inexpensive to mail in the first place, and it only costs a few cents more to send them first class. This means that you will get all the benefits of first class mail, as well as a higher likelihood of replies.
Time it Right
Because of no mail delivery on Sundays, Mondays tend to have the biggest mail deliveries. Avoid sending your postcards so that they arrive on Monday, as they are more likely to be overlooked when the recipient is flipping through the other mail that was delivered. Instead, aim to have them delivered on a Tuesday or a Wednesday, which usually have the lightest amounts of mail.
Go Professional
Having a great postcard for marketing doesn't have to cost you a lot of money. A commercial printer can print a great design for you at just a few cents per card. You will simply have to choose the design and layout that you like best, add your information, and the printer can have a professional looking card sent out to you. Make sure that the layout, graphics, and colors that you choose are complimentary to your business and branding strategy. Postcards should be eye-catching but easy to read.
Postcards can be a great marketing tool when they are used properly. Use the above tips, and you will be able to reach more customers than ever before - without breaking your budget!
About the Author
Make sure your postcards create the best impression for your company. Learn about PsPrint’s postcard printing and printing services that can help you leverage your marketing investments for maximum returns.
Thursday, April 17, 2008
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