Marketing Activities - Essay Example

Internet Marketing Contents Introduction 4 Task and 2 4 P1. Marketing through internet 4 P 1 Elements of internet marketing 4 P 2 Internet marketing mix 5 P 1.3 Compare internet marketing tools 6 P 1.4 Interactive order processing 7 P2. Internet for promotion using digital marketing communications 8 P 2.1 Mechanics of search engine marketing 9 P 2.2 opt-in email marketing newsletter 9 P 2.3 guidelines for best practice in online public relations 10 P 2.4 Businesses can use new digital media communities 11 TASK 3 and 4 11 P3. Market research supporting CRM 11 P 3.1 Secondary market research 11 P 3.2 Online survey 12 P 3.3 Use of electronic customer relationship marketing 13 P4. Internet marketing plan 14 P 4.1 Outline of internet marketing plan 14 Conclusion 15 References 16 Introduction In the modern age internet marketing has become very useful tool for enhancing marketing activities. It is considered as one of the most suitable method and economic way for communicating with the customers effectively. Electronic and online platforms are used in internet marketing for creating strong impact on the customers. In internet marketing, e-commerce business has become very popular. It has contributed a lot in the growth and development of many businesses who use internet as their platform for selling their products. The tools involved in internet marketing are email, social media site, search engines, ecommerce sites etc. In this essay the internet marketing of Nike and Walmart will be discussed. Task 1 and 2 P1. Marketing through internet In the present scenario people has become very much addicted to internet. For this reason companies are using internet as an important tool for promoting their products and services. The company Nike also use internet for marketing its products. This firm has a wide range of products which are promoted and sold via internet with the help of online sites. This multinational company is into the business of manufacturing and selling of apparel products, sports accessories, footwear etc. Nike use internet efficiently for increasing its customer base and sales. P 1.1 Elements of internet marketing The strategy of internet marketing is used by the firm by implementing different tools or elements of internet marketing. Digital marketing is one of the major elements of internet marketing. Nike uses digital marketing platform like social networking sites, website and emails for performing its marketing activities. In its e-commerce site, Nike sells its various products with the help of internet. The technological factors like online fund transfer, electronic data maintenance etc are used by the organization for conducting its online business activities. Nike enjoys different benefits from its internet business. With the help of its online present the company is able to interact effectively with its customs, acquire more customers and has reached to maximum number of people. Internet marketing also facilitates the company in getting feedbacks from its customers. This helps Nike in enhancing its products and business processes. Internet security and regulations, technological changes, protecting customers’ privacy are the important elements of internet marketing which are followed by Nike. P 1.2 Internet marketing mix Nike implemented the strategy of internet marketing mix for selling and promoting their products. The elements of marketing mix used by Nike are as follows: E-products: In online platform Nike creates portfolio of its all products which helps the customers to view and to gather information about those products. The company also offers facility to the customers in buying customized products from the website. E-price: Prices are mentioned by Nike in its every product. For purchasing product via internet the customers have to pay its price through cards or cash. Nike also uses auction method for fixing the price of its products. This method helps the company in attracting customers and as a result sale of Nike increases. E-place: Various online sites and the website of Nike are considered as its place for selling its products through internet. From these sites customers directly purchase Nike’s products. E-promotion: Nike attracts large number of customers by promoting its products online. The tools used by Nike for promoting its products are search engines, email marketing and social media. With the help of digital marketing, the company is able to promote its products successfully through online sites. P 1.3 Compare internet marketing tools In the modern business environment different types of internet marketing tools are used by the companies for making its business more effective. Internet marketing tools are selected by a firm based on the way by which its aims to attract its customers. Nike mainly uses Google+, Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest as its internet marketing tools. Pinterest of Nike Facebook page of Nike P 1.4 Interactive order processing The online stores of Nike contribute a lot in increasing the sales of Nike. The company has designed its online portals in such a way which facilitate the customers in purchasing products. Maximum sales of Nike take place through online platforms. Online trainers are present on Nike’s website that helps the customers in selecting and purchasing products which matches with their requirements. This online interactive process benefits the company in creating good relationship with the customers1. Order is processes in Nike’s website by following five steps. In the first step a product is selected by the customer from Nike’s website. The order is added to cart in the next step. In the third step the customer has to login to his account on Nike’s website or need to create an account. In the fourth step payment is made by the customer by providing the delivery address. Debit card, credit card, promo code, gift card etc are used by the user for making payment. In the last step the customer submits their order and provides his review about the ordering process. Online sales system of Nike P2. Internet for promotion using digital marketing communications Internet plays a vital role in communicating with people. For this reason most of the companies use internet for conducting its marketing activities. Digital marketing communication contributes a lot in enhancing the sale of Nike’s products. This marketing communication tool is implemented by Nike for promoting its different products through internet. In this communication tool the elements like file sharing, email marketing, online public relation, marketing through search engine are used by Nike. With the help of these elements the company is able to communicate with its customers effectively. P 2.1 Mechanics of search engine marketing The visibility of the websites mainly depends on the process of search engine marketing. It is an online medium for promoting the website and the products or services of a company. By the process of search engine optimization the visibility of the website is enhanced. Search engine marketing is used by Nike. The company gets various advantages from this marketing process. The SEO technique used by Nike involves low cost but result in high visibility. As a result of this the company is able to target large number of people. The robot program of search engine provides results according to the key words mentioned in the search box. Ranking algorithm is used in search engine for listing down the pages and links. P 2.2 opt-in email marketing newsletter Opt-in-email marketing, the company sends newsletter or email to the customers for notifying them about different products or information. Opt in can be confirmed or unconfirmed. In confirmed opt in emails or newsletter are sent to random people and in confirm opt in email is sent after confirm the mail address of the person2. Nike mainly follows confirm opts in email marketing process. SPRING IS HERE!! Nike’s spring collection 2015 eCatalog P 2.3 guidelines for best practice in online public relations Public relation influence people in purchasing products and contribute a lot in making the customers aware of different activities of the company. Online PR is used as an effective tool for influencing people. The objectives of online PR are similar to traditional PR. Online PR activities are performed by online sites. Some important online channels are blog, websites; social media sites are which are used by the companies for doing their PR activities. Online PR is very much effective and involves low cost. Maximum number of people is reached with the help of online PR. But one strong disadvantage of online PR is the company can face massive criticisms from people if any negative things about the firm are disclosed by its online PR activities. P 2.4 Businesses can use new digital media communities Digital media communities are used by the companies for making its online business more effective. File sharing is one of the important processes of implementing digital media communities. File sharing is the process of giving access to the users in viewing multimedia contents. This process provides benefits to the customers as well as the company. The famous file sharing sites are You Tube, Flickr, and Twitter etc. Companies share several files on these sites for informing the customers about their products and services. Online reputation of the company is also managed by file sharing. Nike also shares many files in online site for communicating with the people. TASK 3 and 4 P3. Market research supporting CRM Managing relationship with the customers is a vital task for the company. The multinational company Walmart performs different functions for enhancing its customer relationship management. Extensive market research is done by this company for understanding the needs and demands of the customers. According to that the company provides products and services to them. This helps the firm in satisfying customers and increasing its customer base. P 3.1 Secondary market research Secondary market research is conducted for analyzing the efforts or processes of Walmart for managing relationship with the customers. Information which is gathered from secondary research highlights that Walmart analysis consumer behaviour for providing them right service or product3. Needs of the customers are evaluated by this company based on different parameters. Qualitative data collected by secondary research shows that the CRM strategies implemented by Walmart are very effective in increasing customer satisfaction level. As a result there is an increase of loyal customer base of Walmart. High end technologies are used by this company for analyzing purchase history of the customers. Mobile application of Walmart also acts as an effective tool in managing relationship with customers. P 3.2 Online survey Customer satisfaction can be analyzed with the help of online survey. Walmart can conduct the survey on its website or blog for gathering appropriate information from the customers. The views of the customers regarding the company can be understood from this survey. The company offer gift voucher to the customers for filling up the survey form. Both close ended and open ended questions are kept in the survey. Walmart conducts the online survey to increase its customer base and sales. Survey Monkey site is used Walmart for designing its survey. Online survey of Walmart 1. How many times do you visit Walmart store in a month? 1 2 3 4 2. Are you satisfied with Walmart’s products? Yes No 3. Are you happy with the price of Walmart’s products? Yes No 4. Are you satisfied with the behaviour of Walmart’s employees? Yes No 5. Do you expect anything more from this company? P 3.3 Use of electronic customer relationship marketing Corporate strategies of Walmart help to enhance its CRM. Electronic CRM is used as effective marketing tool for analyzing the behaviour of the customers. Email, website, data mining are considered as major element of electronic CRM. The strategies of E-CRM are implemented by Walmart with the help of its effective process, technologies and people4. Customer centric business processes and technologies are implemented by Walmart for satisfying customers. P4. Internet marketing plan Increase in the competition of retail industry influence Walmart in designing an internet marketing plan for increasing its sales and market share. P 4.1 Outline of internet marketing plan SWOT Analysis Strengths: Walmart has strong brand name and large customer base. Weaknesses: The Company is facing resistance from its community member. It does not maintain legal rules. Opportunities: Walmart is expanding to different countries of the world. Expanding product range will benefit the company. Threats: Walmart faces strong competition. Labour issues are creating problems The company should analyze its external environment by doing PESTEL. It can use more advanced technology for reducing the costs of its different activities. Low priced products will help the company in operating its business activities in different economy. Legal and social factors should be followed by Walmart for using internet marketing tools. Tesco, K-Mart is the strong competitors of Walmart. The company should use different online channels which are not used by these competitors in their online businesses. Social media sites must be used by Walmart for taking customers feedback. Conclusion In this essay internet marketing is explained by highlighting the online marketing activities of Nike and Walmart. Online marketing practices are more advanced than traditional marketing. With the help of these practices both of the companies are able to increase its customer base and sales volume. Internet market helps these companies in satisfying customers and communicating with them effectively. References Carbasho, T. Nike. California, ABC-CLIO. 2010. Fishman, C. The Wal-Mart Effect: How the Worlds Most Powerful Company Really Works--and HowIts Transforming the American Economy. Penguin, New York, 2006. Mcfarlin, D. B., and Sweeney, P. D. International Management. Dreamtech Press, New Delhi, 2008. Miletsky, J. Principles of Internet Marketing: New Tools and Methods for Web Developers. Cengage Learning. Boston, 2009. Read More