Yasir Imran Mirza

Using the Internet as a marketing tool is a wise business decision no matter the size of your company. Here is something to ponder if you are sitting on the fence about getting your business online.
Consider what kind of information a potential customer gets when he enters your office (showroom, restaurant or store). Perhaps your customer can.

·    Read the sign stating the hours of operation (or holiday hours)
·    Pick up a business card with your full business name, mailing address, fax and phone numbers
·    Read a brochure about your company’s history, products/services, mission statement
·    Look at photos of the owners/employees at promotional and staff events
·    Read notices on a bulletin board
·    Get Information about affiliates, partners or suppliers
·    Admire award plaques, trophies, team photos, and “Thank You” certificates
·    See how staff interacts with customers
·    Learn methods of payment
·    Pick up a catalogue, schedule an appointment, ask questions, meet staff
·    Feel the spirit and energy of your company

A website provides the experience of visiting your business in person. You need a website for the potential customer who.

·    Doesn’t or can’t drop by
·    Wants to know if you are open on Sundays
·    Doesn’t know your location(s), phone number(s)
·    Needs to know about parking/public transit/handicapped accessibility
·    Wants to gain product/service information before making a decision
·    Wants to comparison shop before making a commitment
·    Has time to browse now: at midnight on the Sunday of a long weekend or after the kids have gone to bed
·    Wants the assurance your firm is professional, up-to-date, credible and is interested in catering to his/her needs at his/her convenience

The above article, with a few revisions by Sue Studios, was written by Lynda French.

More and more people and businesses use the Internet to find information, it is convenient and saves time. Having a website is becoming so mainstream that customers and the general public almost expect a company to have a website. If people want information on a product or service, they are now saying, “I think they have a website, I’ll check that out first.”

Below are just some of the benefits you can expect from a website:

1.    Increases awareness of products/services
A website provides the opportunity to publish the who, what, where, when and why of your business in a powerful and effective manner.
How many potential customers might be swayed if they could learn a little more about you, your company, your products, etc., without having to phone or taking the time to meet with you in person? A website makes it easy for customers to learn more about your business at their own pace.

2.    Expands market place
A website can expand your reach to a market that may have been difficult or expensive to reach through traditional advertising. Increasingly, people search the Web rather than the Yellow Pages when looking for a service or product. You’d be amazed how much shopping occurs on the World Wide Web overnight! With an e-commerce site you can even make sales when your offices are closed. Currently over 75% of the people in the US access the Internet, up from over 40% at the end of 1999. Read the rest of this entry »

1. Reaching Millions of Potential Customers Quickly and Inexpensively

Tens of millions of people worldwide have access to the Internet. A recent study   found that 75 million people used the Internet, and 45 million used the WWW in the three months preceding  the survey in USA & Canada.
Generally, the population on the Internet is well-educated and affluent. Most own a computer;  others have access to one. Internet users, like most people, are interested in convenience. Many prefer the ease of finding services or shopping and ordering directly from their computer screens. “Net Access” advanced  equipment and technology make everything faster and easier for their customers.

1. i) Selling Products and Services
Web sites are powerful because they join your advertisement to your order or inquiry form. This is also the greatest distinction between electronic and other advertising channels. Users can have direct  communication with your company as they see your ad. With the click of a mouse, they will transmit their inquiry or order directly to you. This, the entire process will be faster and more cost effective.
1.ii) On-Line Publishing
On-Line publishing requires a fraction of the investment that conventional publishing requires… and it works. Dawn, one of Pakistan’s best known newspaper, gets thousands of hits per week. Read the rest of this entry »

The Benefits of doing business online

The benefits will very much depend on the nature of your business, and the extent to which you choose to embrace the technology! Although it makes sense to make the most of the features available, it is perfectly valid to take it one step at a time. It is not a case of all or nothing!

The choice is yours

You may choose to use only e-mail (at least initially). Alternatively you may decide on a website now, but not to use e-mail. Both a website and e-mail can be used to market your business on-line. When you’re ready, and it is relevant, you may embark on a full e-commerce solution.

Your virtual shop window

The internet is an excellent channel for promoting your business to potential clients anywhere, anytime. All they need is your website address, whether from a business card, an advert, letterhead, email or search engines.

It offers a cost effective and convenient means of keeping in touch with your existing client base and keeping them informed of developments within your business. And you can achieve this without visiting the printers, or mailing hundreds of letters.

A website will maximize your marketing investment, by leveraging this versatile and dynamic marketing channel which is the internet.

There is much more you can do with your website from gathering contact details and information about visitors to your site, to ultimately trading on-line. It becomes your virtual shop window enabling you to compete on much more equal terms with much larger organizations.

Communicate using E-mail

E-mail is not just an alternative form of communication, it also offers the potential for much more imaginative material, and the advantage of linking directly to the internet

* Efficient, interactive channel for communicating with customers and suppliers
* Efficient form of internal communication
* Customers can be kept informed of changes to your business through electronic newsletters
* Promote your website through e-mail by including a link
* E-letterheads / e-stationery can enhance your image
* COST EFFECTIVE – no postage, printing, envelopes

Establish your presence in the global marketplace:

* In the virtual world of the internet, your website is the virtual shop front to your business.
* You can provide your (prospective) clients with up to date information about you business
* Updates are instantly available to everybody, at a relatively small cost (no printing or postage)
* No write off costs relating to redundant promotional material
* Visitors can help themselves to information; anytime, anywhere, and as often as they wish – making them more likely to do so

Market your business online:

* Reinforce corporate and brand identity. Make your existing investment in marketing go further
* Advertise services and products
* Collect e-mail addresses and other information through your website
* Conduct market research through your website
* Promotion through targeted direct e-mail campaigns
* Build customer relations through personalised service
* Deliver targeted prospects to your mailbox!

E-Commerce: Open all hours

More and more people now buy on the internet because of the convenience and the variety of goods that are available.

* Your business can be ‘open all hours’
* Reduced transaction costs through online orders and, ultimately, payment
* Optional supply chain integration, streamlining your business