Marketing in Cyberspace
Marketing on the Internet is an option that has quickly become popular with small businesses. The internet offers the chance to reach large numbers of people, provides support for graphics and sound files, allows you to update information easily without printing and mailing costs, provides an opportunity for customer feedback through forms and e-mail, and evens the playing field between small and larger businesses.
The population of people using the Internet is expanding and changing. Current research into the demographics and psychographic make-up of Internet users is underway. This is a new frontier, with the field changing rapidly as people try new techniques and capabilities improve.
What can you do on the Internet? Put up a page, a brochure, a catalogue, a database, etc. You can be creative here. Be clear about the purpose of your web site. Think of ways to bring people back to your site again and again. A simple brochure or flyer may not be enough; many businesses offer information. Consider presenting the expert page on some topic related to your business--an entertaining treatise, a comparative survey, a listing of other pages on the topic, etc. Many companies offer technical support or customer service.
Just having a web site isn't enough. The chances of people stumbling upon it by accident are low. Advertise your site through all avenues available--your business card, brochures, fliers, newsletters, press releases, etc. Integrate your marketing so that all aspects work together.
Some businesses may choose to join a cybermall, a group of businesses that share one site. Many malls provide services such as page design, statistics about visitors, and order forms. If you choose to join a cybermall, make sure it can be easily found by people looking for your service or product. Examine the quality of the Web pages. Find out how the cybermall is marketed to bring people in to visit. Talk to other businesses in that mall to see if they are pleased with the service and do some comparison shopping at other cybermalls to make sure you are getting a good deal.
E-commerce can be a business unto itself. Before putting up your cyber-storefront, do the homework required of any business. Understand the possibilities and unique pitfalls of business on the internet.
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