Wednesday, January 25, 2012

Cheer Up Your Buyers with Online Promotions

The internet has become a fast-growing medium of promoting your product online. Information on attractive offers and discounts can reach customers at a faster pace via internet. It is possible to inform people about discounts and offers through social networking sites such as Facebook, Twitter, MySpace and LinkedIn. This has emerged as the best medium to reach out to millions of people. In fact, it has been estimated that there are around 100 million internet users in India itself. So, for the Indian SMEs, there could be nothing better than promoting their brands through internet. 

Time It Well
 
It is important to keep in mind that discounts are not to be given throughout the year as people start undermining the product then. They should be scheduled for special occasions such as during a festive season like New Year or Diwali. Discounts can be offered depending on the product. These offers and discounts are a must to gain a competitive edge in the market, but the time frame is also an important factor. 

Internet marketing makes it possible to remain in touch with the customers through emails and to notify them about special discounts and offers. It is crucial to realise that emails have always been and still are the most powerful marketing resource. You can also target customers that your firm would like to extend discounts to; this is not possible by advertising via television or through magazines. Companies can personally reach out to their customers through emails. They can manage their contacts but need to be careful not overdo it as this might lead the customer to discontinue receiving their correspondence. To make the advertisement more appealing, it helps to hire a good copywriting firm to frame customer friendly content for the website. Such professional copywriters could also make the content more search engine friendly. Individuals are more likely to become loyal repeat customers through positive online engagement. In the case of television marketing, consumers are passive recipients of the product. Such discounts reach your customers through the internet at a faster speed and you can also get their responses within few hours; an experience which seems next to impossible with television or print advertisements.
 
Viral marketing plays a crucial role in informing customers about the discounts. The company just has to update its website with details of the latest offers. All this costs a miniscule amount, unlike the conventional advertisements viz. magazines, newspapers and television where you would have to spend a fortune. Moreover, this is the most hassle-free method of marketing.
 
Offers and discounts play an important role in augmenting sales. This entails that the medium of communication be a fast paced one, in order to meet the demands of the present generation. 
 
Cost Effective Medium

It is significant for SMEs to realise how they can cut their costs in the regressive market conditions. Internet marketing proves effective in saving a lot of expenses incurred on advertising through the usual modes such as television and print. In fact companies can reach out only to a limited audience through these conventional mediums. On the other hand, internet marketing is growing by leaps and bounds because of its effectiveness, and it is quite obvious that it will soon outgrow television and print advertising viz. newspapers and magazines due to large number of people hooked on to the internet. Unlike the other modes, it is a cost effective medium and has a mass appeal. A company can expand its horizon through internet marketing and not have to remain confined to just a region or a country. The traditional mediums have a limited circulation and earmarked areas; the internet offers unlimited exposure. Anyone at any time can check the company website and learn about its product.
 
People usually look for information of a company on internet and so having an internet presence really makes a difference. It is important for the SMEs to understand that online marketing is the most important medium to boost their sales. The conventional promotion mediums require payments time and again but internet requires only the creation of a website which has to be regularly reviewed. If need be, a company can also make judicious use of internet by establishing a profile on social networking sites such as Twitter, Facebook and MySpace. It provides a platform to connect with new people and develop brand loyalty. Companies can maintain good personal relations with their customers and address their problems. All this can really help SMEs to win the confidence of their consumers. With a minimal cost, the company can be effective beyond imagination. A firm can also opt for other dynamic mediums such as viral marketing, blogging and podcasting. Increasing interaction with the customers can greatly help in generating sales. You should not miss out on getting your company listed in the several online business directories so that your firm can easily be traced by customers. This is an extremely convenient means to establish your web presence.   

Era of Marketing

There are 70% customers who trust online reviews. So you can aim towards gaining such online customer reviews, which, if positive, can benefit your company tremendously. There are over 100 million internet users in India itself, a fact which depicts the popularity of the medium. It is a good idea to conduct research and get in touch with the niche audience; this helps in framing an advertising strategy and boosting sales.
 
According to reports, India is home to an estimated eight million SMEs of which about 400,000 have a website and 100,000 have an active online presence. Internet marketing is flourishing and it is visible. A defined market strategy helps to attract the audience and create a profile for each segment. It is helpful to analyse customers’ problems and offer solutions after understanding their psyche. Make use of popular keywords to attract them. Make use of analytics to trace the customer’s response and direct yourself to the particular audience. This can help you to decide your future course of action. You should focus on increasing the internet traffic towards your company website to acquaint the people about your products.
 
In this new era of marketing, nothing can be more cost effective than internet marketing which has already begun to dominate the traditional methods of advertisement. Internet opens up endless opportunities with minimal investments. Maximise your sales with this innovative technique.

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