The possibilities of selling in cyberspace could revolutionize the
way we think about marketing...
Same Old Ideas, New Medium
On a basic level, the Internet provides a new conduit for traditionally
packaged information to reach consumers.
- Phone Directories--Now you can really let your fingers do the walking:
- Ford Worldwide
Connection--auto advertising direct from your magazine pages to the Web
pages.
- Shopping2000. A directory of shopping services--everything from Nordic Track to Politically Incorrect Signs.
- Product Net. An online
clothing catalogue.
- Internet Shopping
Network--backed by the Home Shopping Network, but no longer over the
telephone.
- Shopping malls moved from down the street onto the Web:
New Ideas, New Medium
Businesses are also beginning to discover the unique advantages of
cyberspace. The Net allows companies to interact with potential
customers, obtain feedback, and specially tailor their services to reach
particular audiences.
Interactivity
Services and Play
The Internet allows businesses to engage potential customers through
interactive hooks. For example:
Consumer Response
Not only will the Net allow businesses to provide consumers with more
information, but it will also be a means of receiving consumer feedback.
- If you have a warranty question about your Konami game, you can ask
the company directly.
- Tell Microsoft how you feel at their feedback site.
- The Saturn car company wants to know more about you and your auto
preferences. Fill out their survey at their Saturn site
.
Specialization
The Net not only allows
consumers to easily access their areas of interest, but also allows
businesses to cater to specialized interests and specific searches. For
instance:
- You can look on HomeNet for a
house specifically in Emerson, Bergen County, New Jersey within the price
range of $200,000-$250,000.
- If you are interested in outdoor sports, Outdoornet is a great site for outdoor
equipment, excursions, and other related sports services.
- If you are looking for a car, a good place to start is the Online Auto Mall, a site where you
enter your car preferences.
- Hog's Head
Beer
Cellars is local Greensboro, NC beer company that offers
"The
Microbrewery Beer-of-the-Month Club" for delivery. For Hog's Head, the Net
provides a means for worldwide advertising.
Personalizing a Company's Market
By combining the interactive hooks with strategies that customize
products to consumers' lifestyles, companies have taken their advertising
one step further. This is a personalized form of marketing that molds the
companies image to suit the individual. Businesses are not just selling a
traditional product, they are virtually selling an attitude and a
lifestyle.
- Zima knows how to target their
customers by creating a fan culture.
- At the Nissan
Pathfinder site, a potential customer can get tips on fishing and
water sports. Oh, and if you want, you can also click on the car and read
about the Pathfinder too.
Colonizing Virtual Space
Ultimately, bringing all these elements together can mean not only
finding a niche in cyberspace, but also creating a place. For
example virtual towns come complete with their own infrastructures.
- The Spot, the ever-popular
online sitcom, offers not only a beautiful cast of characters and an
interesting plot line, but it also offers exclusive Spot merchandise that
you can order via the Net.
- Volant TurnPike: "A sprawling city
on the Internet with as many diverse interests as you will find in any town!"
- Downtown Anywhere: "The virtual
city with a real economy."
For More Information About Marketing and Its Future on the
Net...