Marketing Business on the Internet - Essay Example

During the contemporary period, it can be d that Information and Communication Technology (ICT) has made dramatic changes in the functioning of every business and has impacted on almost all facets of life across the spectrum. Perhaps, the most visible and explosive information technology tool is the internet. The advent of the internet in particular has revolutionised the way people conduct business. In essence, the aim of business is to serve its customers profitably and perfect service is only possible if a business has the right information in the hands of the right people at the right time of which this can only be attainable through the appropriate use of information technology (Haag, Cummings & Dawkins 2000). Thus, this essay seeks to critically evaluate the significance of the internet in marketing of business. It will begin by explaining key concepts such as marketing and the internet so as to gain a clear understanding about how these are interrelated in conducting business during the contemporary period. Marketing can be defined as a process of anticipating and satisfying customer needs (Lamb et al 2008). The key phrase here is customer satisfaction hence, without satisfying customer needs, no firm or organisation can survive over the long term. There is need to have the right information which can be possible through the use of the internet. The internet is basically a network of networked computers all over the world (Haag, Cummings & Dawkins 2000). Morden communication technology has made dramatic changes in the contemporary marketing communication landscape. It can be seen that consumers now have the ability to make evaluations on their preferred choice of goods and products owing to the improvements in communication technology (Robinson 1997). Marketers on the other hand are cognisant of these sweeping impacts caused by new technology which has led to significant changes in the way they carry out their business. Thus, electronic communication via the use of the internet is very fast and effective. In terms of marketing, Kotler (1999) calls this online marketing. Through the use of the internet, it has become relatively easier for the marketers to gather information about their customers and they can process it efficiently to meet their needs. As noted in the definition of marketing, customer satisfaction is the primary goal of marketing. Through specially designed websites, it is possible for the organisation to gather the views of the customers about their products directly and it is also possible for marketers in the organisation to engage in dialogue directly with the customers since the website is developed in such a way that it is possible to get feedback from both ends. Company websites are designed in such a way that there will be a two way communication channel whereby the marketers can be in touch with the customers. It becomes easier to gather the views of the customers which is the essence of marketing. It can be noted that a specially designed website allows the marketers to tailor their messages as well as other advertising or marketing related information in such a way that it will appeal to the targeted customers. The main advantage of the internet is that it can be accessible anyway as long as one is connected so the geographical barriers to marketing have been removed. It can reach as many people as possibly instantaneously. In most cases, the colourful pictures of products that accompany the advertisements greatly contribute to the success in business of any given organisation that uses the internet as a marketing tool. The internet can play a cost effective role in the communication mix where direct selling can be made possible through engaging in dialogue between the marketers and customers. Advertising is also aided where awareness of product can be easily done through interactive involvement. The other advantage of the internet in marketing business is that websites of the organisations are designed in such a way that it becomes easy to get any information about a product or about the organisation itself without problems. Information about the organisation as well as the products offered is very important for any business and it can be noted that the internet has greatly contributed to the success organisations that utilise this effective and efficient facility. Indeed, the use of the internet has brought about dramatic changes in the processing and dissemination of information. On the internet, you can find almost any information by simply typing the subject which accessed from the internet through the use of specialist search engines such as Google or through entering the universal resource locator (URL) of the organisation. The internet can be accessible 24 hours a day anywhere across the globe. Thus, the internet is a medium that uses broadcasting and publishing with the aid of connectivity of computers that are online. Unlike other traditional forms of media, online marketing through the internet use offers a variety of benefits to both the marketer and the customer. The use of the internet can reach far off places instantaneously regardless of geographical boundaries. The use of the internet is convenient in that lots of information can easily be accessible without difficulties as this can be done in the comfort of your own room. The internet does not limit advertising space and can reach millions of people at the same time. It allows marketers to communicate with both new and existing markets in an integrated way that is beneficial to both the customers and the marketers. Thus, it is easier for the marketer to reach the customer while on the other hand it becomes easier for the customer to access any information about an organisation or product. The internet allows the organisation to carry out market research which helps it to establish the needs and interests of the customers. Through the use of the internet, it is easier to gather information about the needs of the customers which is the essence of marketing. This information is then used in product development with the aim of satisfying the needs of the customers. By virtue of being responsive to the needs and wants of the customers, the organisation will be better positioned to create loyalty among the customers which is a big competitive advantage for organisation’s survival in a competitive environment. Loyalty among the employees entails that they will make return purchases which is advantageous to the organisation. Over and above, it can be noted that the internet has revolutionised the way businesses operate during the contemporary period. The internet plays a pivotal role in the marketing of the organisation in that it can use specially designed websites to reach the as many customers as possible. On the other hand, it becomes relatively easier for the customers to access any information about a particular product or organisation as long as they are connected. The major notable advantage of using the internet in marketing is that it removes physical barriers to communication such as geographical boundaries and it can reach millions of people instantaneously. The internet facilitates a two way communication channel which is very important as far as the customer needs are concerned. References Antion T (2005). The ultimate guide to electronic marketing for small business. New Jersey. John Wiley & Sons. Haag S., Cummings M & Dawkins J (2000). Management information systems for the information age. 2nd Edition. Boston. Irwin McGraw-Hill. Kotler P. (1999), Kotler on Marketing: How to create, win and dominate Markets, Free Press, London. Lamb C.W. (2008). Marketing. Oxford University Press. Robinson W (1997), Strategic Management and Information Systems, 2nd Edition, Prentice Hall, UK Read More