Essay - Internet and Marketing I. Introduction the Internet Has Become a...

INTERNET AND MARKETING

I. INTRODUCTION

***** Internet has become a vibr*****nt and increasingly integral part of individuals' lives over the past few years. It is hard to imagine any business today succeeding without at least some presence on ***** World Wide Web. Today, the United St*****es boasts a $1.5 trillion m*****rket for direct marketers. Without question this is the largest ***** richest single market in the world and growing at an unprecedented 8.6% per year. With over 10,000 different c*****alogs alone being mailed in the U.S., there ***** a niche for every player ***** every project and service.

This paper examines ***** of the basic precepts of Internet *****ing, suggesting the ways in which companies should treat ***** marketing as the same ***** any other type of marketing and the ***** in which it must be treated on *****s own terms. Part II discusses the relati*****ship *****tween conventional ***** and Internet marketing. In Part III, the advantages and disadvantages of Internet marketing are outlined. ***** IV reviews what ***** ***** ***** is more effective, conventional marketing or Internet marketing. Lastly, this paper concludes with an argument that ***** marketing offers more advantages than conventional marketing.

*****. THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN CONVENTIONAL MARKETING AND INTERNET MARKETING

The field of marketing in general ***** Internet marketing in particular seems so vast and so changeable that it is hard to know exactly where one should begin. While it ***** useful to analyze ***** marketing as a distinct be*****st from other forms of *****, in the real world ***** will probably be more ***** to consider ********** marketing as simply an***** part ***** the total marketing strategy for a given product *****nd a given comp*****. The m*****in similarity between ***** marketing (i.e., catalogs, commercials, direct mail, free samples, etc.) and Internet marketing (i.e., banner ads, pop up ads, targeted emails, etc.) is the purpose behind such marketing. Both conventional ***** and Internet marketing are designed to incre*****e a company's ***** by reaching new customers as well as re-connecting with old customers.

O*****r similarit*****s exist between conventional marketing ***** Internet ***** as well. In order to succeed over both the short-run and long-term, conventional marketing ***** Internet marketing must remain fresh and companies must be able ***** quickly adapt to consumers' ever changing preferences. What is hot today is most likely not going to be hot *****morrow and companies who place too much reliance on ***** particular method of marketing or a specific product may find *****mselves left behind when the train leaves for a new, *****ter trend. Only those companies who take the time and make the ef*****t to truly learn about their customers and foster long-term relationships will be successful.

III. ADVANTAGES AND DIS***** OF INTERNET *****

***** are numerous advantages to Internet *****. Prospecting via the Internet may be a tough nut to crack, but it is clear ***** e-mail ***** well suited for keeping customers active. On the retention side, ***** now have a powerful new vehicle. Unless you were a cataloger