Avinash Kaushik - world leader in web business optimisation
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C10 E-marketing Planning
E-marketing planning involves marketing planning within the context of the e-business e-environment. So not surprisingly, the successful e-marketing plan is based on traditional marketing disciplines and planning techniques, adapted for the digital media environment and then mixed with new digital marketing communications techniques. This chapter shows you how to create a comprehensive E-marketing plan, based on the well-established principles of the SOSTAC® Planning System (PR Smith.1993).This is an outline of content for this chapter from my book eMarketing eXcellence authored with PR Smith. You can follow relevant links at the bottom of the page.
Emarketing Planning - Introduction
By the end of this chapter you will know what an e-marketing plan is, its key components and how they fit together. Without a realistic plan, an organization drifts unknowingly and can end up anywhere – usually sinking, without cash and without direction – just like so many of the “dot-bombs”.
Planning is essential. It helps you to stop constant fire-fighting, desperately searching for funds, panicking and paying higher prices (like rush rates). Planning puts you in control and reduces stress.
It also gives direction to the team so they can work in harmony.
There are many types of plans. Corporate plans and business plans incorporate the long-term corporate strategy which includes diversification and acquisition strategies, systems and funding. Then there are marketing plans that must help to fulfil the overall corporate objectives. Then there are e-marketing plans which have to integrate with the offline, traditional marketing plan.
E-marketing plans do not occur in isolation, but are most effective when integrated with offline marketing communications channels such as phone, direct-mail or face-to-face selling. Online channels should also be used to support the whole buying process from pre-sale to sale to post-sale and the continuing development of customer relationships.
Although the e-marketing plan can span right across an organization’s functions (e.g. customer feedback, customer service, product enhancement, sales, finance/payment, delivery, administration and marketing), e-marketing plans tend to be linked strongly to marketing communications plans.
The reality is that any e-marketing plan needs to be a part of a marketing communications plan and it also should be part of a broader marketing plan. Needless to say the e-plan should also fit in with the overall business plan.
Topics and learning outcomes for
- 10.1 Introduction. Describe the context and main components of an e-plan.
- 10.2 Situation analysis. Assess your performance within the online and multichannel marketplace.
- 10.3 Objectives. Model and define SMART commercial and communications objectives for the e-marketing plan.
- 10.4 Strategies. Explain the difference between strategy, objectives and tactics and devise e-strategies.
- 10.5 Tactics. Select the relevant digital communications channels that can be deployed as part of tactics.
- 10.6 Actions. Create an outline E-marketing implementation plan.
- 10.7 Control. Build in a review process into your plans based on web analytics and management dashboards.
- 10.8 Resources. Identify the key internal and external resources required and allocate these to achieve your e-marketing objectives.
Most recent articles related to ??
This page lists my latest articles on recent developments in E-marketing Planning
Links for E-marketing Planning Chapter
- Avinash Kaushiks blog). Avinash is an expert in web analytics and his popular blog shows how web analytics should be used to control and improve return on E-marketing investments.
- DaveChaffey.com blog. Articles about e-planning and implementation of e-marketing.
- E-consultancy. Discussion and articles about e-planning.
- Marketing Sherpa. Case studies and news about e-marketing planning.
- Epikone. A specialist web analytics blog and E-book giving guidance on how to tailor Google Analytics.
- Neil Mason Applied Insights blog – blog featuring Neil’s insights related to measurement and control of e-marketing.
- New Media Age. A UK digital marketing trade weekly which has interviews with practitioners discussing their strategic approach to digital marketing.
- Revolution magazine. Articles and interviews with e-planners are useful for reviewing different strategies.
- PR Smith.org. Paul is the originator of SOSTAC ® - more information on SOSTAC ®
- The Wayback Machine allows you to see old web pages from 1996
- Wikipedia.org. Wikipedia.org – the user-generated online encyclopedia has useful content on marketing and e-marketing planning.
- Youtube customer reviews and critiques , advertisements, spoof advertisements and some videos on Marketing and E-marketing planning.
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Thanks, Dave Chaffey.
