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Marketing through the Internet (01-02-2006)
ALTSO(Alanya Chamber of Commerce and Industry) Magazine Jan/Feb 2006 Issue: 41 Page 93Marketing through the Internet
When internet usage is over a billion all around the world nowadays how can your business benefit from this opportunity?
It is impossible not to see how fast the internet has grown since the 90s. So companies have to be in this medium as a “player” rather than an “audience”. It is important therefore that they re-examine their products and services and adapt them for presentation on the internet.
It is a legal obligation, required by the EU Adaptation Process, to have a website for all registered companies and therefore another reason why something has to be done about this subject. In fact it has become a necessity rather than an obligation to have a website today. But here we will search for the answer to this question: How will we turn our presence through the internet into profit for our company?
An Ideal Marketing Opportunity
This virtual world which is being used by millions of people everyday has become impossible to give up in our personal and professional lives with its features like communication and searching for information. Naturally it can provide good marketing opportunities for our businesses. It is easier to see reasons for this when we compare it with other media outlets.
First of all the internet is a source of all kinds of information than you can possibly imagine and everyone who has access can easily reach it. Millions of people use the internet to find out information on a subject that they are curious about or a product or place that they are looking for. It is up to date and modern. It is an interactive medium, enabling you to give your opinion or feedback on any matter; in the same way you can get opinions and suggestions on the activities you make through the internet (For example you can regularly get your customers’ current opinions about your company). When you have a business website you can promote your products and services worldwide, 365 days/24 hours. Also you can sell from where you are to all around the world after you establish the required base.
The Interest to On-line Shopping Increases
The effectiveness of the on-line selling method is shown by the increase in customers. A product which is not able to attract some attention in a regular shop can become surprisingly popular on the internet with photos, explanations, customer opinions and many other features you can add about it. So the internet users’ interest to on-line shopping increases day by day. A market research from America shows that on-line shopping increased 33% in 2005 when compared with 2004.
Alanya has more advantages
When we evaluate these on-line advertisement and marketing methods for Alanya –as a tourism town - it is easy to see we have more advantages. The internet users who have visited our website from all over the world would become our customers when they visit Alanya.
To see the situation more clearly it is useful to take a look at the statistical information. Besides the number of internet users of over a billion, there are about a billion websites in the world. Also everyday 8 million new websites are being added to this number. This means it is not enough to make a good website alone to become known by the internet world’s customer base. Just as we need a plan to advertise our existence in any other medium, it is the same with the internet. This is something like preferring to be on the prime-time commercial zone on TV. However you have more advantages here because with the correct approach you can always be on the internet’s prime-time!
Channel Websites Enable Your Company to Become Known
One of the best and useful solutions is to make your website appear at the top of the major search engines in the world. Doing this on your own would be expensive and difficult to start with and it needs to be updated regularly. In this situation a better and cleverer way would be to become a member of an “information website”. With this membership you will automatically be at the top of the world’s major search engines and you will be able to guide internet users to your own website through a link. Even if you don’t have a website yet you shouldn’t miss the point that membership to an “information website” enables you to market your products and services worldwide and non-stop! Especially when this “information website” is provided in many different languages and reaching lots of people all around the world and so the results will be even better!
Let’s look at an example for Alanya. You are selling Turkish Delight, it is your speciality. With your own business website – which includes your product selection – you then buy a membership with Alanya’s information website. An internet user would reach you like this: by going through a search engine (Somehow they would be related to the subject or sometimes it can also be by coincidence). The word or words written to the search-line will become the key that enables them to reach you: ‘Alanya’, ‘Alanya food & beverage’, ‘Alanya souvenirs’, ‘delight’, ‘Turkish delight’… When users write a word and click on the search button they reach you! So this is the moment that an internet user becomes your potential customer! Afterwards they may order on-line or come and buy from you in person. The rest depends on the opportunities you offer through the internet!
If we think how far the internet has come already, it is easy to predict it will become more and more important in everybody’s day to day life. So there is no time to loose to take part in the internet.
Come on! Now stop thinking and get into action! Just grab one of the last seats in the front!
Comments…Comments…Comments
“We get on-line orders from abroad. Through the channel website for which we have a membership we reach a lot of people. We got dance costume orders from Europe. We think that internet based marketing is really useful for the companies.”
Abdullah Kömeç (Souvenirs Shop Owner)
“It has been 2 years since we get this membership in a website which promotes Alanya. We are able to promote our shop in Alanya in 8 languages to the whole world. Customers who have visited our page through the internet prefer us for shopping when they come to Alanya.”
Nuri Yeşilçimen (Leather Goods Shop Owner) “In the past I was sceptical about the benefit of internet based promotion and marketing. But now this sceptic turned into positive thoughts. It makes us very happy to see customers already know our shop before they come.”
Bodil Merete Adrjansen (Boutique Owner)
Esra DALDAL
Sales Manager
esra@sunsearch.info
www.sunsearch.info
Sources:http://www.internetworldstats.com/stats.htm
http://www.clickz.com/stats/sectors/retailing/article.php/3570351
New from Sunsearch Especially For You… (01-12-2005)
Alanya Life Magazine- Nov/Dec 2005New from Sunsearch Especially For You…
Sunsearch continues promoting Alanya worldwide in 8 languages and reaching approximately 1000 visitors a day. Sunsearch has added to its marketing opportunities: Alanya Business Directory.
Following Alanya’s requirements and requests, business holders are able to have an entry in this extensive business directory. Users are able to find the communication information of the business holders. It is a fast and easy way to find what you are looking for - a telephone number or an e-mail address.
Besides this brand new service, there are also specially designed profile pages of Alanya’s business holders on the Sunsearch website. Business holders promote their products, services and special offers in their profile pages which has many features.
Sunsearch always appears at the top of the major search engines. You are always able to reach extensive information about Alanya and with its smart and simple design, you can find it easily and quickly.
A “Healthy” Tourism (31-10-2005)
Alanya’s luck is to have a long holiday season but also it is a problem to keep these profitable days for the whole year. Nowadays a popular idea for this situation is “health tourism”.When we think of the idea it really sounds wonderful! You are coming both to a beautiful Mediterranean city where the sun, sand and sea are plentiful and you get cured! Namely you get care for your body and your soul at the same time. The most attractive side of this is you are getting a good quality service for a cheaper price!
It is obvious that the idea is really logical and useful but as with all good ideas, it needs clever investment and brave entrepreneurs.
If we put the market’s substructural needs to another side, we can see slowly there is some practical progress in Alanya. Also there is beauty beside health. However there are not many big hotels with “SPA Centers” but this town offers many useful options to its visitors. Especially business holders in services like mouth and teeth health, eye health and body care –which doesn’t needs detailed investments- have realized the potential in this area. Even there is a consulting company serves for foreign people about “where to find the best and cheapest health service”. In my opinion that is reflecting the place that Alanya has came in this “Health and Beauty Tourism”.
As we all know in a town where the main income source is tourism it is never enough to prepare and present your product in best conditions and wait for rushing crowds to come. There is no luxury like this. Inside all businesses, “health and beauty” business needs extra care about marketing. That is why making it the same way as the travel and stay marketing, namely by travel agencies, would be expensive. Besides it wouldn’t work to a great extent because there is no substructure yet as we mentioned. Instead, you should consider the potential customers’ habits and use a method which enables them to make their own choice.
Also people would want to get detailed information and prefer to take their time to think on it before making a decision. That is why for a service like this an internet based marketing would be ideal and being a member to a “information website” would be much better to reach more potential customers all around the world (to get more information about this you can take a look at the www.sunsearch.info or send an e-mail to esra@sunsearch.info).
When we consider Alanya’s visitor potential and the number of foreign residents in Alanya, serving in heath and beauty business and marketing it through the internet really makes a useful team! I am sure that the ones who had not considered a holiday in Alanya would find an offer like this very attractive when they come across it through the internet!
I believe that soon we will see profitable days for the whole year in Alanya once we get rid of some of our traditional thoughts that slow us down and we adapt to new information technology!
(01-02-2006) Marketing through the Internet
(01-12-2005) New from Sunsearch Especially For You…
(31-10-2005) A “Healthy” Tourism
(30-10-2005) Iftar Invitation from Sunsearch Consulting
(24-10-2005) By The Way What Is This Internet?!
(18-10-2005) Open a Branch in the World!