Тема 5. Internet marketing

Lesson 5. Internet marketing
Grammar: Conditionals.
Advances in technology are having a tremendous impact on all areas of business, including marketing. The 21st century should witness incredible advances in the application and development of technology. The product life cycle of many products is moving ever faster as technological advances supersede existing product types and forms. The task of marketing is to capitalise on and exploit the business opportunities this new technology brings. Organisations must adapt this new technology in order to survive.
Business in general and marketing in particular has become increasingly affected by, and dependent upon, technology. Furthermore, technological progress itself is accelerating exponentially.
Advances in technology are beginning to change the nature of marketing and other business and commercial activities. In as little as ten years the process of marketing will change significantly. Some say that the traditional marketing paradigm is no longer applicable in the world of the internet and that new concepts are called for. Certainly the modern-day marketer needs to be familiar with the key advances in technology that are impacting on the marketing process.
Advances in technology enable the marketing process to be carried out not only more effectively but also more efficiently and computer aided questionnaire design for marketing research is a case in point. The computerisation of measuring instruments for advertising research is another good example. Advances in technology allow the marketing professional to do more things and to do tasks better.
New technology increasingly facilitates the ease with which information, so vital to effective marketing planning and decision making, can be collected, analysed and used. Marketing Information Systems and the ability to ‘tap’ into internal and external databases has revolutionised the planning process in marketing in terms of detail and speed. Data mining and data fusion are techniques that allow marketing research professionals to ‘engineer’ information from a wide variety of sources and even create ‘virtual’ consumer models from such information.
Competitive success is increasingly based on the application of advances in technology. If we take mobile telephones for example, it is no longer enough to produce a product that is capable of making a telephone call. Today people want telephones that send text messages, answer e-mails, play computer games and provide video clips.
Developments in business related technology contributes to the growth of the international company and a move towards the global market and consumer. Smaller firms in particular benefit from internet based business technologies as it reduces their size disadvantage. Electronic commerce has no geographic boundaries; it is as easy to interact with customers in New Zealand from the UK, as it is to interact with consumers in the UK. Many companies, in order to differentiate their products and reduce costs, are increasingly using computer-based technology. ‘Just in Time’ ordering and stock holding systems saves firms huge inventory and logistics costs compared with traditional systems. Computers have facilitated the use of these new systems and processes.
Developments in business related computer technology allow marketers to be more customer focused e.g. faster and more flexible responses to customer needs. The use of database marketing and data mining has improved the accuracy and efficiency of many marketing operations, particularly communications like direct mail.
Marketing means staying ahead of the competition. Marketers must have the required skills to use the technologies of today and tomorrow to assist the marketing process. The marketing manager of the future will need an understanding of the use of technology within the discipline and be able to factor in the use of new technology into all aspects of their marketing plans and operations. There has been a significant change in the technological environment of marketing firms; this is not a minor ‘ramp’ technological change but a huge ‘step’ change in the way marketing firms do business. If they do not react and adapt to this new environment they will become extinct.
Перевод:
Прогресс в технологиях оказывает огромное воздействие на все сферы бизнеса, включая маркетинг. XXI век должен стать свидетелем невероятных достижений в применении и развитии технологий. Жизненный цикл многих продуктов становится все более быстрым, поскольку технологические новшества заменяют существующие типы и формы продукции. Задача маркетинга заключается в том, чтобы использовать и эксплуатировать бизнес-возможности, которые приносит новая технология. Организации должны адаптироваться к новой технологии для выживания.
Бизнес в целом и маркетинг в частности все больше подвергаются влиянию и зависят от технологии. Более того, технологический прогресс сам по себе ускоряется экспоненциально.
Прогресс в технологии начинает изменять характер маркетинга и других видов бизнеса и коммерческой деятельности. В течение всего десятилетия процесс маркетинга изменится значительно. Некоторые утверждают, что традиционная парадигма маркетинга больше не применима в мире интернета и требует новых концепций. Конечно же, современному маркетологу необходимо быть знакомым с ключевыми достижениями в области технологий, влияющих на маркетинговый процесс.
Прогресс в технологии позволяет проводить маркетинговый процесс не только более эффективно, но и более эффективно, и создание компьютеризированных анкет для маркетинговых исследований — пример тому. Компьютеризация измерительных приборов для рекламных исследований — еще один прекрасный пример. Прогресс в технологии позволяет маркетологам выполнять больше задач и выполнять их лучше.