Internet Marketing in Hospitality and Tourism Chapter 3 Planning Internet Marketing By Zongqing Zhou, PhD Professor Niagara University

Chapter 3 Planning Internet Marketing Internet Marketing Planning Defined A systematic process of designing a blueprint for communicating the benefits and the value of the products and services to the online consumers. Strategic Internet Marketing Plan—long-term plan Operational Internet Marketing Plan—short-term plan

Chapter 3 Planning Internet Marketing The Blueprint: Step1: Strategic Planning (your company’s goals and objectives—long-term) Step 2: Operational planning (your company’s short-term goals and objective, typically for one year) Step 3: Situation Analysis and SWOT Step 4: Understanding your customers Step 5: Market segmentation and Product Focus Step 6: Website construction and promotion Step 7: Pricing Strategy Step 8: Product Distribution Step 9: Internet Promotion

Chapter 3 Planning Internet Marketing –objectives Objectives: criteria of good objectives Specific Realistic achievable Measurable Time-related

Chapter 3 Planning Internet Marketing –strategies Is Internet marketing a complement or replacement of your existing marketing practice If you are an existing company with a land-based (mortar) business, that is the question to ask What is the best marketing mix I should use to target my customers. If you are a pure online company (click) or operate an independent online company separated from your land-based business.

Chapter 3 Planning Internet Marketing –Tactics Tactics are short term and flexible Tactics are used to fulfill the goals of strategies Tactics require specific plans and tools What is your plan for the website? What tools do you use to advertise online (banner, sponsorship, for example)? Permission email marketing? eCRM?

Chapter 3 Planning Internet Marketing –situation analysis IMP: Objectives and goals; strategies; action plans; controlling; measurements IME: Competitors, customers, distribution channels, suppliers GME: Economy, technology, demographics, government, society, culture

Chapter 3 Planning Internet Marketing –situation analysis Customers: Who are they? Where are they (what sites do they go to? Are they local, regional, domestic or international?) How many are they? What are they doing online? What do they need and want? How they behavior when they are online?

Chapter 3 Planning Internet Marketing –situation analysis Competitors Who are they? Are they online or offline? How do they present themselves to the customers Are their strategies successful? Should I copy them or use different strategies? Are they part of an existing land-based company or a purely dot com company?

Chapter 3 Planning Internet Marketing –situation analysis SWOT: Strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats What is our SWOT? How are we going to deal with the SWOT? Link to an example

Market segmentation and Product Focus Select your market (target customers) according to your products and services What are the benefits and/or values of your products and services Positioning/branding your products and services

Website construction and promotion The importance of your website as a marketing tool Considering your customers and your products when constructing your website Making sure customers can find your site (search engine optimalization ) Using an integrated marketing strategy to promote your site (both online and offline)

Pricing Strategy Online consumers are power consumers and sensitive to pricing Understanding competition Choose the right pricing strategy to fit your products/services and customers mix

Product Distribution Direct marketing or not direct marketing? Product/service analysis Cost and benefits analysis

Internet Promotion Planning internet promotion Objectives Find your customers Budgets Marketing mix (pick the right communication tools) Execution Measuring the effects