Millennium Marketing Research®

Tom Schori DBA Millennium Marketing Research®, 808 Ironwood, Normal IL 61761, 309-532-8466

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Is your company ready for the 'Net explosion?

By Thomas R. Schori, Ph.D., and Michael L. Garee, Principals,  Millennium Marketing Research, 808 E. Ironwood, Normal, IL 61761-5239. 

If you’re reading this on a computer screen, we’ll assume you have at least a nodding acquaintance with the ‘Net. And, If you’re not reading this on a computer screen, (we also publish this in print) then get thee to one FAST, and learn everything you can about the ‘Net if you’re "’Net-impaired" because it’s possibly going to be the biggest thing to hit the consumer scene in this century, maybe ever! But, be forewarned, this exciting new interactive mass medium is testing¾ and will continue to test¾ the mettle and agility of even the most successful, most marketing savvy companies.

While still somewhat in its infancy, the Internet is poised to literally "explode" on the American (make that "World") scene within the next two years. Really, the only significant limitation currently holding back that explosion is just one thing: high-speed modem access. But, with Microsoft’s recent infusion of a billion dollars in to Comcast, a cable company, and expected widespread availability in most US communities of cable modems by next year, that limitation will not exist for long. Believe that with all your heart and soul. And, once consumers get their hands on such a powerful, responsive, genuinely interactive mass medium, there will be no turning back, and they will soon wonder how they ever lived without it.

Now, let’s deal up-front with the "horror stories." We’ve heard them all, too. No one is making any money on the Web yet. It’s too difficult to track advertising effectiveness, so it’s almost impossible to attract the BIG ad dollars that other media enjoy. Only "propeller heads" are on the Web. Take all of these arguments (excuses) with a LARGE grain of salt! While some of this information is indeed true, at least for now, not all of it’s true, and we believe virtually none of it will be true in the next year or two.

Don’t believe that? Consider these points:

Many businesses that have adapted the way they do business to match the unique nature of the Internet are indeed starting to make money! On the other hand, those businesses that thought they could merely "transplant" their current marketing structures, in toto, to this new medium are the ones most getting stung. If ever there was a time that calls for "thinking out of the box," it’s when a company begins to tailor its Internet marketing approach.

As things now stand, it is indeed difficult to track advertising effectiveness on most Web sites. But new technologies and new ways of thinking are in the works as this is being written that will drastically and forever change all of that. Why? Because there is just simply too darned much money to be made (ultimately) on the Internet not to come up with the necessary technology and revised ways of thinking about marketing to make everything work the way it needs to work on the ‘Net. And, to do it rather quickly.

If your vision of the "typical" Internet user is a 20-year-old "geek," or an anemic academic type, who is continually glued to his or her computer screen "surfing the ‘Net," think again. While that indeed may have been true as recently as just a few years ago, it certainly isn’t true today. We just conducted some consumer surveys on the Internet and the demographics from those surveys definitely defy the traditional stereotype of the average Internet user. Our studies (as well as some other noteworthy studies by other Web watchers) show that significant numbers of Internet users are over 35 years of age, tend to have at least some college, with many having college degrees and even graduate or professional degrees, are married and tend to have household incomes well above the average.

OK, how should your company approach the ‘Net, in order to be prepared to reap the potential bonanza? Here are just a few marketing pointers:

• Make sure you don’t trust your web site to either the IS types or the marketing types exclusively. Ideally, a melding of a variety of related skills and talents will produce the best web site for your unique company. Certainly, don’t have a "committee" design and oversee your site! (Remember, a "camel" is still nothing more than a "horse" designed by a committee!)

• Form should relate to function. If yours is a high-tech company that deals directly with the consumer market, then by all means make your site "state-of-the-art," with lots of dazzle and splashy graphics. On the other hand, if you deal mostly in the business-to-business market, make sure your web site reflects the image you want to project to your clients, whether that’s staid and conservative or adventurous, innovative, etc.

• Adapt the way you do business on the ‘Net to the way business is done on the ‘Net. Since the Internet is truly an interactive mass medium, treat it that way on your web site. Don’t merely "transplant" existing systems and procedures to the ‘Net. An example: we recently investigated conducting our banking business online. When we accessed a bank we wanted to investigate, we simply "clicked" on the appropriate button to sign up for the service. As it turned out, sign-up actually had to be done offline! We were told we would be sent an application through the mail that we should complete and return to the bank’s headquarters. Or, if we would prefer, we could call an 800 number to work out the arrangements. To be sure, not a very ‘Net-friendly way of doing business! A true online banking program, at least in our minds, would have been as easy as "click here," provide this information, wait while we set up your account, and then something like, "Welcome, we have opened your new account for you!"

• When customers come calling on your site, make sure you’re "there." Can you imagine going to all of the expense of opening a store front and then never having anyone in the place to assist customers or answer their questions? Of course not, but it happens all of the time with quite a few web sites. You can send them email asking questions, seeking a quote on a product or service, asking for a contact, etc., and it becomes an exercise in futility. No one ever acknowledges your contacts! (Don’t believe us? Select some sites at random and see if 1.) anyone ever gets back to you; or 2.) if they do, how long it takes for them to do so. We don’t think you’ll be very impressed with the level of "customer service" at such sites.)

• Keep your web site "fresh." Make a genuine effort to keep your site fully up to date by supplying "fresh" content as often as possible. We know you can’t (and shouldn’t) make massive content overhauls every week or two without risking erosion of an identifiable image. But you must give visitors a reason to return to your site. To be honest about it, that’s one of the principal reasons we choose to write a weekly column for our web site!

We certainly don’t pretend to be web site design experts, and we have no desire to be. But, we do know a little about tailoring marketing efforts to suit a particular medium. In our humble opinions, many companies today are missing the mark on the ‘Net because they simply aren’t taking into consideration the very unique nature of this emerging medium and tailoring their marketing efforts accordingly. In a way, it sort of reminds us of the way many companies first put computer technology to use. Rather than look for ways to do things differently and/or more efficiently with the computer, companies merely used the computer to "automate" tasks that previously had been done manually. Not exactly the best way to capitalize on new technology.

Make no mistake about it, though, more and more companies are rapidly catching on to what’s needed to succeed on the Internet. This, coupled with the rapidly emerging new communication technology, in our opinions (and in the opinions of others, of course), is setting the stage for the coming commercial "explosion" on the ‘Net. Will your company be propelled ahead by this explosion, or will it simply be "blown out of the water" by it? The choice really is yours, you know.

Stay on line.