DIGITAL MARKETING Vs TRADITIONAL MARKETING

Various elements of the Digital Media strategy and how they are related to traditional Marketing:
The aim of a successful marketer is to weave a story around his brand or his product, create a context to  engage the prospective customer through meaningful interactions, convert the prospect into a customer and make him/her an ambassador in the future by giving him positive experiences resulting in consumer delight.


The digital revolution has not just arrived, it has well and truly settled in. Traditional communications channels have mutated, fragmented and diversified to create a spectrum of media experiences that give consumers unparalleled options and freedom of choice. – Cate Connolly, consumer insights manager, Universal McCann London 

While  traditionally the marketing has centred around the 4 Ps approach of getting the Product, Price, Packaging and Place right, the new paradigm of the digitally  empowered customer has resulted in addition of another key element to be  taken into account, the individual customer.

To accompany the four Ps of classical marketing, marketers would do well to instill the digital four Cs, around conversation, collaboration, culture and compensation. – Zaid Al-Zaidy, managing partner, Saint 

In the traditional Marketing world, one comes across a hoarding or an advertisement for a brand or a product. Later, when his need is triggered, he goes to a retail point and purchases the product. When he experiences a delight or a  cognitive dissonance, he has limited options to express his feelings to the outer world, mostly through word of mouth or  messaging.

In the digital world, consumers are searching in the net for information of their desired products. It is possible to precisely target the consumer with a non obtrusive advertisement banner, leading him to the place where more information is provided and his personal details are captured for further follow up.

Follow up can be done through email and also through further targeted advertising that trails his footprint across the net,  convert the target into a customer and serve his need wither through offline stores or online stores. The customer after experiencing the product or the service has at his disposal several online forums like Yelp, Facebook , Twitter , Blogs and various forums, through which he can express his delight or frustration resulting in influencing the future off take of the product from informed buyers.

This precision targeting, interactive nature of the communication, ability to purchase on the net and the ability to influence others through the social web are the new elements to be contended by the traditional marketer. This is where, there is a need for all the marketing students and professionals to be aware of the many facets of Digital Marketing.

Most analogue marketing hits the wrong people, or the right people at the wrong time. Digital is more efficient and more impactful because it can hit only the right people, and only at the right time. – Simon Silvester, evp head of planning, Y&R EMEA 

The aim of the Traditional Marketing approach is to effectively use the various elements of marketing activities through a planned and coordinated effort to result in increased Awareness, Creation of Interest leading to Desire in the minds of the consumer thereby converting him to a customer (AIDA approach)

The various elements of a traditional marketing campaign can be summarized as:

Advertisement and Communication:

Newspaper campaigns,

TV and Radio campaigns,

Outdoor and Indoor Digital and Analog Hoardings and Banners,

Direct Mailers, Newspaper inserts, Loyalty cards

Cold calling,

Infilm/In program featuring campaign,

Celebrity endorsements

In-shop merchandising and advertisement activities,

Events and Sponsorships,

Exhibitions, Roadshows, Seminars

Public Relations & Press Releases

Retailers and Distribution margins, sales incentive schemes to trade and to employees,

Periodic Trade promotions and Discount offers etc.

It can be seen that traditional approach is mostly one-sided in approach and are paid for.

While the ultimate goal of the digital marketer is the same, that is increased sales, market-share at the same time maximize profitability, the tools at the disposal of the Digital marketer are  an extension to the tools available for traditional marketing. He needs to further contend with the increased power of the consumer in influencing the future sales of the clients. This can lead to a huge competitive advantage if leveraged well or lead to a huge handicap.

The Key facets of the Digital Marketing Strategy of an organization are summarized as follows:

Paid for Advertising

Search Engine Marketing,

Pay Per Click campaigns,

Banner Ads,

Video Ads,

Emailers (Intrusive)

Inbound Marketing:

Search Engine Optimisation (SEO)

Social Media Optimisation

Social Media Marketing ( Blogging, Social Networks)

RSS

Podcasts

Content Marketing

Permission based email marketing

Viral Marketing

Other Activities:

Affiliate Marketing

Webinars & Virtual Events

Web PR

Online Reputation Managemwnt (ORM)

While Outbound marketing is considered  mostly paid for advertising, inbound marketing is considered to focus on lead generation through activities that are not related to paid form of advertising and is more long term oriented. Inbound marketing requires spending on creating information block to reach out to user of intent.

The overall marketing strategy of the organization should  take into account its goals and objectives AND a structured approach is required to lay out the following  key elements of the campaign:

A.      Marketing Objectives of the Campaign

B.      Competitor Activity analysis

C.      Proportion of budget that can be set aside for Offline and Online activities

D.      Choice of marketing activity best suited for organization and the nature of its business

E.       Feedback Metrics to measure the effectiveness of the campaign by establishing clear baselines and timelines.

F.       Control mechanism to effect appropriate changes in the campaign for best results.

.More about Digital Media Marketing in http://mastermentoradvisory.blogspot.in/2012/07/digital-media-marketing-what-you-must.html
For any queries or clarification, please contact, Srinivas M at ms@mastermentors.in