Online marketing is not a choice but a survival. Consumer behavior changes and purchasing has turned much more to online. Even high-ticket items like car or house, purchasing decision has also shifted more to online. Therefore, online marketing is essential and people can’t wait anymore. In the era of aggressive competition of digital marketing, we found that this competition is not only with business competitors, but also oneself and responding to customer needs. Anyway, online marketing is somewhat like traditional marketing. The obvious differences are physical characteristics, process, and target group. We introduce 7 processes of running online marketing as guidelines to novices for easier success.

1.Market Research

This means to understand the market, customers, competitors, and to identify who they are as that is the most important process to run the market. We must look for Winning Zone; the point we’ll win, the point we differentiate our brand from competitors and the point that customers need. Many brands miss the latter as they present a selling point that is not customer needs. That selling point is our strength but customers don’t want it. Even we as well as the competitors have that strong point and we compete with each other but customers don’t need it anyway. Another failure in most brands is to copy brand claims from competitors. In fact, some products may not need the same selling points. Each customer has a unique desire. When the target customer changes, everything follows. Do not put effort to claim things that we don’t have. The Winning Zone of each customer and group vary and we have to study what it is.

2. Deep Customer Understanding

We should segment targets so we can reach target customers. That is to define how many customer groups are in one single product by classifying; age, location, lifestyle, and the possibility of purchasing. Sometimes, some products may have over ten customer groups. Due to limited manpower, time and budget, we can divide customers into 3 groups are customers whom we need the most and we can close a sale effectively. At this step, we will consider picking one out of over ten customer groups by referring to the selected Winning Zone and judge which group we can mostly approach. In this way, we can identify customer problems, what they want and don’t want. Many people may overlook what customers don’t want, but this issue is really interesting. For example, when presenting some products that customers need with features that help fix the problem, and then adding unwanted features. Customers may think your presentations are overwhelming and overdemanding, they probably feel that your product features have more than what they need and the price is too high. We don’t have to tell customers everything, we’d rather be specific, present good and bad points with all necessary conditions to them.

3. Selection of Promotional Channels

Selecting which channel we should promote products by looking at Customer Journey. That means to chase where we can penetrate customers whether it is Facebook, Line official account, Instagram, Twitter, or else by selecting a major channel that customers are on.

4. Content Creation

When knowing customer needs and the right channel, it’s time to create content in line with your channel, penetrate target customers, identify customer concerns, and finally create online content. Your content should be easy to find and search and can be a good reference when making a purchase decision

5 Advertising

Considering how we will advertise our products including measurement tools. Also thinking about the objectives for advertising, defining the target, available budget, and advertising period.

6. Measurement

After creating an ad campaign, the next steps are the measurement process which covers tools, topics, and spent budget whether it’s worth spending. Concerning issues of the advertising is a measurement of prompt, sales volume, Like, View and Share. Each objective uses a different measurement mechanism.

7. Key Learning

After completing the campaign, results will be summarized in either one week or one month if the plan is set beforehand. Key learning from every step we ran through, can be extended to another action. As marketing is a test, so it doesn’t mean that what you do today will guarantee an outcome tomorrow. If there’s no sales volume today, what will you do tomorrow? So, there must be a real test, and a fight in the field. Take your key learning to improve for the better and keep testing. 
 

All guidelines are fundamental processes for online marketing that beginners can follow as keys to start a business. Be reminded that Marketing is a test and there’re no fixed rules for everyone. Just start doing and gradually adjusting your plan until you find the right formula for each target group. Anyone who comes up with a good idea in creating a business but has no starting cost, SCB offers Speedy Loan with the maximum limit of 3 million baht for 72 months installment. The application can be made easily through SCB Easy App, or learn more information at