eMarketing Strategy - The New Chapter

eMarketing: the essential guide to online marketing is a tactics driven book, but that doesn't mean that the fundamental principles have no place. Strategy, and an understanding of how eMarketing fits together (and fits in with more traditional marketing) is important. This post looks at the outline and content for a new chapter on eMarketing strategy. 

 While the 4 Ps of Marketing have long been the mainstay of marketing education, the connected world in which we live (and transact and market) is changing. The origins of the illustrious 4 Ps lie with James Culliton in 1948 (ten years before ARPA was established). The 4 P classification was first proposed by E. Jerome McCarthy in 1960 (just a year before the MIT Packet Switching Theory paper).

Product, Price, Placement and Positioning have been the stalwart of marketing strategy. This Marketing Mix is still relevant today. Although the tools for research, retention, distribution and more have changed dramatically, these fundamental principles remain.

So, what shift has the Internet seen when it comes to marketing?

Well known marketing guru, Seth Godin, says that marketing is actually about five elements:

• Data: that which we observe (and which has been made easier to gather and mine through the use of the  Internet)
• Stories: everything you do and say
• Products (services): the physical manifestation of the story
• Interactions: all the tactics a marketer can use to "touch" the prospect or customer
• Connection: the end goal: creating a relationship

Seth Godin is not, however, the only smart marketer challenging the 4 Ps. Idris Mootee mooted (sorry, I had to do that) 4 new Ps for marketing in the connected environment:

• Personalisation
• Participation
• Peer-to-Peer Communities
• Predictive Modelling

(For another take on the new 4 Ps, be sure to read the comments on Dave Duarte's post).

The most well known thesis of The Cluetrain Manifesto (can we just point the students there and be done with the chapter? - that's a joke) is the idea that "Markets are conversations". It is in this statement that we can identify a new foundation for eMarketing strategy: marketing is about people talking to people. The Internet facilitates those conversations.

The above seems like a rather rambling introduction to the chapter on eMarketing, but hopefully lays out the approach we want to take. The basic chapter outline will be in line with the rest of the chapters, so we're looking at something like the below.

Introduction and history:

The 4 Ps and a brief outline of where these came from.

Key terms and concepts:

• 4 Ps
• Marketing mix
• Cluetrain (yes - it should be in there!) 
• Markets are conversations

eMarketing and the 4 Ps:

• A breakdown of the specific eMarketing tactics and tools applicable to the 4 Ps.
• Looking specifically at eMarketing and research and development, customer acquisition and customer retention
• eMarketing as a two way conversation as opposed to a one way broadcast
• A look at the new Ps (and 3 Cs and 5 things)
• Markets as conversations
• The longtail (a brief look at the markets the Internet has helped to create)

eMarketing and Marketing:

• Integrating online and offline strategy
• Synergy for success
• Measuring the effect on online on offline and vice versa?

So, what do you think? What should be added? What are your best tips for "Further Reading"? And, where in this book should the chapter go? We're hoping to have a full draft of this chapter available early next week, so chime in now!