MODULE 1. Understanding your customer and digital marketing

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1 MODULE 1 Understanding your customer and digital marketing In this module, we take you through how to make your business available in the digital world and give you real examples and strategies to use to build a profitable digital presence. We hope you enjoy your training and please make sure you continue to interact with us in the future #digihistskills the digital world is constantly changing and we are there to help you through this change.

2 Introduction 05 Understanding your customers and digital marketing is the foundation to every business online or offline Have a visible and viable business online 05 Visibility and viability Tell the customer what you sell 07 Features and benefits of your products and services and how to communicate your message Know your customer 08 Your ideal customer, gathering information and how to set up your customer segments Lifetime value of a customer 13 - The value of your customers and implementing a loyalty scheme - Creating and building your database Understanding the 7 Ps 18 Essential marketing elements product, price, place, promotion, process, physical evidence and people Digital brand and visual identity 22 Establish your brand and find your niche Digital advertising and promotions 23 - Media advertising traditional and online - Creating a basic advert Digital marketing strategy and plan 29 Understand the key components of a marketing plan marketing 36 - Creating and building your database - Setting up an campaign Action plan 39 Additional resources and summary Throughout the programme you will see various icons which signals an activity: CHECKLIST ACTION CONSIDER

3 Introduction Building a business online with a website is almost identical to building a business in bricks and mortar. The Digital Business Skills modules provide guides for independent businesses to build and/or improve a website, develop an Amazon Shop, ebay store or any similar forum to sell your products or services to your customers in the digital world. This module is the foundation of the whole programme and critically important for every business. Knowing your customer means you can sell your products and services to the right customer it is impossible otherwise. Once you understand your customer, you can then market to them. Using the templates and planners in this module you will be able to produce a comprehensive marketing strategy and plan. Implementing the marketing and promotional planner will enable you to plan all your marketing activities in one customer focused way. In modules two and three you will learn how to review your online presence and to use social media to make your business more successful. 1. Have a visible and viable business online Understand the visibility and viability of an online business. Visibility You pay more for a prime position in the property market because you get more footfall - location is key. If you choose a less attractive /popular location, you will have to pay more to market your business. The same applies online. Viability Customers that purchase from you do so for many reasons you might be the only one that sells that product or service, you might have a better price, you might have better quality or you might have better customer service than anyone else. The same applies online. Knowing your business advantages over your competitors is a critical success factor and fundamental in helping you develop your marketing strategy for both bricks and mortar and online.

4 MODULE 2 Develop your business online In this module, we take you through how to make your business available in the digital world and give you real examples and strategies to use to build a profitable digital presence. We help you avoid costly mistakes, take away the jargon and equip you with top tips for success.

5 Introduction 44 - Why you need to sell online - The evolution of the internet Resources you need 47 Ensuring you have all the tools to set up your online business Your online presence 48 Review other online businesses and decide how you want your online business to look The first 5 second welcome 53 Make the online experience desirable to attract your ideal customers Make it easy to buy 54 Important features to sell online Online multi-channel options 55 Which options suit you best? Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) 56 Key techniques for driving customers to your online store Countdown for getting your 61 business online or re-launching it Planning a successful launch online Action plan 64 Additional resources and summary

6 Introduction Understand why you need to sell online and identify your key advantages over other businesses. Most websites can be built quickly and at a reasonable price and not all businesses will need a fully functional e-commerce website. For some businesses just a simple web presence will be all that is required. This module will help you identify what you will need to do to grow your business and make it a success online. Selling online has changed considerably in the last few years and we have seen a few years of the emergence of and strong growth from e-commerce (the selling of products and services to customers via the internet). There are many names for this: e-shops, online shops, internet shops, booking sites, comparison sites and e-commerce are the main names used. Ensuring your business is online is extremely important and a pre-requisite for any successful business. Whatever you sell and wherever you sell, you must have a website which tells people what you do and you should have a way of selling online if you sell products and services. The world of online business has changed since the growth of Amazon in 1994 and TripAdvisor in This made businesses realise around the world that the internet provides a new and exciting channel to make additional sales to new customers they would never have reached in the past. Becoming a multi-channel business and selling your products or services from more than one place is the most important element of all current successful businesses. Do all businesses need an online presence?

7 MODULE 3 Grow your business through social media In this final module, we take you through the world of social media. You may use social media personally, for your business or you may have never used it. We will explain to you what social media is, why it is important and how to use it in your business.

8 Introduction 69 What is social media? 1 The future of social media 70 How it has evolved and how we now communicate 2 Why use social media for business? 71 How you use social media to market your products and services 3 Social media jargon 73 Understanding the social media terms and phrases 4 Risks of using social media for business 75 Managing your reputation 5 How to use social media to market your 77 products and services Which channels businesses should use 6 Social media strategy 84 Make the experience desirable to attract your ideal customers 7 Content is key 87 How to make great content for your customers Action plan 88 Additional resources and summary

9 Introduction Social media has been spearheaded by websites and communities like Facebook. It has become the term used to describe the way that we interact socially via the internet, using different types of devices, conversations and discussion mediums. Social media is now extremely important to all businesses across the world, whether they use the internet or not. Remember: Your customers will use the internet to talk about your company and interact with your business whether you want them to or not. You can listen to your customers and ask their advice to develop your business. Being proactive with social media is very important so communication needs to be in real time and addressed quickly. Social media is a great way to interact with your customers. You can form communities of like-minded customers and discuss with them new ideas and products as well as deal with any concerns and issues they may have. It is important to use social media to listen to what is being said about your brand and business. Not only can you listen to your customers via social media, you can also connect with them 24/7 wherever they happen to be. Great use of social media will allow you to interact with your customers and help sell the story of your products and services. Mobile technology is on the increase and provides many promotional opportunities to be gained while customers are out shopping and in the mood to buy products. Your customers now want to shop on the move, on the bus, on the sofa or anywhere they have WIFI or mobile coverage. Top tip Choose the social media channels you believe your customers are engaging with. Take one step and one channel at a time.