Bringing the online and offline worlds together is a rich source of opportunity for publishers, combining the tangible benefits and convenience of physical ownership with the opportunity to deliver up-to-the-minute content. Bringing this concept to the restaurant guide, Italian 2Spaghi.it has launched the SpagoGuida 2011, a physical directory of restaurants that links to online reviews.

The guide is available from the company’s website for EUR 15.90, and offers listings of over 1,000 restaurants throughout Italy. Each listing is provided with a QR code, which — when scanned by a smartphone with the appropriate software — links to that restaurant’s page on the 2Spaghi.it website. These pages are populated with user-generated content, providing the reader with the latest opinions from the 2Spaghi.it community and allowing them to provide feedback on their own experience.

There are over 50,000 restaurants listed on 2Spaghi.it — a fact that highlights the limitations of printing a traditional guidebook. However, rather than focusing on the limitations of the format, the challenge for the creators of SpagoGuida will be to offer their users the best of both worlds…

Website: www.2spaghi.it/spagoguida/

The main components of an digital marketing plan will typically include the following stages:

1. Identify your target audience

If you identify multiple targets, rank them in order of importance so that you can allocate resources accordingly. Profile each target group and understand their requirements and expectations so that you can pitch your costs and benefits at the correct level.

2. Set your objectives

Possible objectives could include awareness raising (of your business or disseminating information about your products or services), entering new markets, launching a new product, focusing on sales (building internet sales of a product or increasing the frequency of sales from regular customers), or internal efficiency (decreasing marketing costs, reducing order-taking and fulfilment costs, or improving customer retention rates).

3. Decide upon the marketing mix

You should choose a mix of digital marketing activities that will help you achieve your objectives and fit with any existing traditional marketing activities you already have planned. For an outline of the range of digital marketing options, see our guide on how to generate business from your digital marketing plan.

4. Agree a budget

Careful budgeting allows you to prevent costs spiralling out of control. By identifying the returns you expect to make from your investment in digital marketing activities you can compare these with the costs in order to develop a cost/benefit analysis.

5. Action planning

Iidentify the tactics for implementing the selected digital marketing activities. The plan should also cover other non-internet marketing activities that are being undertaken.

6. Measure your success

Build in feedback mechanisms and regular reviews to enable you to assess the success of your digital marketing activities, particularly as e-commerce is such a dynamic and fast-changing area.

Please contact us to discuss you digital markting plan and digital marketing strategy.

Sometimes you may need additional marketing efforts to educate your audience on what a QR Code is, what app to use or download to scan a QR Code and/or a sneak peak of what they will receive if they scan a QR Code. With that being said here are some must see QR Code marketing and implementation campaign videos.

Zoo Records “Hidden Sound”

Hyundai QR Code Car video

Tissot Models Wearing QR Code Shirts at MotoGP Race

Moscow QR Code Treasure Hunt

QR CODE ADVENTURE IN MOSCOW from Vlad Sitnikov on Vimeo.

History of Symbology & 2Dt

Source: SocialWayne.com

E-commerce is moving ahead yet it seems many are still struggling with the basics of marketing online and seek the formula of success that will help them to get it right.

Five HOT e-commerce topics are:

1. While mobile will have a major influence on e-commerce, it will be an absolute game changer for the bricks and mortar shopping experience, as shoppers use mobile technologies in the store.
2. Rethink what it means to be a connected consumer. Trends in social commerce.
3. New School Marketing = power channels, relationships, automation, and integration via cross channel optimisation.
4. Hire for attitude, train for skills.
5. A “like” on Facebook is permission – permission to have a conversation.

The main thing is to never forget who you are serving, know your customers. Ask questions, do research and try new promotions.

Don’t be afraid to step out of the usual, just be willing to monitor and gauge the response. Be willing to adopt the innovative, but don’t lose knowledge of the basics such as email, search and target marketing. Is your e-commerce strategy on track? Comment below.