INFOGRAPHICS: A new way for business to give information

With the world's information currently increasing everyday,
 it is no wonder that people experience information overload.
 And it is enough to make one's head spin especially business
 owners. It became a challenge to them on how to give information
and to make sure that it reaches the customers.


In order to become successful in today's highly competitive marketplace, business owners have to think of a new way in presenting information. This idea had brought infographics to life. But what is infographics?                                                                                                     

Infographics or information graphics are representation of information using images, graphics and text making it creative and understandable. It is one efficient way of combining the best text, images and design to represent complex data that tells a story that begs to be shared. Recent research from Barbara M. Miller and Brooke Barnett discovered this about "infographics".
 "On their own, text and graphics are both useful yet imperfect methods for communication. Written language allows an almost infinite number of word combinations that allow deep analysis of concepts but relies heavily on the readers' ability to process that information. Graphics may be easier for the reader to understand but are less effective in communication of abstract and complicated concepts. Combining text and graphics allows communicators to take advantage of each medium's strengths and diminish each medium's weaknesses."

Actually, infographics have been around for many years. Cave paintings from 30,000 BC could easily be called the first infographics, depicting animals and other resources in the surrounding area. The same can be said for the Egyptian. Around 3000 BC Egyptians used it to tell stories of life, work and religion. The use of infographics during old times is merely in history but today it can be used in many ways. Newspaper publications use infographics to show weather forecast, engineers use it for site plans and graphs. And now business owners have adopted infographics in communicating and reaching their customers.

The Enlightened Marketing Model

Marketing has always been complicated. Critical thinking and creativity has to be practice. In traditional marketing, it was just all about 4Ps - product, place, promotion and price. But as time goes by, many new concepts have evolved and have challenge the 4Ps concept. With the advent of the new technology, e-marketing was introduced together with a new concept. That is the " ENLIGHTENED" marketing model. The model consists also of 4Ps- probe, people, proposition and postulation. In other words, The "ENLIGHTENED" 4Ps can be summed up in one straightforward statement: "probe on people, purpose and postulate.




The model starts with a research or probe.
 Probe means investigating the people, segmenting the market and
 analyzing which target to cater


 People are whom you're communicating with. They read and respond to your messages. It is where you can identify your target market through segmentation by demographics and psychographics of the people. E- companies should likewise provide guidelines to e-consumers on effective and efficient ways of online shopping. Third, the proposition follows.
 Proposition is the integration of the classic 4Ps. It consists of product category proposition, the positioning of the brand and the media proposition that will entice the target to buy your products, services, or ideas. Lastly, is the postulation.  
 


Postulation really matters today. With the advent of new social order which outcries for social changes, drastic improvement in the environment, and many other advocacy measures, social marketing should always be in place for your company or product to have a competitive advantage. In this era of parity, the company that postulates or offers advocacy campaign is remembered, patronized, and preferred for a longer period of time.

E - MARKETING

            

Yesterday, marketing is only applicable on broadcast media, print media, and outdoor media.

 But today, marketing had empower the world of internet. Thus, many business establishments had adopted the use of internet in marketing which is called E - MARKETING.

E- marketing encompasses all activities involved in introducing and/or creating products or services and in promoting them online, in understanding the needs and wants of your target customers and in establishing relationships with them. E- marketing is the next step in conducting business on a global scale. It brings marketing into a higher level than the traditional. According to Strauss and Frost (2001), e- marketing affects traditional marketing in two ways: First, it increases efficiency in traditional marketing functions; Second, the technology of e- marketing transforms many marketing strategies. The transformation results in new business models that add customer value, enhance stakeholder equity, and increase company profitability. The evolution of marketing to e- marketing got much wider target coverage.

To be successful in a business online, Don Sussis, an e- commerce advisor and business consultant, recommends the ELECTRONIC ENTERPRISE DEVELOPMENT PLAN or the E-ROAD map that was developed by Michael Carter of the U.S interactive. It consists of three phases: Innovation, Validation, and Launch.

Innovation Phase

• business case
• knowledge audit
• customer care audit
• enterprise architecture audit
• brand audit
• channels audit
• competitive analysis
• digital brand positioning strategy

Validation Phase

• creative concepts
• digital channel strategy
• sysems architechture
• digital prototyping
• usability testing
• software evaluation workshop 

Launch Phase

• development implementation plan
• enterprise design and development
• custom software development
• custom commerce solutions
• enterprise software implementation
• systems integration
• media plan
• media placement and tracking

E-marketing is as complicated as the traditional marketing which requires critical thinking and thorough analysis, and follows a step-by-step process.