4advice After a few years in the digital media business, I have of course numerous well-meant advices in stock for you to help you to continue vigorously in all things digital, but with the start of the Chinese New Year, I thought a just remind you to consider a few commonly known advices for your daily business, such as:

1. Keep your powder dry!

Be on your guard as it can always happen that someone overtakes you on the highway while you are traveling with a smug grin. Often others already jostling from behind, just waiting to overtake you. So stay alert as there can be always others that are faster, better or cheaper than you.

2. Trust

The Internet is quite anonymous so that trust can be exploited and abused easily, leading to anger and frustration. Nevertheless, you should try to trust as it gets rewarded, too. Just because there is danger to be run over by a car out there, you don’t stay at home all the time, right?

3. Be trustworthy

If you expect that someone puts trust in you, please give a reason why that person should do that, too! It is not enough to communicate this only, you have to live it and include it in your actions.

4. Keep an eye on ROI

One advantage of the Internet is the ability to measure success. When you invest in an online marketing activity, make sure that you can measure the success that consequently brings some business opportunities.

5. Stay "up to date"

The online world is changing rapidly and radically, which means for you:

a) To be prepared if plan A suddenly stops working – so, have alternatives in place.

b) To observe what is happening in your industry and the World Wide Web - so that you are able to develop a backup plan. For sure there is somewhere a relevant newsletter or web feed for you that provides the necessary market information. Read it!

6. Don’t just talk – Do it!

If your advertising is not achieving the desired results, it does not help to communicate it just louder. Re-think the message, the medium and relevance - not the volume.

7. Relationships are built on people

Customer loyalty is earned through respect, as we are dealing with human beings and be assured that rich pre-printed greeting cards are not enough to build customer relationships. Make sure that you don’t treat your customers like table cells in Excel, an email address or just a source of income - and you will make a difference.

8. Be honest

Don’t be tempted to make a quick buck as this is, unfortunately, often associated with unethical behavior that will haunt you. Ethical behavior and practices, however, have their own value (just think about email marketing) and disregard gets usually punished quickly.

9. Copyright

Respect copyright! But more importantly: don’t forget to update the year in your copyright in emails and on your website for protection.

10. Know the secrets of successful marketing, such as e.g.

  • Sending your readers only relevant and valuable information;
  • Giving your text and design a personal touch;
  • Using a professional management address lists and dispatch tool, etc.
  • Or simply stay tuned by reading Asian e-Marketing this Year of the Water Snake and beyond.

It is that simple!

By Daniela La Marca