The Internet has become vitally important to every part of an organisation, not just the marketing folks. The sales team need it to generate leads and locate customers. The customer service people need it to listen to what customers are saying and to connect directly with customers. Managers need it to make better decisions. IT needs it to do many of their tasks. Gen Y employees need it to socialise and be entertained.
Looking at all parts of a company identifies the many ways to better manage the Internet as a vital cog in your business. Some of the tools that may be relevant to use in your company are:
- Micro-sites focused on a single idea/product/service
- E-commerce to facilitate online sales
- MSN, Skype or Twitter
- Facebook, LinkedIn or Plaxo
- E-newsletters
- Company Wiki
- Mobile-optimised web site (WAP)
- Online polls and surveys
- Blogs and forums
For any business thinking of expanding their Internet presence, it pays to think about how all of your business needs to access and share information online. My advice to clients is to step back, take a ’1000 feet’ view of how, why and where your company can take advantage of the Net and then draw up a cohesive plan to harness the power of online communications.
How is the Internet changing your company’s business practices? Can you add to my list above, or share a good example from your own experience? Post your comments and experiences below.
Posted by mktgbytes 
