Every organisation operating in today's environment should consider crafting a separate online marketing plan, to complement its traditional, offline strategy.

Online resources and marketing channels are no longer an option or luxury, but a necessity, as consumers spend an increasing amount on time online.

The ways to market online are numerous and growing. Let's look at each of them in closer detail.

Emails

Emails have been an effective direct marketing tool for a while now. While most companies work email marketing in tandem with traditional direct "snail mail" marketing, email marketing is cheaper, more direct with possibilities for personalisation, and are more measurable.

Please do, however, find out regulations regarding email marketing. For example, it is regulated in Singapore that every unsolicited commercial message must be prefaced with a in the subject header. It must also provide a valid return contract for consumers to send a request to be taken off that mailing or distribution list.

Virtual communities

Virtual communities are all the rage these days. In the days when peer reviews are gaining influence and importance, especially with younger consumers, virtual communities and blog sites are becoming attractive marketing alternatives for brand exposure.

There are virtual communities aimed at kids, adults and those in between. With many of them developed for a particular demographic strata, it is easy for marketers to find their target audience. There are already people who hold job titles such as "virtual marketers".

Rivers Run Red, a virtual marketing company that begun in Second Life but that now has bricks-and-mortar offices in San Francisco and London, for example, has a client list with big names including Adidas, Disney, Vodafone, EMI, BBC, and 20th Century Fox.

That's how real the virtual world has become. Second Life even recently held a marketing conference titled "Marketing to Avatars". This is what one of the speakers said at the conference: "My advice for every communicator - get to know Second Life. If you've not yet signed up, do it now. This virtual world will play a significant role in our profession. Trust me, just do it. Welcome to the real world of virtual reality – ignore it at your own peril.

Online advertising

Online advertising has picked up in the last couple of years, after suffering some years of bad media from cynics. Online advertising, unlike traditional print advertising, is mostly measurable.

In fact, a popular payment mode for online advertising is cost-per-click. In other words, you don't pay unless someone clicks on your advertisement. Another payment system is to use software to boil text down to a few keywords which will bring up relevant advertisements.

As with search-based advertising, the premise here is that surfers are more likely to click on ads relevant to what they are surfing the Internet for. Advertisements are now mostly linked to the content of webpages. This is personalisation in advertising.

Personalisation

Because technology allows you to personalise your advertising, do it.

"The Internet and associated personalisation technologies have turned the concept of mass customisation on its head", said author Baskaran Nair. Mass customisation is being able to focus individually on a consumer, a million at a time. Amazon.com is a company worth studying if you are looking at how to use personalisation technology.

Ever bought a book on babies on Amazon? You can be sure that once you do, you'll receive subsequent emails inviting you to purchase other parenting books, or perhaps even a diaper bag. Surf on Amazon.com and you'll find your landing page peppered with baby-related books and paraphanelia. It is all about delivering content that you, as a new parent, are likely interested to see.

Technology has opened up a whole new world of marketing opportunities. An online marketing plan may suffice for now, but don't be surprised, if before too long, your industry will start hiring online marketing specialists.

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Singapore-based Abacus International is the Asia Pacific's leading travel facilitator with more than 15,000 agency locations in 24 markets. Founded in 1988, Abacus has 19 years of experience infusing international best practices and local expertise with global and local partnerships. We provide travel information and reservations specifically tailored to Asia Pacific region.

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