library / lib6ff7493f889f451b
Internet Marketing Integrating Online and Offline Strategies
Mary Lou Roberts,_ Debra Zahay
In a sentence
A comprehensive guide to integrating online and offline marketing strategies across the customer lifecycle of acquisition, conversion, retention, and value growth.
Internet Marketing: Integrating Online and Offline Strategies (3rd Edition) by Roberts and Zahay is the definitive textbook for understanding how marketers create and deliver customer value in a digitally connected, multichannel world. Grounded in a strategy paradigm of customer acquisition, conversion, retention, and value growth, the book draws on the discipline of direct marketing to teach data-driven, measurable, and accountable internet marketing. It covers the full toolkit—online branding and video, display advertising, email, search (SEO and PPC), social media, lead generation, CRM, website development, customer service, metrics, privacy/security, and mobile marketing—while constantly emphasizing that the internet is never a stand-alone channel but must be integrated with traditional media and other touchpoints. Rich with real-world B2C, B2B, and nonprofit examples, the text equips students and practitioners to develop strategies that produce return on marketing investment.
The four lenses
- Science
- Statistics
- Systems
- Strategy
The model
A causal model linking design levers (marketing tools, data, channel integration) through psychological and behavioral states (engagement, trust, satisfaction) to outcomes (acquisition, conversion, retention, customer lifetime value).
Online-Offline Channel Integrationdesign lever
The degree to which a marketer coordinates and integrates online and offline communications and distribution channels to deliver a consistent, seamless brand experience and message across all customer touchpoints.
Customer Data and Database Usedesign lever
The extent to which a marketer captures, manages, analyzes, and applies customer clickstream and transactional data through databases, data warehouses, and data mining to drive targeted, personalized marketing decisions and program execution.
Marketing Tool Deploymentdesign lever
The selection and deployment of specific internet marketing tools such as online display advertising, video, email, search marketing, and social media to reach and influence target audiences in support of marketing objectives.
Permission and Personalizationdesign lever
The practice of obtaining customer consent (opt-in) and tailoring relevant, personalized content and offers to identified customers based on their profiles, needs, and stated preferences while respecting recipient control.
Customer Engagementpsychological state
The psychological and behavioral state in which customers actively attend to, interact with, share, and collaborate around a brand's content and communications across digital channels, reflecting interest and involvement.
Customer Trustpsychological state
The customer's confidence that a brand or company will act in their interest, protect their data and privacy, deliver on promises, and provide a safe and satisfactory transaction and relationship experience.
Customer Satisfaction and Experiencepsychological state
The customer's overall evaluation of their interactions with a brand across all touchpoints, including website usability, customer service quality, and the resolution of problems, reflecting how well needs and expectations are met.
Customer Acquisitionoutcome metric
The behavioral outcome of attracting and obtaining new customers or prospects who make a first purchase or engage in a behavior permitting further contact, fueling growth in the customer base.
Customer Conversionoutcome metric
The behavioral outcome of moving a prospect from consideration to purchase, or converting a one-time buyer into a repeat purchaser, often defined by organization-specific goals and measured at multiple stages.
Customer Retentionoutcome metric
The behavioral outcome of keeping existing customers loyal and active over an extended period, preventing defection and encouraging repeat purchases through ongoing relationship marketing.
Customer Lifetime Value Growthoutcome metric
The ultimate financial outcome representing the net present value of a future stream of revenue from a customer, grown through acquisition of high-value customers, increased share of customer, and effective retention.
How they connect
- channel integration → influences customer engagement
- customer data use → predicts permission personalization
- permission personalization → influences customer engagement
- marketing tool deployment → influences customer engagement
- marketing tool deployment → predicts customer acquisition
- customer engagement → mediates customer acquisition
- customer engagement → predicts customer conversion
- customer data use → influences customer satisfaction
- customer satisfaction → predicts customer retention
- customer trust → influences customer retention
- customer data use → influences customer trust
- customer conversion → predicts customer retention
- customer retention → predicts customer lifetime value
- customer acquisition → influences customer lifetime value
A candidate measure
Internet Marketing Integrating Online and Offline Strategies — derived measurement candidates
Online-Offline Channel Integration
Number of channels coordinated per campaign; Message consistency audit score; Cross-channel attribution coverage
self-report suitability: medium
Customer Data and Database Use
Database completeness; Analytics tool sophistication; Proportion of data-driven campaigns
self-report suitability: medium
Marketing Tool Deployment
Channel mix breadth; Number of tools deployed; Spend per tool
self-report suitability: high
Permission and Personalization
Opt-in rate; Personalization depth; Preference adherence rate
self-report suitability: medium
Customer Engagement
Comments and shares count; Time on site; Click-through rate; Review volume
self-report suitability: medium
Customer Trust
Trust survey ratings; Data sharing willingness; Privacy seal recognition
self-report suitability: high
Customer Satisfaction and Experience
Satisfaction scores; Net Promoter Score; Usability ratings; Service resolution rate
self-report suitability: high
Customer Acquisition
New customer count; Lead volume; Cost per acquisition
self-report suitability: none
Customer Conversion
Conversion rate; Funnel completion rate; Shopping cart completion
self-report suitability: none
Customer Retention
Retention rate; Churn rate; Repeat purchase frequency
self-report suitability: none
Customer Lifetime Value Growth
CLV calculation; Share of wallet; Net present value of revenue stream
self-report suitability: none
The story
The reader A marketing student or practitioner who wants to develop effective, accountable internet marketing strategies that integrate online and offline channels.
External problem
The marketing landscape is complex and rapidly changing, with a bewildering array of digital tools, channels, and metrics to master.
Internal problem
They feel overwhelmed and uncertain about whether they are choosing the right strategies and measuring the right things.
Philosophical problem
It is just plain wrong to treat the internet as a stand-alone, technology-driven activity disconnected from customer needs and overall marketing strategy.
The plan
- Understand the foundations: the internet's evolution, value chains, business models, and direct/database marketing roots.
- Master the essential tools: branding, video, display advertising, email, search, and social media.
- Develop strategies and programs for lead generation, CRM, websites, and customer service.
- Evaluate performance through metrics, address regulatory issues, and embrace mobile.
Success
- Marketing programs that acquire, convert, retain, and grow the value of customers cost-effectively.
- Measurable return on marketing investment and confidence in selecting the right tools and metrics.
- Seamless, satisfying customer experiences across all channels and touchpoints.
At stake
- Wasted marketing spend on poorly targeted, unmeasured, or non-integrated campaigns.
- Lost customers, damaged brand reputation, and erosion of trust through poor service or privacy violations.
- Falling behind competitors who master the integrated, mobile, social, and data-driven future of marketing.
Related in the library
- Hacking Growth: How Today's Fastest-Growing Companies Drive Breakout Success
- Predictive Marketing: Easy Ways Every Marketer Can Use Customer Analytics and Big Data
- Building a StoryBrand
- Company of One: Why Staying Small Is the Next Big Thing for Business
- Internet Marketing Made Easy
- Jump Start Your Marketing Brain_ Scientific Advice and Practical Ideas