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Technology Stocks : Egghead Computer (EGGS) -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: zax who wrote (7801)	6/15/1999 4:18:00 PM
From: polarisnh	Respond to of 8307

Coaching marketers onto the Web Traditional approaches win respect from upstarts By Steve Gelsi, CBS MarketWatch Last Update: 3:52 PM ET Jun 15, 1999 NewsWatch NEW YORK (CBS.MW) -- Eons ago, say 1995, cyber punks would sometimes slam all traditional forms of communication for marketing on the Internet. After all it was a brave, new world and the old dinosaurs would just stumble if they tried because they DIDN'T GET IT. Nowadays, Web marketers are striking a more conciliatory tone as they realize that the hard-won lessons of the off-line trade may actually be worth something. At least that was the vibe from a panel of new media mavens in a discussion Tuesday dubbed, "From Big Biz to E-Biz," held by Strategy & Business magazine, a unit of Booz, Allen & Hamilton. "I used to be an e-colohic, but I've been through a 12-step program," said Booz, Allen & Hamilton analyst Christopher Dallas-Feeney, as he advised against scuttling traditional retailing in favor of a Web-only model. Meredith Medland, who heads up the Internet unit for Sharper Image (SHRP: news, msgs), said the retailer's Web sales on are track to grow about 500 percent this year over last year's $4.9 million in e-commerce. "It's a proven sales channel," Medland told about 100 marketers at the Rainbow Room at Rockefeller Center. "You better get on it, or you'll lose out." Yet, she backed away from endorsing a Web-only push and cited Egghead (EGGS: news, msgs) as an example of a company that shouldn't have abandoned traditional retailing. How to do it One crucial step in getting onto the Web is winning support from the CEO, who is critical to give Internet divisions organizational support and to serve as a focal point for consumers. "You gotta get the CEO to buy in," Medland said. "Bring in a college student, a temp, a Web entrepreneur to show them how to use the Internet." "The CEO has to own the marketing function" in a Web effort, said Glenn Rifkin, author of "Radical Marketing." Web firm CEOs like Jeff Bezos of Amazon.com (AMZN: news, msgs) and Steve Case of America Online (AOL: news, msgs) will continue to make themselves visible to the public in order to put a human face on Web brands and make the companies approachable to consumers, he said. Lynn Fantom, president and CEO of ad architect K2 (KTWO: news, msgs), said traditional data -- market share, customer targeting, demographic profile -- can help brands "flower." Although building a Web brand is difficult, setting up old-fashioned distribution and customer service components is critical. Sure it was fun flipping birds at the stuffed shirts in non-Internet firms, but now the attitude is changing. Maybe that's because so many people in e-business now come from the brick-and-mortar world. Or maybe it's just a function of trying to grow sales and profits. A little dose of reality never hurt, even on the Web.