Corporate blogging: A new marketing communication tool for companies.

The blogging phenomenon has started to make companies view the potential benefits of corporate blogging. They all agree that blogs achieve a mass media effect through the high level of networking in the blogosphere where in news disseminates very rapidly. The blogosphere (online community of blogs and their writings) has heralded a new communication tool that can influence public opinion of a company.

Corporate Blog Marketing is the science of using standard online communications tools to allow marketers, sales representatives and even C-level executives a medium through which they can connect with their customers. The benefits are highly impactful, vary greatly across campaigns and hinge upon the quality of the blog marketing effort. Nevertheless, each campaign uses a similar list of media sites and tools to generate an open line of communication between company and consumer

Corporate blog makes it easy for readers, be they customers or prospects, to find the latest and most accurate information about its new products and services. It can help achieve customer familiarity with the company products or services. Through the corporate blog, a company can converse directly with customers and prospects. Two-way communication creates trust and builds customer relationships. A corporate blog is the perfect choice for interacting with existing and potential clients. Corporate blogging serves as a channel for a company and its customers to meet on common ground and to know each other more. A corporate blog allows a company to closely track where and under what condition its products or services are being discussed online. Through the corporate blog, a company can keep an ear to the ground to hear what is being said about the company and speaking up when the situation calls for it. A more personal or understated benefit of a corporate blog is that it gives a human face to a perceived faceless and detached business entity. A corporate blog conjures images of people who are passionate about their products or services and are eager to engage customers and prospects.

Here are some benefits of the corporate blog marketing:

Customer relationships and feedback
In every instance, the point of a business blog marketing campaign is to establish a two-way channel for communication between a business and its customers. In doing so, businesses can get feedback on new products and services and also stay in touch with pertinent industry “buzz” and trends.

SEO Benefits
Search engines often index business blog entries and customer forums. If this content is, in turn, keyword-optimized for appropriate industry terms and phrases, it can rank even higher and drive relevant, potential customers to a website.

Coprate Imaging/Branding
Corporate blogs, both through their content and potential visibility in search engines, improve overall brand awareness amongst a companies targeted customer base.

Online Reputation Building
By communication to a potential customer base the finer points of a business’s model, services and strategy, a company can establish itself as an authority in its field. The same blog marketing efforts can also be used in online reputation management as well.

New Product and Service Testing
Such a two-way channel of communication allows for immediate feedback from your customer base on new market ideas and products/services in their fledgling phases.

http://www.selfseo.com/story-19130.php

Things To Take Note To Prevent E-auction Fraud When A Consumer Participating In An E-auction

Electronic auctions(e-auctions) is auction which is conducted online, and it have been in existance for several years. individual consumers and corporations alike can participate in this rapidly growing and very convinient form of e-commerce.

Even e-auction undoubtedly brings a lot of advantages to both buyers and sellers, but e-auction fraud is exist and it is a growing epidemic worldwide, as online shopping has grown significantly every year that online shopping has been available.

When you bid on something that's thousands of miles away, you can't easily inspect it. Alternatively, sellers don't know their buyers, and could be swindled. How can you protect yourself?

In fact, auction sites will never be able to offer complete protection against fraud. Ultimately, you have to learn to PROTECT YOURSELF.

xFollowing are the tips to prevent e-aution fraud: x

aBecome familiar with the auction website. Look into the websites protection policies. Neverassume you are protected from auction fraud.

aBefore placing a bid, learn as much as you can about the seller. If you can’t find anything out about the seller, than avoid doing business with them. Never fall for promises of better deals by moving away from the original auction website.

aUser identity verification such in IC number, driver’s license number or date of birth. For example,verified eBay user, the voluntary program, encourages users to supply eBay with information for online verification.

aInsurance policy. For example, eBay offers insurance underwritten, users are covered up to $200, will with a $25 deductible. The program is provided at no cost to eBay user.

aEscrow services. Both buyers and sellers in a deal are protected with an independent third party. Buyer mails the payment to escrow services which verifies the payment and alerts the seller when everything checks out. An example of a provider of online escrow services s i-Escrow.

aAppraisal services which use a variety of methods to appraise items. It includes expert assessment of authenticity and condition, and reviewing what comparable items have sold for in the marketplace.

aBe aware of phishing Verify that you are receiving emails from the correct source and that you are logging in at the correct website. Do not simply disclose your personal data – if you see e-mail messages from someone you do not know that ask you for personal data for examples, credit card number, account number, or password, do not just send the data without knowing more about who is asking.

aWhen making payment, prefer using your credit card over online transfer. Using a credit card give you the opportunity of a chargeback in case the transaction turns out a fraud. Use debit card, wire transfer, or money order only when you completely trust the seller.

aCheck if the product you are purchasing has appropriate warranty and documentation with it. If not, make sure that you intend to purchase it without that protection. Check if shipping and delivery is covered

aCheck that you are not purchasing a product that you are not allowed to possess lawfully.

aBe wary of products that offer revolutionary results. In most cases, they are fraudulent claims.

related link:

http://www.crimcheck.com/background-check-news/whats-internet-auction-fraud-and-how-do-i-prevent-it

http://www.usatoday.com/tech/columnist/2002/05/07/yaukey.htm

http://leapingcat.wordpress.com/2008/05/10/a-warning-to-auction-sites-pareto-is-dead/

E-Government in Malaysia: Its implementation so far and citizen's adoption strategies

E-Government implemantation

E-government is a system of public administration and services rendered by government authorities to citizens and business structures based on electronic means of information processing, transferring and dissemination.
The following components are defined within the system of e-government:

- Focused on citizens – (Government – Citizen) G2C: defines rendering the whole complex of public services to citizens through Internet by creating single government portal with incorporated governmental database. By using this portal citizens can easily receive available information and services.

- Focused on private sector – (Government – Business) G2B: establishes effective interrelations between public administration bodies and business, thus providing opportunity to reduce necessity for paper documents, optimize accountability, apply interactive mechanisms of interrelation between the state and business, etc.

- Focused on raising efficiency of interaction within the system of public administration bodies - (Government – Government) G2G: establishes interrelation among public administration bodies through application of advanced technologies thus providing opportunity to redesign their activity and ensure integrated, not uncoordinated, service provision, introduce electronic document circulation, etc.


E-government projects are:


1. Project Monitoring System (PMS)

2. Human Resource Management Information System (HRMIS)

3. Generic Office Environment (GOE)

4. Electronic Procurement (EP)

5. Electronic Services (E-Services)

6. Electronic Labor Exchange (ELX)

7. E-Syariah


5 consecutive stages of e-government development:

1) initial presence — on-line presence of government authorities in Internet;

2) extended presence — the number of governmental web-sites increases constantly, representing available information more dynamically;

3) interactive interrelation — users have an opportunity to download typical forms of various official documents by e-mail or by interaction through web-site;

4) transactions — users can make various on-line transactions with government institutions;

5) “weldless” interaction — full-scale integration of e-services within administrative frameworks.

Citizen Adoption Strategies

1. Quality

Usually citizen will concern about the quality of content based on the website, as well as the speed of respond and the approach of solving problem. The higher of quality services can reflect the better customers satisfaction of the services providers.

2. User Characteristic

Experience influences a citizen’s trust of e-Government, citizen who cant perceived the risk on the internet will discourage of using online transaction. Therefore, citizen might very concern about the security of the website in order to prevent their privacy being stolen. Services provider might need to increase the security of their internet transaction in order improve the quality of e-commerce.

3. Customer Satisfaction

By increasing the satisfaction of online users with the services providers, there will be helps to increase the rates of e-government’s adoption. Thus, customer satisfaction is very important in the citizen adoption strategies.

4. Website design

In order to increase the adoption of the citizens, the attractiveness of the website design is very important. It can help to increase customer’s satisfaction. Besides, the customization of product offering can also be the key feature of building relationship with the users and enhance their surfing experience.

Review a local e-commerce site : Lelong.com

One of the Malaysia e-commerce website which I visited often is Lelong.com.my. It is an auction platform that provides people to buying and selling thing online.You may choose buy the thing you like by the way complete bid with other, or may directly contact with auctioneer and negotiate the price with him/her, buy directly. lelong.com.my provide three types of main language in the website (Malay, Chinese and English) which enables different races in Malaysia able to view and use this site and enhance their range of business.

There have a lot of functions to make you use their website more convenient, like Categories Search Engine- which provides you searching by category like Beauty and health, book and comic, phone and communication, it is an easy search engine and the searching speed is quite fast, very useful.Second is Auctioneer Profile and Ratting, this function allows you to check the auctioneer trade history and record, it help us to have more confident and reassurance trade with him/her. Normally we will find one trusted auctioneer better have high success trade percentage, therefore can reduce the opportunity of fraud auction.

Other than that if you find that this auctioneer is very trustful and you hope to have more trade with him/her, you also can visit his/her store and check other item. The design of the website take easy and comfort way, do not have too much complex background.If you bid successful, you must make payment by follow the auctioneer instructions. For example, bank in the money to him first. If you never try bid auction online you should try, you will find that is very excited, and you can learn a lot from the whole process. But before you bid or sell your item you must register account with your real identity first. It require your IC number for avoid you making e-auction fraud.

Besides logo it has many banners on this site, as part of their income to advertise for people. It may look a little mess with massive banners around the products that is being displayed. This site’s main page includes few tabs or links to other sections such as Homepage, Buying, Selling, Ladies, Pay, Forum and Help section which makes user easier to navigate through the site.

Credit Card Debts: Causes and Prevention

Credit card debt results when a client of a credit card company purchases an item or service through the card system. Debt accumulates and increases via interest and penalties when the consumer does not pay the company for the money he or she has spent.

The causes of credit card debts are as follows:

1. Reduced or lost of income. A divorce or unemployment may cause a serious debt. If there is a huge gap between income and expenses, the easiest way to fill in the gap is with credit card debt.

2.Lack of financial planning. People did not make a financial planning for their expenses and income. They usually spent too much, purchase a thing they may not really need it.

3.Poor money management skills. Most of the people cannot well manage equilibrium between expenses and income. They did not plan an income and spending budget, so they will spend over their income.

4.Irresponsibility. People who suffer debt are due to their irresponsibility, they are not concern about their future. They did not carry responsible for their future, using credit card to spent the future money.

Although there are many causes of Credit card debts, there are also have some preventions and safety tips.

1. Make a choice.

Imagine flotsam and jetsam being tossed around in the ocean, drifting aimlessly, destined to land on some unknown sea shore, anywhere, any time. Now imagine a sleek, brand new, high powered, ocean going motor yacht, cutting its way smoothly through the flotsam and jetsam; on board it has all the latest navigational aids, and the owner knows exactly where it is heading and when it is likely to get there.

Which do you choose? Which would you truly prefer? If you chose flotsam and jetsam, then read no more. Make the most of your journey, and you never know, you may end up on a beautiful tropical island somewhere, sometime. But don't count on it; the tides will "decide". If you chose the sleek yacht, then read on.

2. Learn to Relax and Meditate

To be able to establish clear contact with your own mind, you really do need to be able to relax, control your breathing and meditate. These are vital. Do not think of them as some New Age fads. These aids have been around for thousands of years, and have just been suppressed by modern society. Master them, and you have taken a big step towards creating not only a better life, but a life of your choosing. Master them, and not only will you eliminate your credit card debt problems, but go on to apply the same techniques to develop a career or business that you once thought was way beyond you. Who needs to borrow money then?

3. Examine What Caused Your Credit Card Debt Problems

In periods of silent relaxation, focus on what you see as the reasons you have got into debt problems. Be open and receptive, and totally honest. You are accepting reality, what actually happened, not looking for excuses. Do this regularly for a few days, until you feel relaxed about the causes of the debt problem. Remember, you are communicating with your own mind, something which is as natural as can be. This is private, you, your world; nobody else is there. You are establishing control.

Once you have done that, focus on each reason in more depth and for longer. If you think it was because there were so many credit card ads on tv; just think about them, let them roll through your mind. Accept them for what they are; do not cast judgement, feel resentment or anything. This stage is about facts. You need the facts, so you will know what you have to deal with if you are going to eliminate your credit card debt problem. If you thought the cause may have been because your best friend was always buying things you couldn't afford, then focus in just the same way. Again, no judgement, and, importantly, no resentment and no envy. This is about you, not your friend.

4. Address Each Of The Causes

Now that you know, and accept with ease, what your credit card debt problems were caused by, it is time to use your periods of silence, relaxation and meditation to address each of those causes, and eliminate them. It is like preparing to fend off an attack; you are preparing yourself to reject those same influences in the future. The influences that caused your credit card debt will no longer be able to penetrate you.

How you decide to build your defences is up to you. You are training your mind to resist outside influences, to respond in a different way to how you responded previously. The important thing is you will, in future, resist them. For example, credit card advertisements on tv may have pushed you over the edge into credit card debt. Now, you can visualise those same advertisements, and see yourself reacting differently; you may now respond by laughing dismissively at them and saying "anyone who pays those interest rates is crazy" or "they're just like a drug, you need to keep off them". Any little mental tactic that will help you is legitimate. You know yourself; you decide what will work best.

By doing the above you are conditioning yourself to accepting reasons for your debt problem and preparing yourself never to follow the same route again.

5. Tackling The Debt Problem Head On

During your silent relaxation, you can now come to terms with what is necessary to sort out the existing problems. You can train your mind, by repetitive instruction, to, for example:

1. Write down all the debts.
2. Prepare a budget.
3. Seek credit counselling.
4. Keep up all payments on time.
5. Make a plan and stick to it,

until such time as you have been able to eliminate your credit card debt altogether.




http://www.eliminate-credit-card-debt-now.com/Eliminate_Credit_Card_Debt.htm

The Application of Pre-paid Cash Card for Consumers

d Prepaid cash cards are plastic cards. It works almost looks like a credit or debit card, and gives users the ability to purchase products and services with a card but with a critical difference - you can only spend the balance that has been preloaded onto the card. This means there is no risk of running into debt as it has no credit or overdraft facility. Prepaid cash cards can be used to make payment for goods and services as well.

Money can be loaded on to a prepaid cash card before any purchase transaction. That will be your spending limit.

Application of Prepaid Cash Cards :

You can use your prepaid cash card in several ways such as
'Pay the bills like rent, utilities, insurance, car payment, and cell phone bills;
'To shop online, you'll find the item you want to buy and click on to the website's "checkout" page before filling in your details and those of your prepaid card. As long as you have enough cash loaded on your card;
'Pay for toll by using Touch n Go card, it can be used at all highways in Malaysia. Touch n Go also can be used in KTM and LRT and that can be used in car park of any shopping mall.

There are several examples of prepaid cash card:

aMasterCard Gift- Travel and General Purpose Prepaid cards are quick and easy to use, safer than cash, more flexible than gift certificates or single merchant gift cards or travelers cheques,

are often reloadable, and deliver the peace of mind of Zero Liability.

aKing Grant Money- You preload with an amount of money in that country's currency, then you can use the card at any store, or airport or anywhere, were Master card or a Visa card van be used. It lowers your transaction costs. When you are traveling with your Credit card, you are making debt as you go, and then they charge a lot for that transaction.

aPre-paid Vista Cash Card- It is issued by Four Oaks Bank & Trust Company, is a stored value card designed for those who may have difficulty in obtaining a standard unsecured credit card and do not need to build or establish their credit. The card does require a banking account to be opened when applying online or a security deposit to be made through the mail. It also requires payments in advance, which is then used to offset future purchases made with the card.

Mobile payment systems in Malaysia: Its potentials and consumers’ adoption strategies

For the adoption from Wikipedia website, Mobile payment (also referred to as mobile web payment or WAP billing) is the collection of money from a consumer via a mobile device such as their mobile phone, SmartPhone, Personal Digital Assistant (PDA) or other such device.The mobile payment can be used to purchase any number of digital goods and physical goods. For example digital goods are ring tones, games, wallpaper for mobile phone and the booking cinema ticket and air ticket. Usually purchase digital good are through by SMS based transaction payments or mobile web payment (WAP).

Mobile web payments (WAP)
This is where the consumer uses web pages displayed or additional application s/he downloaded and installed on his/her mobile phone to make a payment. It uses WAP (Wireless Application Protocol) as underlying technology, thus inherits all the advantages and disadvantages of WAP. However, using a familiar web payment model gives a number of a few proven benefits:

1)Follow-on sales where the mobile web payment can lead back to a store or to other goods the consumer may like. These pages have a URL and can be bookmarked making it easy to re-visit or share with friends.

2)customer satisfaction from quick and predictable payments

3)Ease of use from a familiar set of online payment pages

However, unless mobile account is directly charged through mobile network operator, use of credit/debit card or pre-registration at online payment solution such as PayPal is still required just as in desktop environment.

Mobile web payment methods are now being mandated by a number of mobile network operators.

A number of different actual payment mechanisms can be used behind a consistent set of web pages.

Direct operator billing
A direct connection to the operator billing platform requires integration with the operator, but provides a number of benefits:
1)Simplicity - the operators already have a billing relationship with the consumers
Instantaneous payments giving the highest customer satisfaction
2)Accurate responses showing success and reasons for failure (no money for example)
3)Security to protect payment details and consumer identity
4)Best conversion rates from a single click-to-buy and no need to enter any further payment details.
5)Reliability that builds confidence
6)Reduced customer support costs for merchants and operators
7)Higher payout rates with operators such as Vodafone in the UK delivering up to 86% in some cases

Credit Card
A simple mobile web payment system can also include a credit card payment flow allowing a consumer to enter their card details to make purchases. This process is familiar but any entry of details on a mobile phone is known to reduce the success rate (conversion) of payments.
In addition, if the payment vendor can automatically and securely identify customers then card details can be recalled for future purchases turning credit card payments into simple single click-to-buy giving higher conversion rates for additional purchases.

Online (such as PayPal)
Online companies like PayPal, Amazon Payments and Google Checkout also have mobile options. These require customer to register with a personal pin before making payments. Subsequent payments also require a pin code to be used. This is known to lower the success rate (conversion) for payments.
Companies like PayPal, Amazon Payments and Google Checkout can be integrated with directly or can be combined with operator and credit card payments through a unified mobile web payment platform.

Mobile Web Payment Providers
Mobile web payment providers include Billing Revolution, PayPal, Google, Amazon Payments, Luup, Javien, Valista, etc

In Malaysia, mobile payment is recently services developing fast. This service is effective providing customers with admission or money off vouchers which can be unique coded or designed to allow viral spread. The mobile channel can be effectively used as a self-funding and revenue generating medium. This service covers all mobile operators on Malaysia; it’s for prepaid and postpaid service billings.

Mobile payments services indeed have a great potential and advantage. Consumers are more comfortable with low-value transactions over such non-traditional means. Common applications will include payment for transportation, parking, restaurants, convenience stores, retail outlets, e-tickets to name a few - typically for low-value items. This helps especially when consumers are in need of cash but doesn’t have any in hand, therefore with mobile payments they do not need to even search for an ATM machine to withdraw the needed money for the payment.


For consumers’ adoption strategies, in Malaysia, most of the company will reward the consumer by giving gift at certain level of purchasing or giving redemption of reward. Beside that, some of the company will give extra credit to customers which are Hotlink user. With certain call and receive will accumulated the points to redeem air time or sms.