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Digital Marketing || Group 7

Exploring “Digital Business” opportunities in
Pakistan

Although the “Digital Business” approach is at an upwards trend in the country, there is still room for more
opportunities to be explored in the right direction.
Digital Transformation (DX) is the novel use of digital technology to solve traditional problems. These digital
solutions enable inherently new types of innovation and creativity, rather than simply enhance and support
traditional methods.

In a narrower sense, "digital transformation" may refer to the concept of "going paperless" or reaching a
"digital business maturity" affecting both individual businesses and whole segments of society, such as
government, mass communications, art, medicine, and science.

With this project assignment we were able to dig deep into the Pakistani e-commerce environment and were
explored practical orientation of the businesses online.
Not only the opportunities, but we were able to get in experience with the latest environment instigated by
the digital revolution across the globe, and the loop holes that need to be addressed.
BeyondPlus’s online existence was a project assigned by the instructor to get an in-depth knowledge of the
online environment of marketing.
There were numerous instances that were related to the analytics, which contributed to the overall
assignment.
The very first one was creating a business page. Our business page failed to attract reasonable traffic, and this
triggered the idea of using online Facebook promotion services.
This moved our page from 4-5 likes a day to targeting a specific segment with more specific vitals, including
demographics and geographics.
We were able to target the infinitesimal bit of the digital segment as well as the mass of the gigantic
proportion. However, the results depict only an initiation of the sales with a small amount. This may have
been a case due to the small time that was given to this business activity online.
This digital activity (in actual) requires ample amount of time to generate and give rise to the sales that are
conducted online. Reaching to the masses and creating an ideal market-positioning needed more time to be
effective in nature.

Digital Marketing || Group 7

Marketing Solution: Digital Marketing Mix
The 7 digital Ps of the digital marketing are the revolutionary measures that were kept in focus when we
delivered our product online. This digital promotional mix was the ground basis of the entire project. Never
the less, incorporation of a valid payment method was a reasonable addition to the entire project.

People + Promotion

Digital marketing mix was a specific and more detailed view of the segment that is being targeted. Considering
it a marketing solution in social media, we were able to know that, people from all demographic, as well as,
psychographic factors can be tapped with social media marketing techniques.
We decided to tap the untapped by focusing on the two major factors, namely, Demographic segmentation,
and Geographic segmentation. These were chosen regarding the nature of the product and the place where it
could be delivered. Our initial data was as follows:

This figure shows the

initial reach for our page.

These insights were from

the first week of digital
marketing initiation.

It was highly unlikely to be effective in reaching the customers, without using any social media promotional
platform, so we decided to start the paid promotional services by Facebook itself, considering it’s time
effectiveness and the cost benefit analysis.
The first week stimulated a higher reach, making it account to equal to three zeros in number when it came to
segmentation targeting.

Digital Marketing || Group 7

Process: Promotion + Physical Evidence

The process of reaching the end-user wasn’t a simple one. We decided to make it more convenient for them
after trying out the promotion for the entire page. The best possible way was to promote each post
individually. This surely required more finances and to make it happen, we decided to pool.
Individual finances were collaborated, and this gave birth to the idea of Post Promotion.

A screenshot of the post that we created for

BeyondPlus’s Facebook promotion.

As you see the likes have increased substantially and

the number of shares has slightly hiked as well.

After the promotional bit, the main challenge was to interact with the end user and provide an evidence of the
tangible existence of the product, so that trust issues can be illuminated from the customers’ perception.
To do that, we made pictographs of the product line being offered, included them in our post promotion
process, and finally gave them the boost of Facebook promotional services.

Logistics + Cash on Delivery (COD) Services

Logistics were the backbone of the entire digital marketing process. When an organization promises to be
effective in the sales, and deliver the product within the defined time, it is necessary for the organization to be
efficient and effective in their sales process.
We were left with two options:
1) Hire a courier COD service.
2) Use the distribution channel to deliver.
After hours of brainstorming and considering the Dos and Don’ts, we were convinced that hiring COD services
(Option 1) would be more appropriate and would provide an ease of access to the consumers, with efficiency.
Digital Marketing || Group 7
Numerous courier companies were shortlisted, and a feasibility study was carried out. Leopards Courier, in
Multan, was found to be the most appropriate one.
In exchange for a small reasonable amount (per delivery) according to the weight, they were providing their
services. Within the digital market, positive words of mouth about their courier services, were also one reason
why they stood out of their competitors.

Source:
https://leopardscourier.com/
pk/cod.php

Official Leopards Courier

website.

Each promotional post was mentioned with a WhatsApp number, for order placement. And with to make the
process more efficient, we handed over a reasonable amount of stock, to the courier company, on credit basis.
This saved us time and maintained the efficiency of the business activity.

Conclusion

Digitization surely is opening new horizons for entrepreneurs, but it is un regulated in the country. The threat
of counterfeit products and replication is on an increasing trend, which hinders the consumer to have positive
placement regarding online shopping at this stage.
Working on this particular project allowed us to gain “hands-on” experience to the digital marketing matters
and further enhance our exposure to the real world business practicalities.
Other than that, there are no regulations to be found. This is a threat to the young entrepreneurs and an
unethical opportunity in disguise.
Threat in a sense, that even the intellectual rights are not safeguarded by any of the government regulatory
laws, and there are numerous businesses operating with the same name to counter your products’ sales.
I labeled it as an unethical opportunity in disguise, as there are no taxes imposed yet by the Pakistani
government on digital promotions, hence making it the cheapest possible advertising resource for
entrepreneurs/businessmen.

Digital Marketing || Group 7