1. Dr. Mohammad Abu Kausar University of Nizwa
Yatra’s yatra
Dr. Mohammad Abu Kausar
University of Nizwa

2. Yatra Today Over 100,000 Page Views per day
Over 1 million registered users
Over Rs 1,100 crores Sales
Over 600 employees
Over 10 offices in 10 cities
Voted as the most used website for Travel – Juxt Consult
Top 100 Start up’s in Asia – Red Herring.
Best Online travel Agency 08 – Galileo Awards

3. Flash Back

4. Market Scenario 2006 Makemytrip, Cleartrip, Travelguru had a headstart
People used Travel sites to look up fares but booked on airlines sites
Low cost airlines had made people getting used to booking online
IRCTC was fueling the same too
Skepticism about booking online – security of the transaction, credit card limits, credibility of the company

5. Task at hand Last to enter the market – how to make a dent
0 to 60 – in no time
Land grab

6. Marketing Plan Category Strategy: Our Strategy: Do print. Print works.
Do TV. TV works better.
Do Online. Online drives traffic.

7. Online Marketing Plan
Search Engine Marketing – to generate transactions
Google Adwords
Display Advertising – to add to the TV activity
Yahoo
Rediff
Sify
MoneyControl
IBNLive
ers

8. Benefits of Online Marketing
Learnings
intuitive
data driven
high spillage
low spillage
Benefits of Online Marketing
spray-n-pray
aim-n-shoot
one-way
two-way
how many
(reach)
who
(targeted)
Traditional
Online

9. Learnings Set objectives Define target audience Prioritize markets
WHO is more important than HOW MANY
Prioritize markets
Metros vs Tier I, II, III
North India vs South India
South Delhi vs East Delhi
Set Budgets
%age of Gross Sales/Net Income (Rule of thumb: 3rd of net income)
Choose media basis
Long Term - Brand building
Short Term - Lead generation/Transactions

10. Learnings Set Outcomes Short term Long term
Number of visits to the site
Number of calls to the call centre
Number of walk-ins to the retail outlet
Long term
Market share
Mind share
Vallet share
Word-of-mouth share

11. Understand Consumer Behavior
Plan online marketing keeping in mind that the new consumer has 
Scarcity of time:
Ease of navigation - less clicks/hyperlinks…
Connectivity/download problems - less graphics
Scarcity of attention:
Short, simple, easy to understand message…
Say more in less
Scarcity of Trust:
Do not mislead, over promise, hide costs
Give what you Show

12. Net Net What to expect from online: High on ROI: Pay for Performance
Start-Stop at will
Reach national as well as international markets
Dynamic customization – change creative real time
Quick results – need more traffic immediately, SEM is way to go
Behavioral/Contextual/Geographical targeting
Data base collection
Very very measurable

13. What lies ahead…

14. Social Media Marketing
Socialize on the web: Youtube, Flickr, Orkut, Facebook, Linkedin, twitter
Word of mouth
Targeted
Indefinite shelf life
Time is the only cost
Direct and immediate feedback

15. Marketing on Mobiles WAP sites SMS 2.0
Right message at Right place (point of sale)
Location specific (GPS) – highly personalized advertising
Mobile coupons
Higher conversions

16. Video Ads The new TV (specially on News and entertainment sites)
Advantages
Click to Play
Captive viewing
High Click throughs
Customize - overlays

17. Happy Clicking.