A Study on Digital Marketing's Implications for SME Sales Growth

This report investigates the influence of digital marketing on the sales growth of Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs), with a specific focus on Hotel Qbic UK. The study aims to determine the impact of digital marketing on sales, identify challenges, analyze growth, and recommend improvements. Key findings reveal that digital marketing, particularly through website presence and social media, positively affects sales. Challenges include website maintenance, lack of finances, and time constraints. The research uses a descriptive method, gathering data from respondents. The report concludes that digital marketing is crucial for SMEs, offering recommendations for training and improved customer relationship management, and emphasizes the importance of planning and implementation for optimal results. Alternative research methodologies are also discussed, along with the benefits of primary data collection methods.

Topic- The implications of digital
technology on SME's.
UNIT 11 RP

INTRODUCTION
 Marketing is an activity which is comprises by set of institution as process of
creating, communicating, delivering and exchanging product and services to
customers (Lagat and Frankwick, 2017).
 Over the years, implication of digitalisation has evolved overall process of
marketing. The main aim of every enterprise is to enhance its profitability.
 Thus, implication of digital marketing aids to bring high level of
interconnectivity with customers.
 It is crucial element to understand current needs of buyers.

AIM & OBJECTIVES
Aim
To determine the impact of digital marketing on sales growth of SME's. A study on Hotel
Qbic UK.
OBJECTIVES
To study the implication of digital marketing on the sales of The Hotel Qbic UK.
To identify challenges of digital marketing experienced by The Hotel Qbic UK.
To analyses growth of the enterprise with use of digital marketing approach.
To recommend ways to have improvement in business activities by implementing digital
marketing approach at the Hotel Qbic UK.

Theme 1: It is not easy to maintain website of Qbic.
The digital marketing is possible if company is having
the enough information on online site and it also helps
to enhancing profitability to enterprise. The firm should
have online present so that customer can easily access
to it. With help of it, enterprise can able to get success
in market. There are total number of 20 respondents. In
this, 18 said yes, 12 said no to it. The majority of
respondent said that with use of digital marketing
approach firm is able to run operational working
effectively.
18
12
Yes
No

Theme 2: Digital marketing is important for sales
The digital marketing is crucial aspect to bring long
term benefits to the enterprise. It works as to aid to
target the potential customer and to access their current
needs. It facilitates the effective growth so that there
can be possibility of maintaining long term
sustainability in market. It is helpful approach because
it is beneficial for informing the customer about the
product and services. Thus, there are total number of 30
respondents. In this, 10 respondents are in the favour
that it brings collaborative success, 11 said that it helps
to have increment in conversion rates and 9 said it is
effective in terms to provides supports to customers.
10
11
9
Collaborates
business
Increases conversion
rate
Customer support

CONCLUSION & RECOMMENDATION
From the Research findings it could be
recommended that digital marketing can be
further adopted by SMEs. First recommendation
is that there should be proper training and
procedure on available digital marketing options
so that more customers should be captured.
Organisation should also look how it influences
other aspects of business like customer
relationship and brand loyalty.
It can be concluded that digital marketing has
positive effect on SMEs sales growth. With
regards to social media, study indicates that Qbic
has improved its profitability. Mobile and email
marketing has moderate effect on sales and is
used to little extent. Challenges faced by SMEs
in digital marketing were analysed. From
findings, the study concluded that lack of
finances, time for planning and implementation
are some issues which should be focussed.

Reflection on the effectiveness of research methods
 From this research I have learned that research methods like Inductive
are now broadly used in various areas like creating loyal customers,
enhancing sales and marketing, management of sales services.
 With the good experience from this project I found the best ways to
approach things. I seek to obtain more knowledge about the impact of
digital technology on Qbic.
 It was difficult to gather data through qualitative method but I found
fresh and new information.
 Descriptive method was good for me because it gave me accurate
predictions through employees of Qbic hotel.

CONTD...
I learned that digital marketing helps in managing business processes
which have tremendously changed the face of corporate world specially of
SME through globalization and internalization.
This study has revealed that marketing done through social media, website
designing has brought innovation in Qbic.
According to the study, main necessities related with adoption of digital
marketing to work together and in a network has been recognised in order
to increase sales and promotion.

Alternative Research Methodologies
 Alternative research methods could be used but it could not provide accurate picture
of all elements of digital marketing used for sales.
 In research work main constraints are subject and time that have to be spent for the
project work.
 These two things should be decided properly before starting the research work. I have
learned that research methodologies have helped to recognize the future of digital
marketing in sales.
 In small and medium sector it is used widely for customer attraction, promotion of
brand and advertising purpose. Secondary method could have been used but the data
gathered wouldn't have been reliable and fresh.

CONTD...
So findings obtained from primary method analyzed as a digital marketing
tool is an online marketing whose results are significant on SMEs sales.
 Lack of planning, suitable techniques and implementation were some of
the biggest challenges that could have been focused Deductive method
could not be used because it was a broad concept.
Positivism would have divided topic into different concepts. Facts can
only be gained through observation. Interpretation would have been in an
objective manner.
Thus, with positivism another methodologies would be appropriate
because research findings are quantifiable and observable.

CONTD...
So findings obtained from primary method analyzed as a digital marketing
tool is an online marketing whose results are significant on SMEs sales.
 Lack of planning, suitable techniques and implementation were some of
the biggest challenges that could have been focused Deductive method
could not be used because it was a broad concept.
Positivism would have divided topic into different concepts. Facts can
only be gained through observation. Interpretation would have been in an
objective manner.
Thus, with positivism another methodologies would be appropriate
because research findings are quantifiable and observable.

REFERENCES
 Hänninen, N. and Karjaluoto, H., 2017. The effect of marketing communication on
business relationship loyalty. Marketing Intelligence & Planning. 35(4). pp.458-472.
 Schegg, R. and Stangl, B., 2017, January. Information and Communication
Technologies in Tourism 2017. In Proceedings of the International Conference in
Rome, Italy.
 Kannan, P.K., 2017. Digital marketing: A framework, review and research agenda.
International Journal of Research in Marketing. 34(1). pp.22-45.