Photoshop is an essential tool in today’s marketing world.  Using this technology allows businesses the opportunity to represent and advertise their service or product in the best light possible.  It can be a genuine asset to have the ability to make corrections or eliminate unwanted elements of a photograph.  However, such modifications, especially extreme alterations, raise an ethical issue.  With a heavy dependency on Photoshop, are businesses contributing to false advertising?  Making subtle corrections to a photograph or advertisement is reasonable, but the integrity of the original photograph should be maintained.  Photoshop provides marketers with the ability to dramatically alter a photograph, for example altering the body of a model, or adding an outside element that does not appear in the original photograph.  Businesses and electronic marketers must be conscious of ethical considerations when altering an image, or they may also risk harming their business.  For example, if a travel company is advertising a destination, they should represent that destination in a realistic manner.  Photoshop should not be utilized to add a mountain or a beach where it does not already exist because this is truly false advertising.  If a customer visits this destination and notices that the travel company falsely advertised the area, the business will lose the customer’s trust and future business.  Therefore, it is essential to utilize photoshop in an appropriate manner that will enhance the image without dramatically altering the true nature of the photograph, and the product or service that is being advertised.

Clearly electronic marketing and social media are vital in modern business advertising; however, businesses should consider these assessment elements prior to committing to such electronic endeavors.  

First, businesses must consider how utilizing such marketing strategies will be beneficial.  Strategies should be enacted to ensure electronic marketing is purposeful, and should not be simply utilized because of social media’s current popularity.  Without a clear plan, electronic marketing through social media is not an effective use of business resources.  

Secondly, businesses must consider their target market so that particular population can be reached through electronic marketing.  In addition, the benefit to the target market should be assessed because this influences how the social media outlets will be utilized and catered to the target market.  These benefits could include offering promotions or prizes, or providing the target market with accessible information about the business, organization or service.  

Businesses must also evaluate whether they can maintain social media marketing after they are established.  Running social media outlets for a business is a considerable responsibility and demands continuous supervision.  Social media also requires knowledgeable staff that can commit a substantial amount of time to achieve long-term success.

It is also imperative to consider the outcomes of an ineffective electronic marketing campaign.  Businesses must accept that failure or inadequate success may be a realistic possibility.  Additionally, the repercussions of such failure should also be assessed.  The results could be minor, such as inconveniencing your business and customers, to more drastic outcomes such as damaging your brand through large public mediums.  To protect the business, worst case scenarios should be considered.

Finally, businesses should consider how launching social media marketing will influence other facets of the business and business goals as a whole.  Questions should be considered such as: Will social media be distracting from other business endeavors?   Is the timing appropriate for our business and customers?  Will new staff need to be hired to maintain the social media campaign?  By considering such questions, business will be more prepared and less likely to be blindsided by potential issues after launching electronic marketing advertising.

These are all very important elements to consider prior to establishing social media for electronic business marketing.  By contemplating these suggestions and issues, businesses will be better prepared to successfully utilize social media for advertising purposes.  This provides five pre-assessment suggestions for businesses to evaluate, but for the entire “10 Step Social Media Assessment” by Jeffrey Ader, visit http://www.slideshare.net/JeffreyAder/10-step-social-media-assessment.

Utilizing web-based mediums for marketing the tourism and travel industry is an essential tool.  Not only does this provide advertising opportunities, but also allows tourism providers the ability to connect with their target customers in a cost effective manner.  E-marketing tools, such as websites, blogs, Facebook and Twitter accounts, create a community and network amoung tourism providers, their partners, and target markets.  Especially in the field of international tourism, electronic mediums are the most realistic means for marketing and communicating globally.  Additionally, tourists seek information and opinions from previous tourists, and through electronic resources, this information is obtainable through customer reviews and testimonials.  However, electronic marketing is not only successful in attracting potential customers, but also in securing sales.  The internet has become an increasingly popular source for airline, hotel, and travel purchases; therefore web-based mediums are vital for generating business in the tourism industry.  For further information on the significance of electronic marketing in the tourism industry, visit http://www.etc-corporate.org/resources/uploads/__101013_unwto_etc_e-marketing_media.pdf