Young Entrepreneur and a marketer by profession, looking to learn the latest trends in the fields of marketing, management, online media, social media and eCommerce. 26 years old guy with desire to learn new things and implementing same.
Areas of Specialization
Business & Marketing Consultancy - Marketing and Business Consultancy consultancy for Small and Medium organizations.
Lecturing - over 5 years experience in lecturing management and marketing.
Online advertising – 2 years of experience in Pay-per-click advertising on Google, Yahoo, MSN and other major PPC based search engines and web portals.
Search Engine Optimization (SEO)– Extensive researches and testing done in the field of SEO.
Direct and Email Marketing – Experience in mass email promotions, targeted emails and direct customer acquisition programs and working experience with IPT Ltd backoffice. Europe’s largest direct marketing company.
Implementation and Usage of Web Analytics – Experience in implementation and use of Google Analytics.
Marketing with Web 2.0 concepts - including User Generated Content, Blogs, and Social Media Marketing.
Specialties
Marketing and Business consultancy for small and medium firms, Online marketing, Strategic Marketing, digital marketing, Online advertising, Branding and Lecturing etc,
“What others say about my Blog”- Recently I came across this statement in Blognet Awards about my blog.
“Today’s Marketing is a colorful, sometimes whimsical, but always informative road map to building a better business. I’m not particularly computer savvy, but I easily found my way around to valuable information on building an internet community, cutting edge marketing strategies and weathering the current recession. It’s easy on the eyes. The colors are bright without being glaring and the graphics have a fun way of pulling you into information that might have seemed dry in a different format. This blog’s great for those who are serious about building an online enterprise as well as for the novices who don’t even know what they don’t yet. User-friendly techno-info, now there’s a concept! It doesn’t scare away the people who need the most help. This is a good blog to spend a Little time on.”
My few achievements
http://sundaytimes.lk/090802/Education/ed711.html
http://www.cim.lk/student_special_awards.htm
http://www.sundaytimes.lk/090726/appointment/pages/page1.pdf
http://sundaytimes.lk/080629/FinancialTimes/ft326.html
http://www.cim.co.uk/cpd/cpdandcm/cmdirectory.aspx#SriLanka
Hi Ragulan,
Hello!
You have a nice blog.
Sincerely,
Greg Cryns
Learnt from yesterday, live for today, hope for tomorrow…* Theme is superb.. Keep it up
Thanks Duvaraga………
Hello Mr. Ragulan,
I am an undergraduate student studying Hospitality Management at the University of Sunderland. For completing my dissertation which research in the use of web blogs / guest reviews / comments on social networking with hotel, I would be grateful if you could share your opinions with the following important questions.
1. As a user, what’s opinion you have about hotel reviews / comments on social networking?
2. Is publisher’s reviews / comments both positive and negative will direct influence your opinion before you choose a hotel? Do you think those reviews / comments are important and helpful in customer decision- making?
3. Meanwhile, are those guest reviews important to hotel online marketing? Do you think it will directly or indirectly effect hotel online room booking and hotel image as well?
4. Do you think hotel have a responsibility to reply those guest reviews? How long process the information to respond guest review and which way better to be used (for example, respond immediately and directly under reviews, or replay by e-mail)? In fact, some hotel claimed that most of social website didn’t offer opportunity for hotel to replay guest review, what’s your perspective?
5. Do you believe and trust the online hotel reviews when you look for advice, and how you distinguish which one is real? Is it better way to show honest if guests could give name and check in date with their review?
6. What’s your idea about the vicious online competition that someone may done reviews both positive and negative on purpose through using social networking?
7. Do you think who have a responsibility and authority to control guest reviews / comments on social networking?
8. To follow with social networking growth rapidly, what’s your suggestion and expectation for hotel management to use and improve their service on social networking?
Many thanks in advance
1 – Hotel reviews are the important tool for purchase decision making if I make a hotel booking online / offline. Also next to the peer group influence it is the most influential factor.
2 – Yes y not. Sites like Tripadvisor.com helps travelers to check hotel reviews before making a booking. If the hotel review is negative definitely I will think twice before booking it and will search others sites to see whether there are similar opinion exist. Hence sites like lonelyplanet, tripadvisor, are famous among travellers because of this.
3- Yes…most of the travel agents are integrating hotel review section in their site (Eg- Thomas Cook, Expedia) to market suitable hotels to their target segments.
Yes it will directly affect the hotel marketing. For e.g if a customer making a hotel booking online through expedia and if they see the guest rating for the particular hotel is 50% then they will never make a booking/ think more.
4 – Yes..actually hotel should keep monitoring the online buzz. The social media/ PR manager is responsible to answer all negative reviews. It is always better to reply in the platform they see their hotel review, than sending them personal e-mail, because personal e-mail will be read by only that person, but if they reply publically then it will be easy for them to convey the message to others as well.
Anyway most of the travel review sites not allow them to post the reply, unless if its forum thread / other similar platforms. So hotel point of view it might be an issue.
5 – When I make a hotel booking I search for information in several sites., But it is hard to take a decision by just looking at one site. If more than one site contains the same opinion about one hotel then can come to a conclusion. Also it is important to check reviews in reliable sites and avoid open forums and social networking sites.
6 – Yes…but considering forums and open social networking sites might be wrong. But travel agents and tour operates allow people to write reviews on the hotel they make booking. This might be reliable and good as well.
7 – You can’t control social networking sites
8 – They have to assign a person to check about the online buzz..they can use keyword related searches and check what others say about their hotel or can use http://www.WebSpy.com and other third party softwares to monitor the online talk about them
Hello. I am writing to you to ask for permission to use the picture of Sir Richard Branson that you have on your website. The reason to this is because i need a picture of him for a school project of mines. If you do not reply to me within 7 days i will assume that you have given me permission to use this. I would much appreciate it if you could give me permission.
Thank you
Birju Patel
Hi Ragulan,
I have lots of plans for srilanka… i want to get in to the market of srilanka… i want to know how about the IT in srilanka… could you please help me ?
HI Hasan, Sorry for a late reply, please mail me ragulfun at gmail.com
Hi Ragulan!
Amazing work on Marketing. My dissertation is on Promotional Marketing and your work on the Promotional mix really helped with my reasearch.
I was wondering if I am able to keep in contact with you through email on your views? I hope this is okay, please let me know.
Thank you!
Kind Regards,
Angela
Hi Angela, Thanks for ur comments,mail me ragulfun at gmail.com,
Nice work Ragulan. Keep up the good work!
Thanks Isura….
I found your blog on yahoo and will bookmark it currently. maintain the good work.
This is good site for future marketers to enhance there knoweledge .
Thanks Chethana
this site is nice to learn marketting
Thanks Prasanna…
Hi Sir!
i’m sarangan from batticaloa, Sri Lanka.
i’m a BBA (Marketing Management Specialization) undergraduate of Eastern University, Sri Lanka.
Now i’m undergoing my thesis works on “Effectiveness of Social Media Marketing & customer awareness”,
i found your website after long research in social media marketing.
can you please help me to list out some dimensions for measure the Effectiveness of Social Media Marketing/Advertising & customer awareness.
I’m looking forward for your favourable reply asap
T.C
Thanks
Sincerely
Sarangan.
My brother suggested I might like this blog. He was totally right. This post actually made my day. You cann’t imagine just how much time I had spent for this info! Thanks!
Thanks Racquel
Thank you for another informative blog. Where else could I get that kind of information written in such an ideal way? I’ve a project that I’m just now working on, and I’ve been on the look out for such info.
Thanks Dakota
I precisely wanted to say thanks once more. I do not know what I would have gone through without the actual opinions contributed by you concerning that topic. Certainly was an absolute terrifying issue for me personally, but coming across your skilled avenue you dealt with it forced me to leap over delight. Extremely happier for your information and thus hope you find out what a great job that you’re doing educating people through your websites. Most likely you haven’t come across all of us.
Thanks Troy
this article really helps to me personally,thank ough.
That is really attention-grabbing, You’re an overly skilled blogger. I have joined your feed and sit up for looking for extra of your great post. Additionally, I have shared your web site in my social networks!
You should take part in a contest for one of the best blogs on the web. I will recommend this site!
I have been absent for some time, but now I remember why I used to love this blog. Thank you, I’ll try and check back more often. How frequently you update your site?
Hello, I have found your pages on Usenet. Recently I have visited 7 other pages covering the same, but yours was somehow helpful. I will return for sure. Thank you so much for your pages
Wonderful goods from you, man. I have understand your stuff previous to and you are just too wonderful. I actually like what you have acquired here, really like what you are saying and the way in which you say it. You make it enjoyable and you still take care of to keep it smart. I can’t wait to read far more from you. This is actually a terrific website.
Thanks Evan
Yes, really. So happens. We can communicate on this theme. Here or in PM.
i discovered your internet site on reddit as well as thought i’d can be found in and have a appear. interesting concept you have however i’ll have a handful of other folks y you’ve got an interest. they can assist or maybe might not nevertheless its really worth a chance.
Thanks for another informative web site. Where else may I am getting that type of info written in such an ideal method? I’ve a undertaking that I am just now operating on, and I’ve been at the glance out for such info. Consequently: thank you and please please keep up the good work. I’ll surely come back and look for new articles! Tschau