Business-to-Business Internet Marketing, Fourth Edition - Lifecycle ...

Appendix B: Glossary of Direct and Internet Marketing Terms 375
Variable. Usually refers to a field on a database in which information
changes based on the individual record. The variable can then be
used in direct mail copy or a telemarketing script to build a relationship
with the individual. An example might be the amount of money
a customer spends with a company in a year, which would vary
from customer to customer.
Versioning. Using variables to create versions of direct mail copy to
personalize and appeal to specific characteristics. In business-tobusiness
direct mail, versioning by industry or job function has generally
been shown to increase response rates.
Viral marketing. Marketing that spreads rapidly via e-mail or other
Internet communications. Viral marketing refers to e-marketing that
encourages customers, prospects, or site visitors to recruit others,
who recruit others, and so on.
Virtual event, online event, Web event. An event that occurs online,
via the Web.
Visit. One user accessing one Web site at any given time.
Webmaster. Typically, an individual in an organization responsible for
the organization’s Web site and, sometimes, for Internet usage.
Web page. An individual document on a Web site or on the Web. A
Web page can be heavily graphical and can include sound, photography,
multimedia, and interactivity, based on the technologies used
to create it.
Web response form. A form designed to capture visitor contact and
often qualification information.
Web site. A collection of pages on the World Wide Web.
WWW, World Wide Web. The area of the Internet that contains HTML.
XML. See eXtensible Markup Language.