Broadband Internet is gaining popularity at an unprecedented rate and it will not be too long before it is recognized as another public utility, no different to water and electricity. It is becoming increasingly evident that convenient access to information via the Internet is not only helping customers to make wise purchase decisions, it is also opening up a new channel for marketers to promote and distribute their products and service offerings. However it is still a big question as to whether the marketers are fully geared to capitalize on this new marketing opportunity.

eMarketing Workshop held at the Park Premier, Excel World on Oct 17 2009

For many companies still the corporate website is just an Internet billboard which simply contains the company contact information. may be with ambitious vision/mission statements and/or with board members' credentials. Due to this lack of awareness of the power of online marketing and the lack of readiness in implementing the strategies in this area by a vast majority of both big and small companies, a big vacuum is currently being created in the market in terms of customer expectations and market delivery.

While it is perfectly right for a website to be identified as a billboard or a name card, business professionals should go beyond just accepting these simple definitions to understand the strategic importance of the company's website and exploit the marketing opportunities being posed by this great marketing asset.

While the knowledge in the Internet Marketing field is largely being created through the experience of corporate and individuals who actively engage in this profession, self starters in online businesses and newcomers to the eMarketing profession can greatly benefit from a well recognized course programme and a certification. Such a qualification/certification will provide a mechanism for students to demonstrate competencies. It will also provide employers with a tool to use when hiring and screening job candidates.

Since the practice of eMarketing is relatively new, marketing executives need a programme that certifies professional competency. It is important to recognize the eMarketers who have met high standards of experience, knowledge and ethical conduct as is done in other professions. The certifications offered by the eMarketing Association (USA) fulfil this need. The eMarketing Association (eMA) is the world's largest international association of eMarketing professionals. The certification designation demonstrates that you are a professional whose skills, competencies and knowledge are recognized by the eMA.

In Sri Lanka this course is currently facilitated only by eBusiness-Academy (www.eBusiness-Academy.org). eBusiness-Academy.org is an online community for creating and sharing knowledge in the fields of eMarketing, eBusiness Management and eCommerce. This is the first and only online community of this nature created for Sri Lankan business professionals and students.

Adding further to this initiative, eBA now offers online lectures, webinars and training programmes through a "Virtual Class Room" to prepare the members for internationally recognized qualifications and certifications. More details about the "Certified eMarketer" course programme can be obtained from their website: www.eBusiness-Academy.org or by contacting on 0770 821 881.