Every business I know needs to market their business. Some do this very well and others not so much. It seems like there are new marketing techniques that pop up every day. They all really boil down to two main types of marketing, Transactional and Relational. These two types of marketing are what I’m going to talk about today.
Let’s start with an overview of Transactional Marketing!
Transactional Marketing is a much more “old school” approach to marketing that was extremely popular in the 1950s. It’s focused on closing a sale and what is best for the business. Customers are seen more as collateral and there’s an emotional separation between the customer and the company. The time focused on the customer is done usually through the sales team only. This focus is short-lived and ends when the sale closes. There is no customer commitment and the customer can and will choose someone else when the need arises. This method is usually fast and costs less money per marketing campaign. A few examples include discounts and promotional offers.
Now we’ll move on to an overview of Relational Marketing
This type of marketing started to gain popularity in the 1980s. It’s focused on building a relationship with the customer and creating a sense of loyalty between them and the business. Customers are focused on for a long time past when the original sale closes. Customer service is usually the main goal of the marketing campaign and is part of every aspect of every sale from start to finish. This type of marketing is seen as an investment and doesn’t end with the salespeople. It goes all the way through the company to make each customer feel special and valued. Marketing materials are often personalized and come frequently to clients. This method has a much higher return on investment. A few examples include loyalty programs, email campaigns, and even branding!
Neither type of marketing is wrong. I know a lot of times one type or the other can be painted as something to avoid, but that’s just not true. They both serve a purpose and if it fits your business then use it. From what I’ve seen in my clients, most businesses benefit from using both types of marketing in their strategies.
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