Conventional Marketing vs. Permission Marketing

Permission marketing is a method of internet marketing where businesses ask for permission before sending promotional materials to their prospects. The term “permission marketing” was coined by Seth Godin, an internet marketer and author of best-selling business and non-business books.

Entrepreneurs view this type of marketing as more effective in acquiring new customers since it enables a business to target only the people who are really interested in the product and hence, have more potential to buy.

Difference Between Conventional Marketing and Permission Marketing
What makes permission marketing effective is its one-on-one approach to potential customers. Acquiring new customers is not just for the purpose of selling products or offering services but instead aims to build a more in-depth and lasting customer relationship. In some aspects, when compared with conventional marketing where promotional campaigns are sent to a whole group of prospects, permission marketing has more edge.

Conventional method of marketing such as distributing hand-outs, direct mail, newspaper advertising, and others may sometimes fall in the hands of the wrong people, people who do not have any interest in that particular product or service. It is also very common that people do not even bother to read hand-outs, promotional mails, or newspaper ads. These promotional materials usually go straight in the trash.

Why Permission Marketing Is Effective
Unlike with conventional marketing, a person is aware that he will be receiving information about the products or services that the business offers. Thus, when the information arrives, this person will surely take the time to check out what the advertising material has to offer since he agreed to receive that information.

For instance, if your business offers computer services you may simply provide a field in your business’s website that inquires your visitors if they would like to receive more information in their e-mail, or if they would like to be alerted when new products arrive. If a person is interested, he may reply yes, and provide his e-mail address. If not, he may simply decline the offer.

Clearly, permission marketing addresses the specific needs of your target market. This makes it easier for you to introduce your business and focus your marketing strategies on people who have the needs and wants of the exact services your business provides. This way, you can give more attention to these prospective customers who gladly accepts the advertisements you offer.

Conventional Marketing Can Help

However, despite the effectiveness of permission marketing, the more conventional marketing strategies cannot be discarded all together. Other online marketing methods such as article submission, blogging for business, online advertising as well as the more traditional offline marketing methods like media advertisements, direct mail marketing, or hand-outs are still effective in reaching out a wider range of people. After all, not everyone browses the web and not everyone will be giving their permission to receive advertisements.

Thus, a business needs to employ different marketing tactics, find out the ones that gives more results and use these methods in promoting the business. A business cannot just make use of a single marketing tactic. Generally, several business marketing strategies are needed in order to achieve the desired result. Therefore, permission marketing and conventional marketing can be used hand in hand to achieve success.

About the Author

Jessie Masterson is a credit analyst, a writer and a sharp internet marketer in her own right. For years, she has mastered the art of online marketing to snowball online success. She currently gives her share of online marketing for students who are still on their first steps of the online marketing ladder.

Copyright 2007