Getting to Know Reed Dillon

Reed Dillon has been in the modular housing industry for many years helping factories and builders increase sales and improve their Internet presence. To be honest, there are quite a few 'Reed Dillon' wannabes out there but I would like to take a minute and tell you how we met and from that you will see that he is an original.

A few years back I almost lost this blog for nonpayment of a $10 invoice from Go Daddy. I got a notice from them saying my yearly renewal with them would expire in 15 days if I didn't pay them. I tried to pay them but after a week, I get an email saying that since my account started with Google, I had to pay through them. Have you ever tried to get a real person on the phone at Google? Good luck.

With only 2 days until this blog was to be removed, I called Reed Dillon and asked, no I pleaded for his help. He worked with me for almost 2 days referring me to this person and that person until, with just 12 hours left, one of referrals gave me the direct phone number of a real live person at Google. I called and within 5 minutes my invoice was paid and I was good to go for another year.

Reed Dillon (left) receiving another award from BSC

So without Reed staying with me for almost two days and helping me resolve this problem, you wouldn't be reading this article. If he was that dedicated to someone he had never met in person or barely talked to before, imagine what he could do for your business. Just my thought.

So without any further delay, here is his latest article:

Transactional vs Relational Marketing

An article by Reed Dillon.

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I began my marketing career in the early 90’s as a paste-up artist and an aspiring art director. At that time ad agencies were making the transition from drafting boards to digital computing. Most of the advertising and marketing agencies engaged in Transactional Marketing. It was a broadcast model, whomever had the biggest megaphone won. The focus was on achieving the biggest bang for a short term out come. This technique is still in use today but usually doesn’t create a relationship between seller and the customer. This is called Transactional Marketing.

Things have definably changed. With the advent of more tools to communicate interpersonally with people via the internet, text messaging and social media etc, transactional marketing is on the decline and is mainly relegated to commodity type purchases.

These new tools have unleashed the power of the individual, and have given a voice for people to express themselves and influence others in an unprecedented way.  My sense is if you are in a retail environment, have customers and plan to be in business for the foreseeable future, relation based marketing needs to figure into your marketing strategy.

Here is my short definition of Transactional Versus Relational Marketing:

Transactional Marketing: Transactional marketing focuses on the short term one time sale of an item, service or product. The emphasis is on that one transaction to efficiently execute individual sales. No importance is placed on developing a relationship with the customer.

Relational Marketing: Relational marketing’s goal is to create a connection between the customer and the business. The emphasis is on the relationship with the customers not for short term gain but to enable loyalty to create future business opportunities for sales.

A perfect example is the successful homebuilder. The goal is not just the sale and completion of the home but in developing a reciprocal and communicative relationship with that customer.

Recently I spoke to a builder who told me a story about how he had sold 3 homes by selling one home to a customer. He credited the sales from his use of relational marketing and the management of the sale. This particular builder uses automated Customer Relationship Management (CRM) tools as well as engages in social media to help him communicate with his customers and get feedback.  The former customer’s two children and friend all bought homes due to that customer’s good relational experience with that builder. The customer now counts that builder as a personal friend. The builder focused on the long term relationship not the short term gain. The likelihood of your customer becoming a return customer and/or referring you goes way up if you utilize relational tools and view your relationship with your customer as more than a onetime transaction.

I welcome hearing your thoughts regarding Transactional and Relational Marketing. Post your questions and thoughts in the comments section below.

ABOUT Reed Dillon - After nearly two decades of experience heading the marketing departments of some of the industry’s leading modular manufacturers and earning numerous national awards, Reed Dillon is the owner of Creative Brand Content - a marketing consulting company. You can contact Reed at reed@creativebrandcontent.com or by phone at 540-488-2978.