If you’re new to digital marketing, you might be considering both a Graph and Catalog Marketing strategy for your small business. Each has its perks, but which one is the better fit for your needs? We will compare and contrast each to help you decide which is right for your business.

Why Should You Have A Graph Marketing Strategy?

Graph marketing is all the rage right now, and with good reason. Not only does it help small businesses connect with customers, but it allows marketers to examine consumer data and engage with that audience with greater precision.

The concept of a graph marketing strategy is simple: you connect all your marketing channels (e.g., websites, social media, email, etc.) through a single platform (e.g., HubSpot or Marketo) and monitor the performance of every aspect of your marketing mix (e.g., web content, email marketing, social media, etc.) across these channels.

For example, you might want to create a single landing page for your website, social media, and email marketing. You can then measure the performance of each of these three channels in terms of how many people click on the page, how many people call or email you, or how many people follow you on social media.

The advantage of a graph marketing strategy is that you can easily compare the performance of various channels and adjust those that aren’t delivering as expected. For instance, if you notice that your email marketing isn’t performing as well as you’d hope despite the effort you’re putting in, you can discontinue this form of marketing and try another channel. That is something you cannot do as easily when working with a catalog-based marketing strategy.

Pros Of A Catalog Marketing Strategy

A catalog-based marketing strategy is all the rage right now, also, and with good reason. Not only does it allow marketers to target the right audience with greater precision, but it also provides a safe and secure way to store customers’ contact information (e.g., names, email addresses, phone numbers, etc.).

The concept of a catalog-based marketing strategy is simple: you identify a target audience, create a list of names and contact information, and use that to send out marketing materials (e.g., mailers, direct mail, email blasts, etc.).

The great thing about a catalog marketing strategy is that you don’t need to be connected to the internet to take advantage of it. In fact, the information can be stored on physical mailing lists and delivered via physical mail. That is important if you’re a small business and don’t have the resources to be constantly connected to the internet.

On the other hand, a graph marketing strategy is tied to the internet, and more specifically, to having a website. If you don’t have a website, you can’t have a graph marketing strategy. While there are ways to have a similar end result without a website (e.g., with a landing page or single web page), they’re certainly not as flexible or as easy to implement as a strategy built around a blog or social media.

The Disadvantages Of A Graph Marketing Strategy

That being said, not all is perfect with a graph marketing strategy. One of the major downsides of this particular approach is that once you start getting into it, it can be difficult to escape. Once you’ve built your graph, it can be hard to go back and focus on more traditional methods of marketing.

If you find that your business is heavily dependent on the internet for revenue and you want to continue expanding, a graph marketing strategy might not be the best option for you. It is also important to keep in mind that building a graph can be a challenging and time-consuming process, especially if you’re just getting started.

Why Should You Try To Switch To A More Traditional Marketing Approach?

If you’re looking for flexibility, why not try to switch to a more traditional approach? With a traditional approach, you can leverage many different platforms (e.g., Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, Twitter, etc.) without having to worry about the logistics of implementing a digital marketing strategy. You can start small and build your way up, learning as you go.

You might also want to consider a hybrid marketing strategy, which combines elements of both a graph and catalog marketing approach. If you have a strong presence on social media and you want to take advantage of that presence, you can start by setting up a series of social media posts around a specific theme (e.g., #teamwork, #penniesfromheaven, etc.).

On the other hand, if you’re looking to engage with potential customers through email marketing and you want to have a reliable way to store their data, a catalog approach might be the better fit.

Of course, this is all based on your personal preferences and needs. Ultimately, it’s up to you to decide which form of marketing is right for your business.