The paradox of marketing in an e-business environment is that it’s more complex than marketing directly to consumers, and yet fundamentally the same. The basic equation hasn’t changed: you have a product or service to sell and you need to convince someone to buy it. In a retail environment, that’s where the story often ends: getting to a sale is the focus and point of marketing. That’s not true in an e-business environment.
 
In e-business, you’re far more concerned about long-term customer relationships and customer loyalty. And unlike the typical retail sale, for example, marketing can play a continuous, vital role in e-business, supporting customer interactions through the entire life of the relationship.
 
This guide is intended to help companies better understand the process of continuous marketing in an e-business environment. It highlights the principles of e-business marketing: such as conversational marketing, personalization, and making the most of your investment.