---
title: Choosing To Compete for Transactions or Relationships | The Sales Blog
description: There are two ways to think about acquiring new clients and new orders. You can start from a transactional approach or you can start from a more strategic, consultative approach. The distinction is important. Transactional A transactional approach is centered on acquiring orders. Orders are, in fact, how you get paid. The client places an […]
image: https://www.thesalesblog.com/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/Screen-Shot-2014-10-04-at-7_37_55-AM.jpg
---

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# Choosing To Compete for Transactions or Relationships

![Anthony Iannarino](https://www.thesalesblog.com/hubfs/ai-blog-profile-crop.jpg)

Post by [Anthony Iannarino](https://www.thesalesblog.com/blog/author/anthony-iannarino)   
 October 3, 2014

There are two ways to think about acquiring new clients and new [orders](https://www.thesalesblog.com/blog/the-differences-in-order-acquisition-and-client-acquisition). You can start from a transactional approach or you can start from a more strategic, consultative approach. The distinction is important.

 

#### Transactional

 

A transactional approach is centered on acquiring orders. Orders are, in fact, how you get paid. The client places an order, you deliver it, and you send an invoice. And for some of your clients, this transactional relationship may be enough.

 

But when you play at the transactional level, you are perceived as transactional value. Fine, if this is what you want. Being transactional will get you some orders. But it won’t get you the relationship you need to produce bigger outcomes.

 

 

**Relationship **

 

 

When your approach is strategic and consultative, instead of focusing on orders you focus on developing deep, [trusted relationships](https://www.thesalesblog.com/blog/i-assure-you-that-relationship-selling-is-alive-and-well). Instead of focusing on order acquisition, you focus on understanding your clients needs so deeply, and creating so much value around those strategic needs, that instead of acquiring orders, you acquire all of your client’s orders.

 

 

Acquiring the client relationship is what opens up the possibility of getting all of their orders—even though it takes longer and is a more difficult outcome to obtain.

 

#### The Difference

 

Client acquisition and order acquisition are different. Order acquisition is [transactional](https://www.thesalesblog.com/blog/stop-being-transactional-and-start-being-consultative). It’s about taking orders, and that puts you in a contest for price. If the transaction is what matters, then the value being created is only a low-level of value.

 

If you are instead focused on client acquisition, you have the opportunity to dig deeper and find additional ways to create real value. A more strategic level of value. You get an opportunity to design a solution that solves a bigger, more future oriented challenges. This not only earns you the right to acquire all of the orders, it earns you the right to do so at a higher margin. You are earning that higher margin by delivering greater value.

 

 

 

###### Tags:

[Sales](https://www.thesalesblog.com/blog/tag/sales) [2014](https://www.thesalesblog.com/blog/tag/2014)

Post by [Anthony Iannarino](https://www.thesalesblog.com/blog/author/anthony-iannarino)  on October 3, 2014

 Written and edited by human brains and human hands.

![Anthony Iannarino](https://www.thesalesblog.com/hubfs/ai-blog-profile-crop.jpg)

Anthony Iannarino is an American writer. He has published daily at [thesalesblog.com](https://www.thesalesblog.com) for more than 14 years, amassing over 5,300 articles and making this platform a destination for salespeople and sales leaders. Anthony is also the author of four best-selling books documenting modern sales methodologies and a fifth book for sales leaders seeking revenue growth. His latest book for an even wider audience is titled, The Negativity Fast: Proven Techniques to Increase Positivity, Reduce Fear, and Boost Success.

Anthony speaks to sales organizations worldwide, delivering cutting-edge sales strategies and tactics that work in this ever-evolving B2B landscape. He also provides workshops and seminars.

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