Sales without marketing is like having a restaurant with no menu; marketing without sales is like having an online delivery service with no drivers. But what is really the difference between sales and marketing? In a nutshell, sales is the exchange of goods and services, whereas marketing is the chain of activities that promote the goods and services.
Both sales and marketing are critical components to any business, and you can't be effective in either role without understanding the other.
Whether you're a marketing wizard or a Wolf of Wall Street, here are 5 things you need to know to upskill yourself today!
Being so closely intertwined, we don't always appreciate the difference between sales and marketing - business tips often incorporate both specialties, despite their distinct differences.
The marketing team is critical for supporting the sales team; they provide the intel, materials, and approaches for the sales team to use in practice. Once the marketers have done their work, it's time for the sales team to finish it off.
Although the salesperson closes the deal, they'd be nowhere without the marketers behind-the-scenes work.
A salesperson aims to convert a lead into a purchase. One of the most common sales tips is to ensure you 'close' the deal. A good sales call never ends with 'I'll get back to you with a decision.'
On the flip side, a marketer aims to identify the customers' needs and adjust their strategy to meet these needs. One of the key marketing tips is to bring the conversation back to 'what does our audience crave?'
A salesperson spends their days talking with individuals and small groups to facilitate sales; a marketer looks at the bigger picture, wider audiences, and the general public.
Some types of sales roles will target a niche audience that already requires the product; others will focus on cold calling techniques to convince the customer of a need.
Marketers won't contact the target customers but will instruct the sales team on which populating groups they should be approaching.
Sales is a short-term process involving booking meetings, explaining products, closing a deal, and maintaining the relationship. The sales process usually takes less than 30 days (with some low-level admin to nurture the relationship after the initial sale.)
Marketing is a much longer-term process; it adapts to changing needs and trends. Marketers will leverage a host of different techniques, from posted newsletters to comprehensive ecommerce marketing.
Sales teams primarily use 'push' techniques, whereas marketing is all about both 'push' and 'pull' strategies.
As the name suggests, the 'push' technique involves putting the product to the customer. The 'pull' strategy includes planning how to make the customer attracted to the product and convince them that it's needed.
With those 5 key differences, you don't need to wonder 'what is the difference between sales and marketing?' anymore.
To excel in marketing or sales, you need a comprehensive, in-depth appreciation for the other discipline. Learning more about the other side can even help you push business growth to new heights.
Do you want to keep up with sales and marketing trends in 2021? Make sure you check out our other business blog posts for all the business insights you didn't know you needed!
