What is the difference between marketing and sales?
There seems to be an endless discussion between marketing and
sales professionals about what the difference really is between
marketing and sales functions. Most of the time both
Business activity terms are used to describe any business.
activity that is involved in increasing income. for little ones
businesses, with limited resources, it is often not practical
difference in marketing and sales functions, all revenue
Generating activities are typically implemented by the same
staff.
As a business grows in revenue and number of staff,
typically follows a logical progression of the business function of
“specialization”, a process where the lines between more
generic and departmental descriptions and functions became much more
more definitive and associated functional responsibilities
become much more focused. Marketing and sales functions are not
exception.
Marketing and sales functions are diverse but highly
interdependent. Generally, “sales” cannot exceed revenue
objectives without effective marketing planning and support,
and “marketing” directives eventually become useless without
sales to implement the plan.
Like many complex business problems, sometimes it’s easier
To define something by what it is NOT is like to define it by what
is. Let’s take a closer look at marketing to better define
what is not sale
Simply defining “marketing” as the “Four P’s”, product, price,
placement and promotion, based on his Marketing 101 class at
college is impractical in today’s global markets. in a
general sense, marketing is more theoretical than sales, focused
in purchase causality and has a more prescriptive purpose than
descriptive. Marketing involves micro and macro market analysis.
focused on strategic intentions where sales are driven more by
tactical challenges and customer relations. let’s get closer
look at how marketing is really different from sales:
Marketing responsibilities are different from sales in that
marketing:
* Establishes and justifies the best competitive strategy of the company.
position within a market
* Initially creates, helps sustain and rigorously interprets
customer relations
* Locate and profile potential markets and key players
inside
* Generate quality sales leads
* Develop effective sales tools.
* Formally analyzes and tracks competitor business strategies
and tactics
* Define, prioritize and justify new product or service
improvements and developments
* Promotes an explicit image of a company product or service
* Facilitates the transfer of customer information to the rest of
the company
* Simplifies the acquisition of the customer’s product or service
process
A full-time marketing manager would be responsible for the
following tasks:
New Product Launches:
Development of strategies, program incentives, times and means
coverage
Agency rating:
Selection and evaluation of external marketing contractors
Customer database management:
Selection of software, training, maintenance of contact with the client.
Information
Market research:
Market definition, prioritization, project management, data
meeting
Price analysis:
Pricing as a Marketing Tool…Getting Started and Analyzing Competitors
pricing practices
Product audits:
Establishment of a formal means to assess competitiveness
Offerings
Public relations:
Establishment, management and coordination of all areas of the
Relations
Fairs:
Definition, participation, prioritization and audit of
effectiveness of all fairs
Product promotions:
Formulation of strategies, composition of programs, definition of premiums,
all media coverage
Marketing Communications:
All printed/electronic communication: brochures, catalogues,
price lists, case histories
Media selection:
Assist in the selection and prioritization of all media options:
print, broadcast, multimedia
Internal communications:
Establish and maintain all corporate communication between companies.
half
International market:
Establish the presence of the company in the international target markets,
effectiveness audit
Strategic planning:
Offer strategic information and alternative perspectives to
corporate management strategies
Participation in the board meeting:
Communicate and reinforce the marketing priorities of the company,
strategies and tactics
Corporate Vision Statement:
Proliferate and reinforce the corporate vision throughout the
organization
Identity and Corporate Image:
Create, maintain, improve and “manage” all corporate images and
symbols
For a “pure” marketer, the marketing function in a company is not
not just a business function, but a business philosophy. Year
The effective salesperson truly believes that they “master” their objective.
the market “owns” its market. The more a seller can do to
maintain market leadership the more effective they are
perceived within the organization and within the industry.
As customer retention has become a business priority in
our increasingly competitive markets, the marketing function
has gone from influencing potential customers to engaging
they planning and advancing the company’s business. Effective
Marketing has also blurred the distinction between product and
service and continues to exert more influence in the company
sales representation priorities.
In conclusion, the marketing and sales functions are deeply embedded
in the purpose of each one and in the intentions of revenue growth. There
There are few functional areas in business that are more interrelated.
other. So the next time you hear someone say the word “sales,”
where the appropriate description would have been “marketing”,
or vice versa, think about this article and choose between any of
these documented business functions to make your point of
distinction!