Sales and marketing are often used interchangeably, but they are both two separate components of a proper business model. Both play a role in acquiring customers and building relationships, but they each have their own horizons and objectives.
Defining Sales
Sales focuses on direct interaction with customers; every step on the pipeline that deals with turning a cold lead, to final sale, to relationship management. This involves a lot of face-to-face, email and/or telephone conversations in order to schedule demos, build trust and develop a mutually beneficial arrangement. Sales roles are typically motivated by commissions and are heavily focused on closing deals.
Sales is a short-term play, focused on the closing and follow-up of a deal.
Defining Marketing
Marketing is a much broader concept that involves all the activities a business does to build its brand and build customer awareness. Marketing activities can include advertising, public relations (PR), digital marketing, poster, billboards and other forms of media. The goal of marketing is to bring awareness, build a positive brand identity and establish authority within your vertical.
Marketing is a long-term play, focused on impressions and warming up potential customers.
Sales and Marketing Horizons
One key difference between sales and marketing is that sales is typically focused on the short term, while marketing is more concerned with the long term. Salespeople are primarily focused on making immediate sales, while marketers are focused on building relationships with customers and creating long-term brand loyalty.
Another difference is that sales is more reactive, while marketing is proactive. Salespeople respond to customer inquiries and needs, while marketers anticipate customer needs and develop strategies to meet them.
Sales and Marketing are not Mutually Exclusive
Even though sales and marketing are distinct operational functions, they are not mutually exclusive. Each function is equally important in order to achieve the overall goals of a business. Effective marketing generates warm traffic and creates opportunities for sales reps to nurture and close.
Sales and marketing may have some cross-over, but overall they are two very distinct functions that serve different purposes. The most successful companies in the world, both large and small, have marketing and sales teams that communicate openly and work together to achieve business objectives.
