What is the Difference Between Sales and Marketing?

What is the Difference Between Sales and Marketing?

Sales and marketing are two very different but very important functions of any business. They are often mashed together in the minds of entrepreneurs and one activity is measured by the other activities results. So, today we want to define what is included in sales and marketing, what is the difference between sales and marketing and how they work together for your business’s success.

Sales v/s Marketing

There are various types of activities that make sales and marketing different from each other. Every company hires both sales and marketing professionals to perform various activities. Have a look at these activities below to know the difference between sales and marketing:

What Are Marketing Activities?

Marketing means to increase awareness about your product and services to increase business. Marketing activities are meant to spark the interest of the potential client, educate them about your business and your offering and drive them to want more information about how you can help them. Marketing is informing and attracting leads that are then turned over the sales team for the sales process.

Marketing activities include:

• Internet marketing
• Print marketing
• Content Marketing
• Search engine optimization
• Social media marketing
• Website
• Networking

What Are Sales Activities?

The sales process starts when a potential client enters the sales funnel. This means that once a they have reached out for more information or filled out a consultation form, they are now a sales prospect. Sales staff manage the relationship and move them to be a paying client.

Sales Activities include:

• Generating Sales Leads
• Qualifying Sales Leads
• Preparing for Sales Meetings
• Making Initial Contact
• Handling Buyer Resistance
• Account Maintenance
• Closing the Sale

How Do Sales & Marketing Departments Work Together?

Despite the certain behavioral difference between sales and marketing, they are the two factors in any business relative to each other. The outcomes of both depend on the success of one another.

The best way to create effective sales/marketing relationship is to define shared goals, identify the company’s ideal client, and define the lead generation process and when a lead is handed over to the sales team. There should also be a clear plan for lead management, and an outline how sales and marketing performance will be measured. These protocols will manage expectations around sales and marketing activities and roles and eliminate confusion inside the departments.

Regardless of the difference between sales and marketing, both of them work to increase revenue in the business. Whether your business has a one person sales and marketing department or two separate teams, it is important that all activities work together to accomplish the same goal.

Also Read : Why You Need A Online Strategy for Your Website and Marketing Plan

about

Danielle LaFleur

Danielle has over 27+ years in Marketing, IT, and Network design, development, and workforce leadership training. She is the owner of Gray Lux, Inc. She understands the real needs every small businesses has in creating value online and in-person with their clients.

She is dedicated to creating successes for her team and her clients.

Danielle has helped hundreds of small businesses maximize extra revenue streams, and has created a process for extracting an ROI from an ROE in training and development which is currently being used in over 100+ corporations.