The difference between sales and marketing is well documented, but too often they are viewed as the same. They do share common threads; however, sales and marketing are more like two peas in the pod of profitability. One without the other leaves the pod half full.
Marketing can enhance your sales efforts dramatically. If somebody cold called you or stopped by your house uninvited (bad marketing) to sell you a touchscreen phone you’ve never heard of, the chances of you buying that product are slim. But millions of iPhone 6 devices will sell this week. That’s because nobody is better at marketing than Apple.
Whether you sell technology or building materials, the principles remain the same. Without marketing, quality prospects are hard to come by because you haven’t done market research to find out who they are or what their needs and tendencies are, let alone introduced your products or positioned them. Sales feels a lot like that cold call or door-to-door approach without marketing.
The best part is marketing is more targeted and effective than ever. The internet and our hyperconnected society can feel like a burden at times, but they have enabled targeted marketing far better than any time in the past.
Space here is limited, but learning more about the difference between sales and marketing and how they complement each other is only a Google search away.
Kirk Stelsel
Director of Communication & Marketing, NPCA
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