Marketing and Sales: Two Teams, One Goal

Since the beginning of time, marketing has been easily confused with “selling something.” Traditionally, marketing was unexpected and in your face. It was persuading anybody who wanted to listen — and more often those who didn’t want to listen — that the product was something worth buying.

Like sales, persuasion was a key factor. Now marketing has taken a different route. So, how do you respond to those who still believe marketing is sales?

Car vs. radio

“Referring to marketing as sales is like saying people buy cars to listen to the radio.” -Wes, Digett Marketing Analyst

Buying a car just to listen to the radio forces the buyer to concentrate on one part of the car, essentially missing the whole package and what it can do for them.

Just like the radio is an important feature in a car, sales is an important feature in marketing — focusing on a single feature rather than the total benefit may leave one blinded. Marketing incorporates so many different things; and sales are only a partial aspect.

It’s about balance

“Although the two are separate, there can be a great deal of overlap between marketing and sales.” -Amy, Digett Content Specialist

Marketing paves the way for sales, but it’s only where sales and marketing overlap that buying happens.

Imagine the yin and yang symbol. It represents how opposite or contrary forces are actually complementary.

I believe that marketing and sales — traditionally feuding groups — are best as a partnership. Marketing drives the demand for your products and services; sales fulfill the demand. Marketing is everything you do to reach the customer; sales is everything you do to close them.

Coming together

What’s with all the confusion? It’s easy to blame stereotypes. Marketing and sales have been subconsciously grouped together for so long that it is becoming harder to distinguish the two — and more importantly, where the two come together to produce results for your company.

• Marketing listens. It utilizes the collection of data, product alignment, distribution, and communication to create a product that fits the customers’ need.
• Sales enforces. It uses the process of product knowledge, approach, needs, and presentation to close the deal.

Marketing is getting the customer to the product or service. Sales is getting the product or service to the customer.

If your company isn’t producing results, sales may point fingers at the marketing team for not building the right image for the company to create prospects. Marketing may point fingers at the sales team for not properly converting prospects or leads into customers.

Tension is created between the two teams making it harder to create that yin and yang balance. Without marketing your company would not have prospects or leads to follow up with, yet without a good sales team, there will be no sales.