Are marketing and sales two sides of the same coin? Or is one more important than the other? There has always been a good natured competition between the two business disciplines. This question is pristine for small business owners, as they have to juggle both.
Small businesses usually focus on maximizing sales, to incur instant profits. But, this is where they are wrong. Without steady influx of new leads, sales are not going to reap much fruit. Sales is the bottom line, and marketing is about getting your brand recognized. At the end of the day, both are important.
But for a business that is just entering the market, investing soundly in proper channels can increase profits and overall brand image.
Here is an example to make things easier. If you are a company that sells clothes, you will advertise the quality, style and value of the apparel. You have two prospects: X and Y. X is a brick layer for a construction company, while Y is a college student. Who seems more appealing to you?
Definitely the latter! Why? Because it will help X’s look, hair texture and they will be able to post pictures of themselves wearing those clothes on the internet. Hence, your marketing began with two potential clients, and you converted the most suitable one into a client, with the chances of generating leads, and brand awareness.
What is the Major Difference between Sales and Marketing?
But before establishing whether sales is more important, or marketing, lets signify major differences between the two.
- Focus of sales and marketing
- Procedural difference between sales and marketing
- Prospects of sales and marketing
Focus of Sales and Marketing
The biggest and most significant difference between sales and marketing is their focus. Sales focuses on working directly with prospective customers to get them to convert. On the other hand, marketing focuses on inducing a spark that would drive prospects to your products.
Marketing is the first step a business takes for getting prospects interested. Sales takes that interest and nurtures it.
Procedural Difference between Sales and Marketing
Sales focuses on interaction with customers, how their queries will be answered. It also provides relevant information to the prospects. Sales focuses on providing additional information to the prospects, who already are familiar with your brand. The focus is on providing selling points, and personalized solutions.
Marketing’s focus is set on explaining what the product is: its cost, the audience and how the brand can reach those users. Marketing establishes basic information: who you are, what your brand provides, and the costs of obtaining the goods or services.
Prospects of Sales and Marketing
Sales works with known prospects. The brand already knows who is interested in their goods or services. It is easier to get in contact with the prospects because the business already has their contact information such as phone number or email id.
Marketing works on obtaining new prospects and generating leads. In marketing, you already have an idea who your target audience is. So, the goal is to reach them, to convert those people into prospects for the sales team.
Which Should be the Initial Focus for Your Brand?
Sales is an elemental part of business. But I suggest you should start by focusing on Marketing first, and then make your way towards sales. Here is why:
- Marketing helps you to know your customers
- Marketing is the foundation of steady growth
- Marketing is your knight in shiny armor
- Off loading toxic clients with marketing
Marketing helps you to Know Your Customers
Sales fundamentally is about one thing: selling. It is a clear path. It is a vital step for any business owner, especially for the newbies. Marketing is about knowing your audience, and there for requires an in depth knowledge about your audience. You have to take a multi throng approach with marketing and focus on several factors such as:
- Branding.
- Lead generation.
- Competitive intelligence.
- Privacy.
- Generating demand.
Marketing is the Foundation of Steady Growth
Marketing is the foundation of steady growth. It can seem expensive, and you can experience substantial costs initially. For some, it is an optional part of business development and growth. I believe it is not an option, but an investment. The kind of investment which might not necessarily reap results instantly, but will increase your value over time.
Marketing is Your Knight in Shiny Armor
Okay, this might seem a bit of a stretch, but hear me out. Healthy marketing is like a savings account. If you have a well-established marketing strategy, you are constantly reaching new people and generating leads. Even if times get tough, you will be able to keep your business afloat. A steady stream of income, is better than not having a single dime in your pocket.
Off Loading Toxic Clients with Marketing
Continuous marketing also lets you get rid of toxic clients, without worrying about profits. Your focus shifts from making day to day earnings to long term goals, where client loyalty will add value to your brand.
Conclusion
To put it aptly: you cannot sell a product without marketing. Sales is an important part of any business, as your profits depend on it. But marketing is what going to drive sales. Many businesses try to save money, and are eager to earn profits as soon as they enter the market. However, for a brand that has long term goals, investing in a sound marketing strategy can reap significant benefits.
You not only off load toxic clients, who have nothing but complaints with you, despite you giving your level best, you also set the foundation of stable and steady growth.
I am not saying you should ignore sales. But you should start by planning a strong marketing strategy. If people are not aware of your brand, the products you sell, and the services you have to offer, you are not going to get any sales.
