What is the difference between marketing and sales?

This is a question I am often asked by our clients,

 

Marketing

I like to say that marketing is all the things you do do to reach your customers and potential customers,

Sales

is everything you do after contact is made up to the point your client places the order.
It stands to reason that the two should work hand in hand with each other, you will often find in large companies there are two different divisions who hardly ever speak to each other, (consider the amount of money certain banks spend on marketing to tell you how friendly they are and how advantageous it would be for you to bank with them, then try ringing same bank to get an answer to your enquiry)
So, your marketing and sales, even if it is only you doing it, should be co-ordinated and integrated (as well as sending your potential and existing clients a consistent message).
Integrated, basically means the two areas working together, for instance there is not a lot of point in sending a marketing message to potential clients if those same clients cannot get a sales reply when they require it.
Your marketing strategies should be measurable and consistent, letting your prospects know why they should deal with you. The sales process is all that happens once the potential is in touch with your company and should reflect the experience you marketing has told the potential they will get.
Some studies show that it will often take a number of contacts using both your sales and marketing techniques to move a prospective client from a prospect to a client.
The idea of marketing and sales being integrated applies even if you are selling purely on-line. If you are selling on-line then your website must be easy to navigate and easy for your clients to buy from.

If you need any help with your marketing, then give us a call 0508 20 10 20 or send us an e-mail