Is there a Difference Between Marketing and Selling?
In 2021, it seems like the world has completely flipped to an online world. Sales for companies like Amazon are booming, while retail stores are closing.
And it seems like the days of the sales professional are numbered.
Today, an effective marketing campaign will do all the work needed to attract new sales and meet customer needs.
The past decade has shown us all the power of digital marketing to influence people to buy.
Is there still a place for personal selling in a world where direct marketing, inbound marketing, and content marketing have taken over?
Yes, there is.
Because there is a big difference between selling and marketing.
Marketing is Different to Selling
A lot of people get confused when thinking of the difference between marketing and selling.
Today’s modern salesperson needs a clear understanding of digital marketing if they are going to meet their customers needs.
They shouldn’t fear marketing taking away their job, but rather making it easier.
As consumer needs evolve, so too will the methods by which a business owner must try to reach them.
Each marketing effort should ideally help meet customer needs, and entice them to trust the brand more.
Once a potential customer is interested in a specific brand or business, the role of the salesperson takes center stage.
Marketing Creates a Desire to Buy
A simple way to think of marketing is ‘creating a desire to buy’.
There are billions of products and services available today, and this means that a potential customer is often overwhelmed with choice.
Therefore, marketing techniques such as advertising and branding are needed to help a consumer make the best decision for their needs.
Peter Drucker talked about the idea of marketing in his 1954 classic The Practice of Management, which sounds like a horribly boring subject for a book, but is actually incredibly insightful.
‘Marketing is the distinguishing, the unique function of business. A business is set apart from all other human organizations by the fact it markets a product or service.’
What this means, in simple terms, is that a business is ‘doing marketing’ when it offers something of value to the world, that people want to buy.
The marketing concept is really about telling your prospective customer you have something that can solve a problem or ease their pain. That’s it.
You Are Always Marketing
In his book, Peter Drucker further clarifies the selling concept versus the marketing concept.
‘Marketing is not only much broader than selling, it is not a specialized activity at all. It encompasses the entire business. It is the whole business seen from the point of view of it’s final result, that is, from the customer’s point of view.’
In other words, if you have a business, you can’t not be marketing.
Everything you do, everything you display to the world is moving people closer (or further away) from buying the products and services you offer.
Your social media and your marketing content are always aiming to build trust in your brand. Any outbound marketing or advertising campaign can aim to bring in sales, but it will also affect your brand image.
Any marketing plan you have will affect your brand identity. The important thing is to be aware this is happening, and to see how it helps your sales strategy.
Selling is No Longer Essential. But it’s valuable.
Sales is a part of the marketing process. An important step in the buying cycle.
Selling is the alignment of the consumer needs with a specific product or service and then exchanging the customers money for the value you offer.
Buying is how people get their hands on what they want and need.
But, here’s the thing: today, most customers don’t even need a sales person to be able to buy what you offer.
They can use a digital checkout and home delivery service. They can avoid talking to a real human and just get what they want.
Selling is only essential when something needs a custom solution. When a person has questions or concerns about the product or service.
When a sales person is involved in a customer or client buying, they begin to see them as the face of the business. Each person who buys from you must be treated like an individual and feel that their solution directly meets their needs.
Personal selling will always exist whilever people want something custom.
Think of people visiting the Apple store. They could easily just order a phone or computer online for delivery. But they visit the store for a personal selling experience, and to meet their unique needs.
This is the difference between marketing and selling. Both serve a purpose in customer satisfaction.
Marketing creates the desire and grows the trust in the brand.
Selling creates a personal connection between your business and each customer you serve.
Marketing and selling are different, but both make an impact when a business understand their purpose.