Sales Is Not Marketing

While discussing e-mail marketing a local business owner stated that their e-mail marketing campaign was handled by an industry association. When asked if the association provided content, the owner answered, “No, they send offers. We use calls to action.” Every marketing person should know the value of the call to action. It’s the piece that closes the sale. However, it is sales, not marketing. This business owner was using a call to action INSTEAD of marketing. That’s sales, not marketing,

What’s the difference? The goal of both is to get people to come in the door and buy products or services. Surely, they’re interchangeable. If this is what you believe, you’re leaving a lot of money on the table.

Marketing is ongoing. It creates feelings, images, and impressions. Sales says “buy this”. Marketing says “We know you have problems but we have a solution”. Sales is a transaction. Marketing is a relationship. If all you are doing is sending out offers, not only are you not marketing, you’re not not building loyalty, you’re not building customer relationships, and you are not showing customers why they should buy from you.

Marketing is communication. Talk to customers and potential customers, don’t just sell to them. Marketing includes non-calls to action. Content like ways to use a product or service, advice on how to take care of a product, and ongoing support after a purchase is made.

Sales is the dessert. Marketing is the meal. They are both important, but they are not interchangeable, and they work best when used together. 

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