It is a fact that marketing and sales are different. However, it is often forgotten that they are interdependent.
Moreover, or is it precisely that interdependence that causes the tensions? When we look at the key differences between the two disciplines, it immediately becomes clear why salespeople and marketers sometimes seem to come from different planets.
Group versus individual
Moreover, differences between marketing and sales can be found both internally (within the company) and externally (outwardly). One of the most important and significant differences is the approach to the audience.
Furthermore, marketing has traditionally been strongly focused on groups (target groups) that share certain (often demographic) characteristics. Sales, on the other hand, is entirely focused on the individual, the (future) customer.
Furthermore, marketing is/was therefore often less easily measurable. However, the landscape is changing rapidly, particularly due to digitalization.
Therefore, digital media make it possible to approach groups in an individual way. Marketing and sales are consequently increasingly merging, which we will explain further later.
Need versus transaction
This results in another clear difference regarding the outcome of the activities. Marketing is intended to create a specific need among the customer and target group.
Furthermore, it often taps into a latent need and is therefore billed differently than sales, which is entirely focused on the transaction between company and customer.
Pull vs. Push
Fundamentally, marketing also focuses on creating a need within the target group, even when that need might not initially exist at all. The goal of marketing is therefore to 'pull' the future customer towards the brand. Hence, Pull.
In short, sales is more focused on stating the offer and convincing the customer to take action. In other words, push.
For example, however, do not be misled by the way pull and push are applied. Even marketing, which is fundamentally intended to create a pull, uses push mechanisms for this purpose, such as advertising.
After all, on the other hand, sales also regularly uses pull mechanisms to encourage the customer to make a purchase. Especially if the customer already has a need, such as in the case of search behavior on Google.
Reach vs. revenue
Moreover, due to its focus on often broader groups/target audiences, with less focus on individual sales, marketing is in many cases evaluated based on KPIs such as reach and frequency.
Incidentally, questions such as: “how many people have I managed to reach, and how often have I done so?” must be answered. Sales naturally has completely different KPIs.
So revenue is primarily on the agenda there, and in some cases, for example, customer lifetime value as well. It is precisely at this point that tensions often arise, as we will discover later in this paper.
Strategic versus tactical
Furthermore, marketing ultimately derives much of its input from market research and analysis. It is therefore often somewhat more strategic in nature than sales, which is more tactical. While marketing strategist is a very common position, you rarely hear of someone being a sales strategist.
As a result, sales draws its input not only from market research but also from actual sales figures and market shares. More tangible and therefore more focused on tactics.
Long term versus short term
However, the final difference we must mention, and which can give rise to differences in vision, is the timeline of the activities. Sales is a discipline that is largely judged on a short-term basis.
So, certainly within retail, stress already sets in when disappointing sales are recorded for a few consecutive days.
Moreover, in fact, marketing is a discipline that is much more focused on impact over a long period, and is therefore much more geared towards the long term. Consequently, the internal pressure on marketing is often lower than that on sales.
Brand versus customer
Furthermore, there is another major difference that we perhaps do not consider sufficiently. For marketers, the brand, and the reputation of that brand, comes first. It is central to all activities.
Furthermore, it is not without reason that virtually all large companies employ brand managers. Their task is to position the brand in the market.
Moreover, sales, on the other hand, focuses strongly on the customer and the customer's interests, much less on the brand. There is therefore genuinely a completely different approach in terms of focus, which can once again lead to considerable tension.
Furthermore, some time ago we wrote a white paper in which we extensively discussed the differences between sales and marketing, as well as the tensions that can arise and possible solutions to bridge the gap between sales and marketing.
Next, interesting? Then download our white paper!