Difference Between Sales and Marketing
Many people mistakenly think that selling and marketing are the same -
they aren't. You might already know that the marketing process is broad
and includes all of the following:
1. Discovering what product, service or idea customers want.
2. Producing a product with the appropriate features and quality.
3. Pricing the product correctly.
4. Promoting the product; spreading the word about why customers
should buy it.
5. Selling and delivering the product into the hands of the customer.
Selling is one activity of the entire marketing process.
Selling is the act of persuading or influencing a customer to buy (actually
exchange something of value for) a product or service.
Marketing activities support sales efforts. Actually, they are usually the
most significant force in stimulating sales. Oftentimes, marketing activities
(like the production of marketing materials and catchy packaging) must
occur before a sale can be made; they sometimes follow the sale as well, to
pave the way for future sales and referrals.
Understanding the Seven P's of Marketing
Product
This is the most important thing in the mix, the physical product
or the service that the entity is offering for sale to the public. You
will need to market this to the customers by telling them the
unique features and benefits the product has to offer.
Price
This is the price or amount that the customer needs to giveaway
in exchange of the product or service you are offering. Marketing
strategy will need to ensure that people will get the perceived
value as greater than the price they will need to giveaway.
Place
Placement or distribution, you will need to spell out where the
product or service is available. This may either be online or
offline, you will need to inform the public where the products may
be available.
Promotion
You will need to promote the product or service whether online of
offline. Online marketing makes it cheaper to conduct promotions
and reach as many people as possible.
The next three P's
People
In order for any marketing activity to be effective, to will need to
train and motivate the people to do their job. The people that
delivers the product or service and those that come in between
the customer and the manufacturer needs to know their job for
the strategy to work. People may also refer to the customers who
will need to buy your products, they are very important to be
considered in the development of your marketing strategy.
Process
Customer satisfaction is one of the most important roles of
marketing. If you can follow the process of delivering high quality
service or products to the customers, your marketing efforts will
never be wasted.
Physical evidence
Online, it is difficult for the customer to know how the product is
going to benefit them. Thus, you will need to create an element
by which the customer will be able to feel, taste and smell the
product or experience the service. You can do reports and articles
that will excite the customers about the product and the service.
Now, that you know the importance of the different aspects of
marketing, you can now create a strategy that will incorporate
them and thus improve your delivery of the message the product
manufacturer needs to disseminate.
