Browse by Domains

Sales vs Marketing: Key Differences and Comparison

Sales and Marketing

There is an ocean of differences between sales and marketing, and understanding their own significance can help you maximize the product outcomes. Although these two share a common goal of increasing profits and revenue, they have different processes and functions. Check out the free Sales and Marketing Course to enhance your knowledge of the same with case studies.

Sales vs.Marketing: Key differences and comparison

What is the difference between Sales and Marketing?

Simply put, marketing is building awareness about your brand and products to attract customers, while sales are converting these potential customers into prospective buyers. Let us dive deeper into understanding the key differences between the two attributes.

Upskilling Alert on Sales front: Advanced Certificate Program in Sales

Sales vs. Marketing Detailed Comparison Chart

FactorsMarketingSales
ApproachNeeds to attract a larger audience and make them aware of the service & products of the brand.Convert the leads into customers by pitching the services and products to align with their needs.
ProcessAnalyzing the market and pricing strategies and creating attractive campaigns.One-to-one approach.
FocusPromotion and brand awarenessFulfill the sales targets
StrategyPullPush
PriorityBuilding a good audience baseSelling as much as possible
OrientationProduct OrientedProduct Oriented
DurationLong-termShort-term
TargetA large baseIndividual or small crowd
EndpointCustomer awareness and audience attractionSelling of a product

The core attributes considered to differentiate sales and marketing are

  • Process
  • Goals
  • Strategies
  • Prospects

Marketing vs. Sales Process

Marketing Process:

  • The marketing process primarily focuses on making the products reach a wider audience. 
  • Organizations leverage this function to explain the value of their products and services and how it can be the perfect investment. 
  • The marketing team must also determine the target audience interested in the specific services and products.

Sales Process:

  • The sales team is an entity that focuses on converting the leads from marketing campaigns to customers.
  • This action requires creating a sales plan that outlines the organization’s resources, tools, actions, and goals.
  • The sales team directly interacts with customers through various mediums providing a deeper understanding of the products and services.

Sales vs. Marketing Goals

S.NoMarketing GoalsSales Goals
1.Promoting company/brand/products with clear communicationGoals are based on Volume and Targets
2.Focus is on the long term and the bigger pictureFocus is on the short term and is based on month or financial quarter
3.Reach the widest audience possible and generate potential leadsDetermine how much to sell to generate enough profit

Sales vs. Marketing Strategies

  1. A marketing strategy can be designed after gaining proper information about the targeted audience and what they prefer. A sales strategy requires connecting with potential customers and converting them into business.
  1. Once the marketing team figures out their target audience, they can run campaigns and try out different strategies to attract the audience. Whereas, in sales, the salesperson contacts the potential customer, and based on the requirement pitches, in the product and services. 
Most popular Marketing StrategiesMost Popular Sales Strategies
Social Media Marketing
Blog Marketing
Internet Marketing
Search Engine Optimization
Video Marketing
Print Marketing
Solution Selling
SPIN Selling
N.E.A.T Selling
SNAP Selling
Customer-centric Selling
Inbound Selling
The Challenger Scale

sales vs marketing Prospects

The prospect for marketing is much larger than sales due to the fact that the marketing team has to determine the target audience and create brand awareness to attract new leads. Whereas for sales, the sales team has to capitalize on the existing leads and convert them into clients. 

 Sales and marketing are equally important for driving the business forward.

Concluding thoughts

Sales and marketing are two different entities as a whole, and understanding the differences between them can help you plan your career accordingly. Although they are different, both have to go hand-in-glove to give the business its much-required push in the longer run. You can also take up online course and gain free marketing certificates.

What if I want to pursue a career in Sales?

If you have an idea of pursuing sales as a career option, I have a goal-oriented program for you that can help you gain end-to-end expertise related to sales- Advanced Certificate Program in Sales. The program is designed for freshers and working professionals who want to accelerate their sales career.

What if I want to pursue a career in Marketing?

We have something for our management aspirants as well. The 12-month Executive PG Program in Management provides the learners with comprehensive skills and knowledge to pursue a career in the management domain. It follows an online delivery model and is apt for professionals who want a flexible and convenient learning schedule.

Shubham Hosalikar
Shubham is a Digital Marketing Enthu and a Content Writer. Natively from Goa, he ironically loves the mountains more. He enjoys poetry, food, and last-minute expeditions to unexplored places. In his current journey, he writes about various marketing trends and technologies and various other domains.

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Scroll to Top