I really enjoy your writing style.

If a company did not market would the sales person still be able to sell. Marketing is the presentation of a product or service, the strategy that is involved in how a company expresses itself to the customers.

Who should listen to who as they are different types of people who both think that there way is the right way. A sales persons purpose is to sell and they will sell there concept to the marketing department whom also sells their concepts and would prefer not to be told how to do there job.

Wow, this is something to think about. Thanks.

What’s the difference between Marketing and Sales? Marketing consultant, Laura Lake, defines marketing as everything that you do to reach and persuade prospects and sales as everything that you do to close the sale and get a signed agreement or…

When representing a financial services organization, I had to face the fact that all my competitors had the same or similar products, all with features and benefits. After going out day after day to “slay the dragon”, I came back empty handed and discouraged. Sharing my dismay with an older mentor, he asked me an important question. He said, “with all things being equal, how do you decide to send your money on something ?”.

A simple question but one that prompted an immediate reply, “ Of course”, I said. “under those circumstances I do business with someone I know, trust, and like”.

The answer was so obvious that it had escaped me. In order to develop a long term sales career, I need to focus on knowing my client and then selling myself first. Well it sounds simple but it is astounding how many sales people, in the heat of battle and the pressures created management, forget that they are in a marathon not a sprint.

The line between these two rivals continues to blur. In my opinion, this is driven by the increasing domination of the Web over how customers interact with a brand. As Semantic Marketing technologies emerge, websites are now simultaneously performing both marketing and sales functions.

Our technology, Semanticator, allows brands to welcome key market segments immediately upon arrival. So, just like a good sales person, websites enabled with our technology can listen before making suggestions. And, like a good marketer, they can position properly based not only on the market segment, but in light of the competition in the visitor’s selection set, the visitor’s gender, location, search keywords, etc.

So, we’re going to have to create Sales-Oriented Marketing people or Marketing-Oriented Sales people. Take your pick!

I remember the good old days…mailing brochures; now we just tell the customer to “get it from the web”.

I remember face to face presentations; now replaced by webinars (and/or whitepapers).

I remember having to provide customer references; now replaced by case studies.

What is left for the 2 month sales veteran to disburse?

I think it would be an interesting experiment if you asked all of your readers to define marketing. I find that the plethora of definitions out there hints that maybe we don’t really know what marketing is (or more accurately, what marketing has become). How do you see social media fitting in to the overall marketing strategy?

Jacob