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Marketing versus Sales Why anyone can sell

Written by: Vwodek Wojczynski

Article Overview: Have you ever wondered what is the difference between Marketing and Sales? In this article I will distinguish Marketing from Sales and I will also introduce the concept of operational definitions and the reason they are essential for successful business operations.

Marketing versus Sales Why anyone can sell

Have you ever wondered what is the difference between Marketing and Sales?
In this article I will distinguish Marketing from Sales and I will also introduce the concept of operational definitions and the reason they are essential for successful business operations.
For the most part, you and I, can function in business by using social definitions. The reason for this is simple. We are social beings and we love to talk about things. For example, we talk ABOUT love, money or business. And, we talk A LOT about these topics. But talking about them does not give us access to experiencing more love, having more money or owning a bigger business. It just lets us talk more.
In effect, social definitions only allow us to talk about something without any power over what we’re talking about. Now you know why talking a lot does not necessarily produce results!
So how can you produce results and be effective in marketing and sales?

Let’s start with the power of operational definitions.

Operational or operative definitions are very important because they allow us to understand the
meaning of something in such a way that it gives us power over it. So, for example, think back to the moment when you fell in love for the first time. When you experienced love, you had a different meaning of it and it changed who you were operationally in the world. You simply took different actions consistent with someone being in love.
Why is this important for business?
Once you understand and get to use operational language you will see that it is one of the keys to being successful in business. It is the foundation for effective operations, management and ultimately true business ownership.
So like I promised, my goal in this article is to give you the operational definition for Marketing, in such a way that it changes who you are in the world and how you market yourself. I will also distinguish the operational definition for Sales. By doing this you will get to see Sales as a distinct process from Marketing. Unfortunately, we use these terms interchangeably when we TALK – however you will see they are totally distinct processes.
Consider the following example. Imagine if human beings walked around saying “Cats and dogs are the same thing.” That would be funny, wouldn’t it? Now, we know they exist in the same domain called “animals” but they are distinct from one another. This is obvious. So, while Marketing and Sales exist in the domain called “business” and they are distinct from one another, people still confuse one from the other.
Let’s start with what we know about Marketing from a social perspective. The dictionary’s social definition for marketing is:
1. The exchange of goods for an agreed sum of money [synonym: selling]
2. The commercial processes involved in promoting and selling and distributing a product or service;
3. Shopping at a market; "does the weekly marketing at the supermarket”
Notice that each of these definitions collapses marketing with sales!
In other words, socially Marketing and Sales are synonyms – and our behaviour reflects this. For example, “Marketing at the supermarket” means “Buying at the supermarket.” “Promoting X product” means “Selling X Product” and so on. In other words, operationally Marketing and Sales are fuzzy concepts. If you tell someone “I want you to market this product for me” do they mean sell? Or do they mean creating a process? Or do they mean distribution? Or are they telling us to go shopping? It is unclear because we do not have a common operative definition that makes sense to everyone.
So what is the operational definition of Marketing?
Marketing, from an operational point of view, is simply converting people that don’t know you exist into people that know you exist. Marketing causes existence for something. It makes you real in the marketplace by creating impressions. In marketing there is no offer to buy!
Let’s use an example from real life to illustrate this.
I was at a party this week and there were many people there that did not know who I was. Every time I said “Hello, my name is Vwodek” I was marketing myself. A person that did not know I existed found out I existed in that moment. How? I told them my name. So Marketing is simply a way of saying ‘Hello, here I am. I exist.’ There is no offer to buy anything.
So what is Sales from an operational point of view?
First, let’s take a look at the dictionary definition of sales:
1. The exchange of goods or services for an amount of money or its equivalent; the act of selling.
2. An instance of selling.
3. An opportunity for selling or being sold; demand.
4. Availability for purchase: a store where pets are for sale.
5. A selling of property to the highest bidder; an auction.
6. A special disposal of goods at lowered prices: coats on sale this week.
7. sales
a. Activities involved in selling goods or services.
b. Gross receipts.
What you will immediately notice is that we are not told direct steps to HOW to sell. We are told ABOUT sales.
Therefore, having operational definitions can be quite useful in business. Operationally sales is very interesting because it is simply converting people that know you exist, need and want what you have and can afford what you have into a one time buyer.
(Read that again to make sure you’re clear).
So what’s all the fuss about?
Simply put, people don’t follow the complete sales process! Often times we experience hard sell because people skip Marketing. We forget to fully introduce ourselves!
So how does this work in real life?
Let’s go back to the party example. After saying ‘Hello’ people know I exist – but they do not know much about me and I do not know much about them. So what is there to do?
Find out about them first and discover what is needed and wanted for them. In other words, become interested in what they are up to.
Unfortunately, this is the part most people skip and that is why Sales is so difficult for many people. They want to sell before people are fully aware of who they are talking to and what they are looking for.
But, if you follow the Marketing and Sales process operationally the tough part of sales simply disappears because you give people what they want, at the price point they can afford, and in the manner they want it.
When you fully get this model, you will also realize that ANYONE can be trained to sell.
Think about what other operational definitions you can invent and enjoy the journey!

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Article Tags: business operations, business ownership, different meaning, marketing, money, operational definition, operational definitions, operations management, social definitions, successful business, true business



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