What is the difference between marketing and sales? Required job roles, abilities and qualities

It is essential for a company’s growth that the marketing and sales departments understand their roles and work together. Let’s take a look at the roles that marketing and sales play in a company, the differences between the two jobs, and the skills and qualities required. First, I will explain the roles of marketing and sales.

There are various definitions of marketing, and the business content differs depending on the company.

The Japan Marketing Association defines it as “a comprehensive range of market creation activities conducted by companies and other organizations from a global perspective and through fair competition while gaining mutual understanding with customers.”

In other words, the role of marketing is to sell products and services to as many customers as possible in order for companies to continue to earn profits.

First, you need to determine the market and customer targets you want to compete in, and then lead your company’s product planning and development department.

The key is how to find potential customers while increasing cost-effectiveness, communicate with customers in the consideration stage, and convert them into true customers.

If you would like to learn more about marketing, please refer to the links below.

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Sales is the act of selling products to customers, and can be said to be “sales = sales.”

Sales is included as part of the overall marketing activities, but the role of sales is to encourage customers to purchase products and services, and ultimately conclude a sales contract.

Sales may also handle post-sales customer support and after-sales service, but the primary purpose of sales is to sell products and services to customers.

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Next, I will explain the difference between marketing and sales.

To put it simply from a work perspective, marketing and sales can be expressed as follows.

・Marketing: Creating a system for selling products and services

・Sales: The act of selling products to customers

In many companies, the common division of duties is that marketing backs up and supports the sales activities of sales, and sales sells.

Both of these activities target “customers who purchase products,” but marketing uncovers potential customers and carries out promotions to a narrowly targeted “market.”

On the other hand, sales activities involve selling to real customers, the “customers” right in front of you.

Also, the role of marketing is to create customers who will be the final demand, and to create products that will sell to those customers, but at this stage the product has not yet sold.

The value of the product to the company will only be realized when the sales team conducts “business negotiations” to convey the benefits and appeal of the company’s products, and sales of the product increase.

What kind of abilities and qualities are required in the marketing and sales departments that carry out marketing and sales tasks in a company?

Marketing departments must understand what kind of customers want what kinds of things.

Currently, there is a transition from TV commercials and print advertising to digital marketing.

There are various forms such as retargeting advertising and owned media, and the path that consumers take to purchase has become complex.

What you need is the ability and quality to logically analyze and understand why consumers behave the way they do, and then formulate the next strategy.

It is also important in marketing to understand the actions taken by consumers, predict market trends, and create hypotheses such as, “Maybe if I take this approach, consumers will behave in this way?”

In addition to the ability to analyze the current situation, marketing departments must also have the ability to respond to ever-changing market changes and discover new possibilities.

Marketing is an activity that is directly connected to corporate activities, such as product development, how to present a corporate image, and what methods to use for sales, so it requires a deep understanding of a company’s management strategy.

To achieve this, the marketing department needs to have the ability to formulate strategies from a manager’s point of view and from a bird’s-eye view of society and the company’s position in society.

Please refer to the link below for information on the abilities and skills required in the marketing department.

What is the job in the marketing department? Required abilities and skills, useful qualifications

On the other hand, we will also explain the skills and qualities required in the sales department.

When we think of the qualities necessary for sales, we have the image of being good at talking and being personable, but no matter how forcefully and skillfully you sell a product, if you can’t gain the customer’s trust, you won’t be able to sell it.

Does it benefit not only you and your company, but also your customers and society? People who have the ability and quality to think about what is useful will be able to build relationships of trust with customers.

Communication skills are skills and qualities required in the sales department.

“Communication skills = being good at speaking” does not mean “good communication skills”.

True communication is not one-sided, but must consider the other person’s point of view.

For example, responding quickly and clearly to inquiries from customers and responding sincerely to complaints is the kind of communication that customers desire.

In addition, to ensure that work runs smoothly, it is important to have the ability to coordinate and communicate well with the sales office and other departments that support you within the company.

Sales is the role of sales, so results = sales are expected.

Therefore, it is necessary to have the ability to calculate backwards from sales targets, organize your actions, and manage yourself.

Also, since the job involves contacting customers, there may be times when you feel depressed due to not being able to close a deal, complaints, or troubles.

However, if you regret more than necessary and don’t get the job done, you won’t be able to continue working in sales.

◆The role of marketing is to create a system for products and services to sell, and the role of sales is to sell products to customers.

◆The target of marketing is the market, and sales activities are conducted to real customers in front of them.

◆Marketing requires the ability to understand customer behavior and create new market hypotheses. Also, since marketing is a corporate activity itself, it is necessary to understand business strategy and have a manager’s perspective.

◆It is important to be able to think from the customer’s perspective, have strong communication skills, and be able to self-manage as a salesperson.