Marketing vs Sales – Difference and Comparison

Marketing & Selling are two terms that are very much inter-related, but cannot be considered as one. Selling is a sub-unit of Marketing. Marketing is an umbrella term for strategic activities – selling, personal selling, direct marketing, media marketing, b2b marketing, b2c marketing, social media marketing, product planning, product designing, product packaging, branding and more! Thus, making marketing a lucrative field of the 21st century and designating it as a professional course for UG & PG students. 

During the advent of industrial revolution, countries of Europe mainly did not have a conducive climate for flourishing agriculture thus these countries dignified their economy with technology facilitating consumerism. Industrial revolution brought varied concepts in economics and marketing, initially industries backed on the production concept of producing and selling in bulk. There weren’t many concerns revolving around the target market or anything else similar to it. Just bulk production. Product concept was followed by it, where industries then seeked customers to spend little extra for modified products. The producers perceived that customers wish for modified products and are ready to pay for advanced utilities.Selling concept was introduced soon after product concept, where salespersons were hired on permanent or contractual basis. This concept seeked sales team to thoroughly look around and grab leads, close deals, much like real estate and investment schemes today. But this concept during those times were applied to even the basic necessities. As the competition increased, producers thought of this concept to be ideal in such scenarios. Long after such loose-end concepts, marketing concepts were introduced with smart STP- segmentation, targeting and positioning, along with various attributes facilitating and enhancing the effect of marketing concepts. With literacy rates ever increasing around the globe, customers become much more discerning in what they wish to invest(purchase) and associate themselves with. People started calling out brands for their hypocrisy, like Fair N Lovely cream which had terrific sales till 2015, was started to be called out for racist advertising, celebrity endorsements without proper campaigning were of little use and not to forget pollution levels caused by big brands. People seeked responsibility from conglomerates, thus driving the societal marketing concept to full-fledged force. Now companies took CSR activities as mainstream and hired a PR department to be visible in a good light in front of the whole world. 

Marketing has had a long history, and has been going around since the time humans started trading (business). Sales is basically more or less converting products or services to money. Sales is ofcourse, the need for every business to sustain and thrive in this cut-throat competing world, but what is crucial is to not focus only on today but the future. Only the brands that have built strong relations with customers and seeked innovative ways to establish bonds with potential ones are to be considered horses for the long run! Brands have realised the need to be philanthropic and be more than just PR & advertising machines.

With this, I wish to advocate the need for all of us, understand our authority and call out brands that are unethical and just focused on revenue-generation, without giving back to society. In today’s market, the customer is definitely the king, and an educated one, we must strengthens ourselves with knowledge and be vocal for locals.

By Japleen Kaur