What is the difference between sales and marketing?

What is the difference in sales and marketing ?

• I many times get confused by different meaning associated with sales and marketing in different industries.

• Answer:

  Marketing is supposed to drive new business to your sales team or help them with collateral (papers, studies, videos, etc.) that will help close a deal. They will book events, get guest speakers, doing research on trends, etc. in order to "arm" your sales team with good leads (sales opportunities) and information to help close those leads. Sales, using the marketing behind your products and services to generate leads, get new meetings and drive the business. Sales is a "close the deal" type of job. Not too much research or thought generally (but there should be more), more or less trying to do whatever you can to get someone to buy the product or service you are selling. Marketing drives sales. But, sales people close deals. Also, the effect of marketing and the success of a given days work is harder to judge. In sales, there is the almighty quota..you hit it or you don't. Miss it enough and you won't be in sales at that job much longer. Also, marketing tends to be a more long-term career path with some stability. In sales, people can often get another sales job..but there are many that try to just get as much money as possible in commissions for a few short months and then move onto the next organization. However, because these people can really push sales figures high for a few months or a year until they exhaust their contacts/territory...it's something that many companies put up with.