Here’s the thing, sales and advertising are not the same things. While they both share the same parent (which is marketing, by the way) and share a similar goal for business growth, they are fundamentally different.
We can tell that a little crash course is needed here, so we’ll begin. Many smaller companies see advertising as a way to support the selling portion of the business. The advertising can help inform potential customers about the company’s products and varied services. Sales, however, seeks to close the deal with those customers and get them to commit. Starting to see the difference?
Here are few more ways that these two differ.
The One Vs. The Many
Did you know that sales are more personal than advertising? From phone conversations to in-person, there is no way around customer interaction. Those in sales have direct access to customers, allowing for a more personalized experience and allowing them to interact with the product. Advertising, on the other hand, is non-personal in nature. It involves one-way communication and focuses on reaching many people at the same time. There are also many mediums advertising can use, including billboards, television, the Internet, radio, etc.
Push vs. Pull
Why do companies use sales and marketing? To put it simply, you need both to succeed in your business. However, the function is where the difference lies. Let’s frame it with an example, shall we? Sales reps go out and push the company’s product. Wholesalers then run with the baton and push the product on retailers, and retailers on the consumers. Advertising, however, pulls products through different distribution channels to deliver a brand’s unique message to consumers. In turn, the consumers desire the product and apply pressure for it.
Priorities, Priorities, Priorities.
Sales introduce the key benefits and features of any product during events and presentations. They may even compare their product and its features to competitors with similar products. What is the objective? It always remains the same: close the sale. Advertising has a different goal. It is designed to follow the AIDA principle (attention, interest, desire, and action). Advertisers may use catchy headlines or noises to attract attention from potential clients. They also dabble in the art of writing and produce compelling copy to keep the consumer’s interest. Advertisers may then have the consumer picture herself using the product to create desire.
Frequency
Last but not least is frequency. Sales is usually more infrequent than advertising and cannot hold the sustainable message like a good advertisement. While sales reps may see a customer one or two times (depending on the need for the product), an advertisement has a lasting reach and impact.
And with that, the game of sales vs. advertisement is done. If you have further questions on how to increase either in your business, shoot us an email and see how we can help.