Sales and marketing are terms that often travel together and many assume they mean the same thing. They are not.
Let's start with a fishing analogy.
In fishing, marketing would be the act of chumming -or throwing bits of fish-friendly food over the side of boat to attract fish. You would do some research so you know which bits will attract the particular fish you are interested in. This could include the size and flavor of the cumming bits and even which side of the boat or time of day you toss them in. This is marketing. The act of attracting the desired catch.
Sales is the lure with the gleaming hook on it that is cast out among the desired fishes. It's brash, often obviously artificial and there is no better analogy for sales than the hook. It is cast over and over and reeled in, temptingly and tantalizingly in front of the unsuspecting fish.
There is honor in both methods.
The Marketer uses carefully gathered information in symphonic execution to draw his customer in. First as a casually interested prospect, then as an engaged investigator and finally as a customer and, if he is wise, a raving fan. The Marketer's goal is to gently message the prospect into being a customer in such a way that he's convinced it was his idea to make the purchase.
The Salesman thinks on his feet. He understands different personalities and what motivates them and he figures it out within minutes if not seconds of meeting the prospect. He deftly interrogates and finds the pain of his prospect and immediately morphs his product or opportunity into the perfect solution.
Why This Matters To You
If you have a home based business, especially a network marketing or MLM business, chances are your upline expects you to be a salesman. Friends and family, circle of influence, paid leads and anyone netted in the "3 foot rule" all require selling to close the deal. You have a window of a minute or two to make it happen and if you don't do it right you likely poison the well forever.
Selling is a craft that can be learned like any other but most scripts are one dimensional and if you haven't learned what's between the lines your close rate will be minimal. The good news is that there are plenty of books, audios and live courses that teach the art of selling. The bad news is that most new network marketers grow weary of being battered by NO long before they master it.
Marketing is more subtle. It attracts prospects to you and allows you to gently present yourself and you product over time. It allows them to grow familiar with you and build trust and by the time the process matures the close is seamless and painless. It more readily builds raving fans and virtually eliminates buyer's remorse. Marketing also requires study and dedication but is easier to master than full frontal selling.
Both sales and marketing are essential to a successful business and understanding and eventually mastering both need to be part of your journey.
Where Are You In The Cycle?
Most home business and network marketers get the "cart ahead of the horse" by plunging into a business first and trudging through the process of mastering sales and marketing later. Don't feel bad if this is where you are in the cycle. It's common and it's manageable.
Start now by investing in books, audios and coaching to teach you the fundamentals and plug into a mastermind group to help you hone your new skills. Nobody fell from the sky knowing these skills and you simply have to resolve yourself to make the commitment to success.