What is the Difference Between Selling and Marketing

The key difference between selling and marketing is that selling refers to the transaction where a good or service is being exchanged for money, whereas marketing refers to the activities and plans that are taken by the companies to promote the buying or selling of a product or service.

Selling and marketing are two inter-related processes. Generally, in the modern market, it’s almost impossible to sell a product or service without using any marketing efforts.

Key Areas Covered

1. What is Selling  
     – Definition, Features 
2. What is Marketing
     – Definition, Features 
3. Difference Between Selling and Marketing
     – Comparison of Key Differences

Key Terms

Selling, Marketing

Difference Between Selling and Marketing - Comparison Summary

What is Selling

Selling is the process of transaction where goods or services are exchanged for payment. Selling takes place between a seller and a buyer or buyers. In order to become a successful seller, an individual has to develop good skills. Good salespeople should have the ability to build long-term relationships with customers. At the same time, a salesperson should have the ability to listen to customers in order to conduct successful business.

Selling vs Marketing

There are various sales tactics salespeople use an effective business. Some of those approaches include high-pressure sales, transactional sales, consultative selling, and collaborative selling. High-pressure sales use psychological pressure on the customer to make a sale while transactional sales focus on making quick sales. Moreover, in transactional selling, there is no attempt to build a long-term relationship with the customer. The consultative approach, on the other hand, focuses on developing an ongoing relationship with the customer. The salesperson’s target is to get to know the customer’s needs, and it lets the salesperson perform a good job according to the customer’s preferences. In addition, collaborative selling involves developing a partnership between the buyer and seller. However, the use of these approaches depends on the personality of the seller and customer, as well as the industry.

What is Marketing

Marketing takes place when companies launch actions and activities to promote their goods or services. The process of marketing should be developed and implemented by companies and organizations in their strategic plans. Thus, marketing has become one of the key aspects of a business. Aspects like distribution, promotion, designing and creating materials, improving customer experience come under the category of marketing.

Compare Selling and Marketing - What's the difference?

Marketing really helps to raise the brand name of a particular product or service. This is significant for a business since it makes products or services familiar to the customer. At the same time, marketing helps to increase the revenue of a business. Marketing helps to achieve the goals of a particular business. Moreover, there are different marketing strategies to develop an effective business.

Difference Between Selling and Marketing

Definition

Selling refers to a process where goods or services are exchanged for money, whereas marketing refers to activities and plans that are used by companies to promote the buying or selling of a product or service.

Basis

Selling involves creating products or services and selling them to customers, whereas marketing refers to finding the wants of customers and fulfilling them.

Focus

Selling basically focuses on the wants of the seller, while marketing focuses on the wants of the customer.

Nature

While selling emphasizes more on the product or service, marketing emphasizes more on the needs and wants of the consumer.

Product vs Market

Even though selling identifies the significance of the product or the service first, marketing identifies the market first.

Perception

Selling sees the business as a process of goods and service production, whereas marketing sees the business as a consumer satisfying process.

Summary – Selling vs Marketing

The key difference between selling and marketing is that selling refers to a process where goods or services are exchanged for money, whereas marketing refers to activities and plans that are used by companies to promote the buying or selling of a product or service.

Reference:

1. “What Is Marketing? Definition, Benefits, and Strategies.” Cyberclick.
2. Ward, Susan. “What Is Selling?” The Balance Small Business.

Image Courtesy:

1. “Ecommerce-selling-online” (CC0) via Pixabay
2. “Marketing-advertising-internet” (CC0) via Pixabay

About the Author: Anuradha

Anuradha has a BA degree in English, French, and Translation studies. She is currently reading for a Master's degree in Teaching English Literature in a Second Language Context. Her areas of interests include Arts and Literature, Language and Education, Nature and Animals, Cultures and Civilizations, Food, and Fashion.

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