Selling vs. Marketing: Is There Really a Difference? Are you selling a product or marketing your business? Did you know there is a difference? If you aren’t sure what you are-or should be-doing, you aren’t alone.

Running a business take a lot of time and energy. Getting the name out about your product or services may seem like something that you shouldn’t have to spend a lot of time on. After all, if you have a great product or service and outstanding customer service, people should flock to you, correct? At most, you should only have to run a few radio ads or send out some emails to get the attention of would-be customers.

The truth is, you need to sell and market your business. Think of it like this: When you sell something you talk about benefits. For example, if you sell home siding, you talk about how great that siding is-durable, energy efficient, etc. To market your siding you tell the consumer how much better their life will be when they buy your siding. They won’t have to worry about maintenance and their house will be more comfortable because siding it cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter.

But how do you know what prospective customers believe will make their lives easier? How do you know what to say to convince them that durable siding is something they can’t live without? The answer is simple. You listen to them. Sometimes what customers tell you won’t make sense, sometimes it won’t seem practical, but they know what they want so they are always right.

While selling is pretty straightforward, marketing involves measuring results. If your marketing campaign is working, you are gaining more customers and your current customers are buying more (although it is important to remember that even the most effective marketing efforts will take time). The key is to gage the performance of your marketing campaign over time. How much interest did it generate? That is the most important factor.

Finally, if your marketing efforts are paying off in the form of new customers, be sure and reward those customers. Satisfied customers are always your best salespeople. A lot of has changed in the world of marketing but when it comes to selling, nothing works better than word-of-mouth advertising.