{"id":530,"date":"2012-08-09T15:54:44","date_gmt":"2012-08-09T22:54:44","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.janusdialogs.com\/?p=530"},"modified":"2014-03-06T16:49:06","modified_gmt":"2014-03-07T00:49:06","slug":"marketing-is","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.janusdialogs.com\/?p=530","title":{"rendered":"Marketing is\u2026"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>…one half of an unfinished symphony.<\/p>\n

Whether marketing communications, product\/solution marketing, experience marketing, brand, advertising, demand generations, social media, or anything else, the balance of the melody is \u201csales\u201d.<\/p>\n

\u201cSales\u201d is in quotes because this word is also incomplete when it stands on its own.<\/p>\n

\u201cSales and marketing\u201d is a \u201ccomplete sentence\u201d containing an objective<\/em><\/strong> and a verb<\/em><\/strong> (you decide which is which \u2013 it works either way). The complete story requires a need (organic and\/or generated), a solution (functional and\/or emotional and\/or aspirational), and a method of connecting these two.<\/p>\n

Are the Apple stores (drop a dollar in the \u201cApple is over used as a case study\u201d jar) \u201csales\u201d or \u201cmarketing\u201d? Yes, they are. When you attend a tradeshow, are you being sold to or marketed to? Is the special offer via an email sales or marketing?<\/p>\n

The classic sales continuum starts with \u201cawareness\u201d and journeys to \u201cadvocacy\u201d. Each is touched by marketing and sales activities. Some of the steps have been considered more \u201cmarketing\u201d (awareness, interest, consideration, loyalty, advocacy) and others more sales (preference, purchase). But this may not hold as true today as in the past (if it ever really did).<\/p>\n

The distinction may best be considered as in the mind of the person being \u201cmarketed\u201d or \u201csold\u201d to. Some look to avoid the sales process, investing time researching and learning on their own, while some jump happily into the sales experience as soon as they decide (on their own or via external influence) they indeed have a need to fill.<\/p>\n

The stereotype is that the car buying experience is to be avoided; yet many flock to the Apple store (another dollar) for training and workshops and \u201cjust looking around\u201d that often result in the purchase of new software or accessories.<\/p>\n

Some are more motivated by the functional differences of the product or the price; some want an account exec or sales associate to work with them through the process. They want to be \u201csold\u201d to.<\/p>\n

Others are more attracted to the story, the message, the meaning, they may be quick to advocate and\/or associate themselves with the solution. (\u201cI\u2019m a Cadillac guy\u201d)<\/p>\n

So if the distinction is in the eye of the recipient, so is the definition.<\/p>\n

At best, sales or marketing is the emotional, functional, and aspirational experience that offers solution to \u201cmy need where, when, and how I want it.\u201d<\/p>\n

At worst, it is a manipulative interruption that upsets and annoys.<\/p>\n

When are sales\/marketing successful? When they are:<\/p>\n