There’s a persistent belief that shows up in many organizations…
“If we invest in marketing, we should immediately see new customers show up.”
It seems logical.
It feels intuitive.
But it’s not at all how it really works. This kind of thinking sets the wrong expectations and both marketing and sales end up frustrated. Or worse, each considers the other a failure.
Here’s the simple truth:
Marketing creates demand.
Sales creates customers.
Yes, they support and strengthen each other, but they are not the same thing. When you create these unrealistic expectations, you burden marketing with outcomes it cannot fulfill and you also diminish the impact that sales is supposed to have.
Marketing’s true job is to create the conditions for growth.
It shapes perceptions.
It tells your story.
It builds trust.
And, when it’s used properly, prospects begin to lean in and listen. They recognize the brand. They perceive the value proposition. But how does marketing do this?
It is accomplished through clear positioning, consistent and compelling messaging, visibility in all the right places, value-rich content, and the ability to become noticed in a noisy market.
Marketing doesn’t close deals. It opens doors and minds.
Sales, on the other hand, is where demand is turned into commitment. Sales handles the objections, uncovers the motivations, tailors the solution, and builds a strong personal connection that marketing alone cannot do.
Without strong sales execution, even great marketing becomes wasted potential. And, without strong marketing execution, sales becomes nothing but talk.
Besides having unrealistic expectations of marketing, many organizations also misdiagnose the real issue. When customer growth isn’t happening, they immediately assume it’s a marketing problem. But the first assessment they should make is whether they have a demand problem or a conversion problem.
Low demand is a marketing issue.
Low conversion is a sales issue.
Marketing should be evaluated on its ability to create interest, and sales should be evaluated on its ability to turn that interest into revenue. Get clear on that and your organization suddenly becomes more focused, more accountable, and more aligned.
Think of it this way:
Marketing sets the table.
Sales serves the meal.
Growth requires both.