Marketing or Sales?

Remember that post of mine on how sales is from Mars and marketing is from Venus? The Fox School of Business at Temple University invited me to moderate a panel of marketing and sales practitioners today. The goal: to illustrate the differences between a career in marketing and one in sales.

Before today I thought I was an odd duck. A corporate career in marketing started in the nonprofit world and carried on in 5 different industries and companies as diverse as you could imagine. Plus, a degree in linguistics to start with. I was not alone.

My colleagues, all from quite well respected companies in financial services, consumer products, and start ups, had as varied a history. Two of them ran their own consulting companies at various times throughout their careers. The one representative from sales also had a background in marketing and had started several BtoB ventures in the past. College degrees ranged from the classic MBA to less obvious courses of studies in psychology and anthropology.

We talked about every aspect of marketing, including the importance of quantitative skills and understanding of psychology for some types of jobs. As for sales: they just want to make more money and be left alone, as long as they meet their quota. There is some truth to that. A long time friend used to say that he sold out when he switched from marketing and communications to sales.

These days there seem to be plenty of young people wanting to jump into marketing. I attend the Wharton Marketing conference in the fall and I know several consumer products companies recruit actively there. What career would you recommend to a young MBA graduate: marketing or sales? Why?

Comments

[Phil Gerbyshak]

Valeria - I'd recommend a new grad start in sales, to understand what the market needs, and then gently shift into marketing. Though while in sales, certainly time could be spent in marketing, or doing some WOM marketing on the side.

[Joe Raasch]

Seth Godin has a great post right now on how to be a good marketer, written as advice to 'Nathan'.

I would start in marketing, as you have to work with many parts of the front and back office. If corporate life drags a bit, then get into sales, if not for the money, then for the 'edge'.

[Lewis Green]

Valeria,

Nice post and congratulations! My advice to anyone looking at any career is to understand yourself first. If you like to "be left alone" to make money, sales. If you like working creatively within teams, with direction and advice coming from near and far, marketing, and don't expect to make lots of money or have a secure job.

[Valeria Maltoni]

Phil -- your recommendation is consistent with what I've heard yesterday.

Joe -- some of the comments during the panel were that unless you gain some experience in marketing before your start, today's companies cannot afford training you on the job.

Lewis -- nicely put: "with direction and advice coming from near and far". Yes, everyone in the organization is usually an expert in marketing, even the CFO.

[Greg Krauska]

Valeria, I think the answer is sales, especially if you are competitively-driven. But the best salespeople are increasingly balanced. They must be effective collaborators and team-players across both their own and their customers' organizations; time demands require them to be more efficient and organized; competitive pressure requires them to be more innovative at a customer level. I am seeing that not all salespeople are ready for those demands.

I think that in the past, Lewis would be dead on. But the image of the Lone Ranger salesperson "left alone to make money" is fading.

Looking forward, as customer interactions become more conversational, the role of sales will become more important. Charles Green offers a terrific case for this view. http://trustedadvisor.com/blog/123/