{"id":158585,"date":"2024-08-19T18:50:58","date_gmt":"2024-08-19T13:20:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.digitalvidya.com\/blog\/?p=158585"},"modified":"2026-02-22T12:26:12","modified_gmt":"2026-02-22T06:56:12","slug":"difference-between-sales-and-marketing","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.digitalvidya.com\/blog\/difference-between-sales-and-marketing\/","title":{"rendered":"What Is the Difference Between Sales and Marketing? 10 Key Differences Every Professional Must Know"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The difference between sales and marketing comes down to one fundamental distinction: <strong>marketing creates demand and attracts potential customers<\/strong>, while <strong>sales converts that demand into revenue through direct transactions<\/strong>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Marketing operates on a one-to-many scale \u2014 building brand awareness, educating audiences, and generating leads through campaigns, content, and advertising. Sales operates on a one-to-one scale \u2014 nurturing individual prospects, handling objections, and closing deals through personal interaction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Understanding this distinction is critical for anyone in business, whether you are a startup founder deciding where to invest first, a student choosing between career paths, or a professional looking to align these two functions for maximum growth. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Research shows that companies with strong sales and marketing alignment achieve 36% higher customer retention rates and 38% higher sales win rates, yet only 35% of organisations actively align these departments.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This guide breaks down the 10 key differences between sales and marketing across goals, processes, strategies, tools, roles, and timelines \u2014 and then shows you exactly how to make both functions work together for exponential business growth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"key-takeaways\"><\/span>Key Takeaways<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Sales<\/strong> is the process of directly selling products or services to customers through one-to-one interactions, negotiations, and deal closures to generate immediate revenue.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Marketing<\/strong> is the strategic process of creating awareness, building brand equity, and attracting potential customers through research, campaigns, and content across multiple channels.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The <strong>4Ps of marketing<\/strong> (Product, Price, Place, Promotion) form the strategic foundation that sales teams execute on at the individual customer level.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Lead qualification<\/strong> \u2014 the transition from Marketing-Qualified Lead (MQL) to Sales-Qualified Lead (SQL) \u2014 is the critical handoff point between marketing and sales.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Aligned sales and marketing efforts can boost revenue by up to <strong>208%<\/strong>, making &#8220;smarketing&#8221; (sales + marketing integration) a growth priority for modern businesses.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Both functions use different <strong>tools, timelines, and KPIs<\/strong>, but share the same ultimate objective: profitable <a href=\"https:\/\/www.digitalvidya.com\/blog\/lead-generation-process\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">customer acquisition<\/a> and long-term business growth.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"what-is-sales-definition-and-core-functions\"><\/span>What Is Sales? Definition and Core Functions<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Sales is the process of identifying qualified prospects, engaging them through direct interaction, addressing their specific needs, and persuading them to purchase a product or service. It is the revenue-generating engine of every business \u2014 the function that converts interest into transactions and prospects into paying customers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The sales process typically follows a structured pipeline:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Prospecting:<\/strong> Identifying potential customers who fit the ideal buyer profile<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Qualification:<\/strong> Determining whether a prospect has the budget, authority, need, and timeline (BANT criteria) to make a purchase<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Presentation:<\/strong> Demonstrating how the product or service solves the prospect&#8217;s specific problem<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Objection handling:<\/strong> Addressing concerns, hesitations, and competitive comparisons<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Closing:<\/strong> Finalising the transaction through negotiation and agreement<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Follow-up:<\/strong> Maintaining the relationship for upselling, cross-selling, and referrals<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Sales professionals interact directly with customers \u2014 whether through face-to-face meetings, phone calls, video conferences, or live chat \u2014 making it an inherently relationship-driven function. The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.digitalvidya.com\/blog\/sales-funnel\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">sales funnel<\/a> tracks this journey from initial contact to final purchase, measuring conversion rates at each stage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"what-is-marketing-definition-and-core-functions\"><\/span>What Is Marketing? Definition and Core Functions<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Marketing is the strategic process of researching, creating, communicating, and delivering value to a target audience. Unlike sales, which focuses on individual transactions, marketing operates at scale \u2014 building brand awareness, shaping customer perceptions, and generating a steady flow of qualified leads for the sales team to convert.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The foundation of every marketing strategy rests on the <strong>4Ps of marketing<\/strong> (also called the marketing mix):<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table class=\"has-fixed-layout\"><thead><tr><th>The 4Ps<\/th><th>What It Covers<\/th><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td><strong>Product<\/strong><\/td><td>What you sell \u2014 features, benefits, design, quality, and packaging<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Price<\/strong><\/td><td>How much you charge \u2014 pricing strategy, discounts, payment terms<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Place<\/strong><\/td><td>Where you sell \u2014 distribution channels, online vs offline, geographic reach<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Promotion<\/strong><\/td><td>How you communicate \u2014 advertising, content marketing, social media, PR, email<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Modern <a href=\"https:\/\/www.digitalvidya.com\/blog\/what-is-digital-marketing\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">digital marketing<\/a> has expanded the promotional toolkit dramatically. Today&#8217;s marketing professionals leverage search engine optimisation (SEO), pay-per-click advertising (PPC), content marketing, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.digitalvidya.com\/blog\/types-of-social-media\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">social media marketing<\/a>, email automation, influencer partnerships, and marketing analytics to reach and engage their target audience at every stage of the buyer&#8217;s journey.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Marketing is fundamentally about understanding your customer better than your competitors do \u2014 and then using that understanding to craft messages, experiences, and offers that attract them to your brand before any salesperson ever makes contact.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"10-key-differences-between-sales-and-marketing\"><\/span>10 Key Differences Between Sales and Marketing<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"1-what-is-the-core-objective-of-sales-vs-marketing\"><\/span>1. What Is the Core Objective of Sales vs Marketing?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The primary objective of marketing is to generate awareness, build brand equity, and create a pipeline of interested prospects. Marketing aims to make potential customers aware that a solution exists for their problem and that your brand offers it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The primary objective of sales is to convert those prospects into paying customers and generate revenue. Sales professionals focus on closing deals, hitting quotas, and maximising the value of each transaction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table class=\"has-fixed-layout\"><thead><tr><th>Dimension<\/th><th>Marketing<\/th><th>Sales<\/th><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td><strong>Primary goal<\/strong><\/td><td>Build awareness and generate leads<\/td><td>Close deals and generate revenue<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Success metric<\/strong><\/td><td>Brand reach, leads generated, CAC<\/td><td>Revenue, conversion rate, deal size<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Focus<\/strong><\/td><td>Market (many people)<\/td><td>Individual prospect (one person)<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"2-how-does-the-process-differ-between-sales-and-marketing\"><\/span>2. How Does the Process Differ Between Sales and Marketing?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The marketing process begins with market research \u2014 understanding customer demographics, psychographics, pain points, and buying behaviour. This research informs campaign strategy, content creation, channel selection, and budget allocation. Marketing then executes campaigns designed to attract, engage, and nurture potential customers until they are ready to buy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The sales process begins where marketing&#8217;s process ends \u2014 at the point of lead handoff. Sales takes qualified leads, initiates direct contact, conducts needs assessments, delivers tailored presentations, handles objections, and negotiates terms until the deal is closed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The critical handoff between these processes is <strong>lead qualification<\/strong>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>A <strong>Marketing-Qualified Lead (MQL)<\/strong> is a prospect who has shown interest through marketing interactions (downloading content, attending webinars, engaging with emails) but has not yet been vetted by sales.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>A <strong>Sales-Qualified Lead (SQL)<\/strong> is a prospect that the sales team has evaluated and confirmed as ready for direct sales engagement based on criteria like budget, authority, need, and timeline.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"3-what-strategies-do-sales-and-marketing-teams-use\"><\/span>3. What Strategies Do Sales and Marketing Teams Use?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Marketing strategies are designed to reach large audiences and build long-term brand presence. Common <a href=\"https:\/\/www.digitalvidya.com\/blog\/internet-marketing-strategies\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">marketing strategies<\/a> include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Content marketing<\/strong> \u2014 blog posts, whitepapers, case studies, and videos that educate and attract<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Search engine optimisation (SEO)<\/strong> \u2014 ranking in search results for target keywords<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Social media marketing<\/strong> \u2014 building community and engagement across platforms<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Email marketing<\/strong> \u2014 nurture sequences, newsletters, and promotional campaigns<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Pay-per-click advertising (PPC)<\/strong> \u2014 paid search and display ads for immediate visibility<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Influencer and affiliate marketing<\/strong> \u2014 leveraging third-party reach and credibility<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Sales strategies are designed for one-to-one engagement and conversion. Common sales methodologies include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>SPIN Selling<\/strong> \u2014 structured questioning around Situation, Problem, Implication, and Need-payoff<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Solution Selling<\/strong> \u2014 identifying and solving a customer&#8217;s specific business problem<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Challenger Sale<\/strong> \u2014 teaching, tailoring, and taking control of the sales conversation<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Inbound Selling<\/strong> \u2014 aligning the sales process with the buyer&#8217;s journey<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Consultative Selling<\/strong> \u2014 acting as a trusted advisor rather than a product pusher<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>NEAT Selling<\/strong> \u2014 qualifying based on Need, Economic impact, Access to authority, and Timeline<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"4-how-do-customer-interactions-differ\"><\/span>4. How Do Customer Interactions Differ?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Marketing rarely involves direct, personal interaction with individual customers. Instead, marketers communicate through mediated channels \u2014 websites, social media posts, email campaigns, advertisements, blog articles, and video content. The interaction is one-to-many: one piece of content reaches thousands or millions of people simultaneously.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Sales, conversely, is built on direct, personal interaction. Sales professionals communicate one-to-one through phone calls, face-to-face meetings, video demonstrations, personalised emails, and live chat conversations. This personal touch allows salespeople to customise their approach based on each prospect&#8217;s specific situation, objections, and decision-making process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"5-what-is-the-difference-in-timeframe-and-approach\"><\/span>5. What Is the Difference in Timeframe and Approach?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Marketing operates on a <strong>long-term timeline<\/strong> \u2014 campaigns typically run for months or even years. Building brand awareness, establishing thought leadership, and nurturing leads through the buyer&#8217;s journey takes sustained, consistent effort. The return on marketing investment (ROMI) often takes 6\u201312 months to fully materialise.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Sales operates on a <strong>shorter-term timeline<\/strong> \u2014 performance is measured in weekly, monthly, and quarterly quotas. The sales cycle for B2B transactions can range from 30 days to 12+ months depending on deal complexity, but individual salespeople are expected to demonstrate measurable progress toward revenue targets continuously.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table class=\"has-fixed-layout\"><thead><tr><th>Dimension<\/th><th>Marketing<\/th><th>Sales<\/th><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td><strong>Timeframe<\/strong><\/td><td>Long-term (months to years)<\/td><td>Short-term (days to quarters)<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Measurement cadence<\/strong><\/td><td>Monthly, quarterly, annually<\/td><td>Daily, weekly, monthly<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>ROI horizon<\/strong><\/td><td>6\u201312 months<\/td><td>Immediate to 90 days<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"6-what-is-a-sales-funnel-vs-a-marketing-funnel\"><\/span>6. What Is a Sales Funnel vs a Marketing Funnel?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">While often discussed interchangeably, the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.digitalvidya.com\/blog\/sales-funnel\/\">sales funnel<\/a> and marketing funnel represent different stages of the customer journey:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Marketing Funnel (Top &amp; Middle):<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Awareness<\/strong> \u2014 Prospect discovers your brand through content, ads, or referrals<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Interest<\/strong> \u2014 Prospect engages with your content, follows your social channels, or subscribes<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Consideration<\/strong> \u2014 Prospect compares solutions, reads case studies, attends webinars<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Sales Funnel (Middle &amp; Bottom):<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Intent<\/strong> \u2014 Prospect requests a demo, starts a trial, or contacts sales<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Evaluation<\/strong> \u2014 Sales provides tailored presentations, handles objections, sends proposals<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Purchase<\/strong> \u2014 Prospect signs the contract and becomes a customer<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The overlap in the middle stages is where MQL-to-SQL handoff occurs, and where <a href=\"https:\/\/www.digitalvidya.com\/blog\/5-effective-top-funnel-marketing-strategies\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">top funnel marketing strategies<\/a> transition into bottom-funnel sales activities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"7-what-tools-do-sales-and-marketing-teams-use\"><\/span>7. What Tools Do Sales and Marketing Teams Use?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Both functions rely on technology, but the toolsets serve different purposes:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Marketing Tools:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Marketing automation platforms<\/strong> \u2014 HubSpot Marketing Hub, Marketo, Mailchimp, ActiveCampaign<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>SEO and analytics<\/strong> \u2014 Google Analytics, SEMrush, Ahrefs, Google Search Console<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Social media management<\/strong> \u2014 Hootsuite, Buffer, Sprout Social<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Content management<\/strong> \u2014 WordPress, Contentful<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Design and creative<\/strong> \u2014 Canva, Adobe Creative Suite<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Email marketing<\/strong> \u2014 Mailchimp, ConvertKit, Klaviyo<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Sales Tools:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>CRM platforms<\/strong> \u2014 Salesforce, HubSpot CRM, Zoho CRM, Pipedrive<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Sales engagement<\/strong> \u2014 Outreach, SalesLoft, Apollo.io<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Communication<\/strong> \u2014 Zoom, Microsoft Teams, Calendly<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Proposal and contracts<\/strong> \u2014 PandaDoc, DocuSign, Proposify<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Sales intelligence<\/strong> \u2014 ZoomInfo, LinkedIn Sales Navigator, Clearbit<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Invoice and payments<\/strong> \u2014 FreshBooks, Stripe, QuickBooks<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Shared Tools:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>CRM systems<\/strong> \u2014 the central hub where both teams access customer data, track interactions, and measure pipeline progression<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Communication platforms<\/strong> \u2014 Slack, Microsoft Teams for cross-functional collaboration<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Analytics dashboards<\/strong> \u2014 shared reporting on revenue attribution and pipeline health<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"8-what-are-the-key-roles-in-sales-vs-marketing\"><\/span>8. What Are the Key Roles in Sales vs Marketing?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Marketing Team Roles:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table class=\"has-fixed-layout\"><thead><tr><th>Role<\/th><th>Primary Responsibility<\/th><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td>Chief Marketing Officer (CMO)<\/td><td>Overall marketing strategy and brand direction<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Marketing Manager<\/td><td>Campaign planning and execution<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Content Marketing Manager<\/td><td>Blog, video, and content strategy<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>SEO Specialist<\/td><td>Search engine visibility and organic traffic<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Social Media Manager<\/td><td>Community building and social engagement<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Marketing Analyst<\/td><td>Data analysis, reporting, and optimisation<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Brand Manager<\/td><td>Brand positioning and consistency<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><a href=\"https:\/\/www.digitalvidya.com\/blog\/digital-marketing-executive\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Digital Marketing Executive<\/a><\/td><td>Multi-channel digital campaign execution<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Sales Team Roles:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table class=\"has-fixed-layout\"><thead><tr><th>Role<\/th><th>Primary Responsibility<\/th><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td>VP of Sales<\/td><td>Sales strategy and revenue targets<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Sales Manager<\/td><td>Team leadership and performance management<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Account Executive<\/td><td>Prospect engagement and deal closure<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Sales Development Representative (SDR)<\/td><td>Outbound prospecting and lead qualification<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Account Manager<\/td><td>Customer retention and expansion<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Sales Operations Analyst<\/td><td>Process optimisation and tool management<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Business Development Representative<\/td><td>Partnership and new market development<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"9-what-kpis-do-sales-and-marketing-track\"><\/span>9. What KPIs Do Sales and Marketing Track?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Marketing and sales measure success with different key performance indicators, though both ultimately contribute to revenue:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Marketing KPIs:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Website traffic and organic search rankings<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Lead generation volume (MQLs)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Customer acquisition cost (CAC)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Marketing return on investment (ROMI)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Email open rates and click-through rates<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Social media engagement and follower growth<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Brand awareness and share of voice<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Content performance (time on page, bounce rate)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Sales KPIs:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Monthly and quarterly revenue<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Sales-qualified leads (SQLs) converted<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Win rate (deals closed \/ deals pursued)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Average deal size<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Sales cycle length<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Customer lifetime value (CLV)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Quota attainment percentage<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Pipeline coverage ratio<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"10-is-marketing-more-important-than-sales-or-vice-versa\"><\/span>10. Is Marketing More Important Than Sales (or Vice Versa)?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Neither function is more important than the other \u2014 they are complementary and interdependent. Marketing without sales creates awareness that never converts. Sales without marketing generates transactions without brand equity or sustainable demand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The most successful businesses recognise that marketing builds the foundation (brand, leads, demand), and sales builds the revenue stream (transactions, relationships, growth). The question is not which is more important, but how effectively they work together.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"how-do-sales-and-marketing-work-together-the-smarketing-approach\"><\/span>How Do Sales and Marketing Work Together? The Smarketing Approach<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">&#8220;Smarketing&#8221; \u2014 the strategic alignment of sales and marketing \u2014 is one of the most powerful growth levers available to modern businesses. When both teams operate from shared goals, shared data, and shared accountability, the results are dramatic: organisations with tightly aligned sales and marketing functions generate 208% more revenue from their marketing efforts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Here are proven strategies for achieving sales-marketing alignment:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"create-a-service-level-agreement-sla-between-teams\"><\/span>Create a Service-Level Agreement (SLA) Between Teams<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A service-level agreement formalises the commitments each team makes to the other. For example:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Marketing commits to:<\/strong> delivering a specific number of MQLs per month, providing lead scoring criteria, and creating sales enablement content<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Sales commits to:<\/strong> following up on MQLs within a defined timeframe (e.g., 24 hours), providing feedback on lead quality, and logging all prospect interactions in the CRM<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"establish-shared-goals-and-metrics\"><\/span>Establish Shared Goals and Metrics<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Rather than siloing KPIs, create overlapping metrics both teams are accountable for \u2014 such as lead-to-customer conversion rate, customer acquisition cost, and revenue per lead source.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"implement-a-unified-crm-system\"><\/span>Implement a Unified CRM System<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A shared CRM platform gives both teams visibility into the entire customer journey \u2014 from first website visit to closed deal. This eliminates data silos and ensures seamless handoffs between marketing nurture sequences and sales follow-up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"schedule-regular-cross-functional-meetings\"><\/span>Schedule Regular Cross-Functional Meetings<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Weekly or biweekly alignment meetings where marketing shares campaign performance and upcoming initiatives, and sales shares pipeline updates and feedback on lead quality, keep both teams synchronised and responsive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"define-the-mql-to-sql-handoff-clearly\"><\/span>Define the MQL-to-SQL Handoff Clearly<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The single biggest source of friction between sales and marketing is disagreement on what constitutes a &#8220;qualified&#8221; lead. Create explicit criteria \u2014 based on demographic fit, behavioural signals, and engagement level \u2014 that both teams agree to before any leads are passed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"sales-vs-marketing-quick-comparison-table\"><\/span>Sales vs Marketing: Quick Comparison Table<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table class=\"has-fixed-layout\"><thead><tr><th>Parameter<\/th><th>Marketing<\/th><th>Sales<\/th><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td><strong>Definition<\/strong><\/td><td>Creating awareness and generating interest<\/td><td>Converting interest into transactions<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Focus<\/strong><\/td><td>Market \/ audience (one-to-many)<\/td><td>Individual prospect (one-to-one)<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Objective<\/strong><\/td><td>Build brand, generate leads<\/td><td>Close deals, generate revenue<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Approach<\/strong><\/td><td>Pull strategy (attract)<\/td><td>Push strategy (persuade)<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Timeframe<\/strong><\/td><td>Long-term (months\/years)<\/td><td>Short-term (days\/quarters)<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Customer interaction<\/strong><\/td><td>Indirect (content, ads, media)<\/td><td>Direct (calls, meetings, demos)<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Key framework<\/strong><\/td><td>4Ps (Product, Price, Place, Promotion)<\/td><td>BANT (Budget, Authority, Need, Timeline)<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Primary KPI<\/strong><\/td><td>Leads generated, CAC, brand awareness<\/td><td>Revenue, win rate, deal size<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Tools<\/strong><\/td><td>SEO, automation, social media, analytics<\/td><td>CRM, sales engagement, proposals<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Lead type<\/strong><\/td><td>Marketing-Qualified Lead (MQL)<\/td><td>Sales-Qualified Lead (SQL)<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Scope<\/strong><\/td><td>Broad market positioning<\/td><td>Individual deal negotiation<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Budget spent on<\/strong><\/td><td>Campaigns, content, advertising<\/td><td>Commissions, travel, demos<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"how-does-digital-marketing-differ-from-traditional-sales\"><\/span>How Does Digital Marketing Differ from Traditional Sales?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The rise of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.digitalvidya.com\/blog\/digital-marketing-vs-sales\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">digital marketing<\/a> has blurred traditional boundaries between sales and marketing functions. Digital channels like SEO, social media, and email marketing now perform functions that previously required salespeople \u2014 educating prospects, handling objections through content, and even completing transactions without human interaction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Key distinctions in the digital era:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Digital marketing<\/strong> uses data and automation to personalise messaging at scale, reaching thousands of prospects simultaneously with tailored content. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.digitalvidya.com\/blog\/digital-marketing-vs-traditional-marketing\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Traditional marketing<\/a> relied on mass media like TV, radio, and print.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Digital sales<\/strong> uses tools like CRM automation, AI-powered lead scoring, and virtual selling platforms to increase efficiency and reach. Research indicates that digital advertising is 5\u20136 times more cost-effective than traditional marketing channels on a cost-per-conversion basis.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Social selling<\/strong> \u2014 using platforms like LinkedIn, Twitter, and even Instagram to identify, connect with, and nurture prospects \u2014 represents the convergence of digital marketing and sales, where individual salespeople use marketing techniques to build their personal brand and generate their own leads.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"how-is-ai-changing-sales-and-marketing-in-2026\"><\/span>How Is AI Changing Sales and Marketing in 2026?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Artificial intelligence is transforming both functions at an unprecedented pace:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>AI in Marketing:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Predictive analytics for audience segmentation and campaign optimisation<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>AI-generated content for blogs, ad copy, and email sequences<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Chatbots and conversational AI for lead qualification and customer engagement<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Programmatic advertising with real-time bidding and targeting<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Marketing attribution modelling using machine learning<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>AI in Sales:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>AI-powered lead scoring that predicts which prospects are most likely to convert<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Automated email sequences with personalisation driven by prospect behaviour<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Conversation intelligence tools that analyse sales calls and provide coaching insights<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>AI sales assistants that handle scheduling, follow-ups, and data entry<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Revenue forecasting using predictive models<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">According to Salesforce research, 87% of buyers now expect sales representatives to act as trusted advisors, and AI tools are helping salespeople spend less time on administrative tasks and more time building relationships.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"sales-and-marketing-in-b2b-vs-b2c-what-changes\"><\/span>Sales and Marketing in B2B vs B2C: What Changes?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The relationship between sales and marketing shifts significantly depending on whether a business sells to other businesses (B2B) or directly to consumers (B2C):<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table class=\"has-fixed-layout\"><thead><tr><th>Dimension<\/th><th>B2B<\/th><th>B2C<\/th><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td><strong>Sales cycle<\/strong><\/td><td>Long (weeks to months)<\/td><td>Short (minutes to days)<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Decision makers<\/strong><\/td><td>Multiple stakeholders<\/td><td>Individual consumer<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Marketing focus<\/strong><\/td><td>Lead generation, thought leadership, account-based marketing<\/td><td>Brand awareness, emotional appeal, mass reach<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Sales focus<\/strong><\/td><td>Relationship building, solution selling, contract negotiation<\/td><td>Transactional efficiency, upselling, customer experience<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Typical deal size<\/strong><\/td><td>High (thousands to millions)<\/td><td>Low to moderate (individual purchases)<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Key channels<\/strong><\/td><td>LinkedIn, email, industry events, webinars<\/td><td>Social media, e-commerce, retail, influencer marketing<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In B2B, the alignment between sales and marketing is especially critical because the buying cycle involves multiple decision-makers and touchpoints. Account-based marketing (ABM) represents the most advanced form of sales-marketing alignment, where both teams collaborate to target and nurture specific high-value accounts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"what-is-the-salary-difference-between-sales-and-marketing-professionals\"><\/span>What Is the Salary Difference Between Sales and Marketing Professionals?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Career opportunities in both fields are robust and growing. Here is a general comparison of roles and compensation in the Indian market:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table class=\"has-fixed-layout\"><thead><tr><th>Role<\/th><th>Average Annual Salary (India)<\/th><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td>Digital Marketing Executive<\/td><td>\u20b93\u20136 LPA<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Marketing Manager<\/td><td>\u20b98\u201315 LPA<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>SEO Specialist<\/td><td>\u20b93\u20137 LPA<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Content Marketing Manager<\/td><td>\u20b96\u201312 LPA<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Sales Development Representative<\/td><td>\u20b93\u20136 LPA<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Account Executive<\/td><td>\u20b95\u201310 LPA<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Sales Manager<\/td><td>\u20b98\u201318 LPA<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>VP of Sales<\/td><td>\u20b925\u201350 LPA<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Sales roles often include variable compensation (commissions and bonuses) tied to performance, which can significantly increase total earnings. Marketing roles typically offer fixed salaries with performance bonuses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The demand for professionals who understand both functions \u2014 and who can bridge the gap between them \u2014 is growing rapidly. The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.digitalvidya.com\/blog\/rising-demand-digital-marketing-among-professionals\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">rising demand for digital marketing professionals<\/a> reflects this convergence, as modern marketers are increasingly expected to understand sales metrics, and sales professionals need marketing literacy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"real-world-example-how-sales-and-marketing-alignment-drives-results\"><\/span>Real-World Example: How Sales and Marketing Alignment Drives Results<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Consider how <a href=\"https:\/\/www.digitalvidya.com\/blog\/how-lulu-mall-increased-footfalls-and-sales-using-digital-marketing\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">LuLu Mall used a combination ofdigital marketing and sales strategies<\/a> to increase footfalls and in-store sales. Their marketing team ran targeted social media campaigns and location-based digital ads to build awareness and drive traffic. Their sales team then converted that foot traffic through in-store promotions, personalised offers, and customer engagement. The result was a measurable increase in both footfalls and revenue \u2014 a textbook example of sales and marketing alignment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"faq-frequently-asked-questions-about-sales-vs-marketing\"><\/span>FAQ: Frequently Asked Questions About Sales vs Marketing<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"what-is-the-main-difference-between-sales-and-marketing\"><\/span>What is the main difference between sales and marketing?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The main difference is that marketing focuses on creating awareness and generating interest in a product or service across a broad audience, while sales focuses on converting that interest into revenue through direct, one-to-one interactions with individual prospects. Marketing builds the demand; sales fulfils it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"can-a-business-succeed-with-sales-but-no-marketing\"><\/span>Can a business succeed with sales but no marketing?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A business can generate short-term revenue through sales alone, but long-term sustainable growth requires marketing. Without marketing, there is no systematic way to build brand awareness, generate inbound leads, or differentiate from competitors. Sales teams without marketing support spend disproportionate time on prospecting rather than closing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"what-does-smarketing-mean-and-why-does-it-matter\"><\/span>What does smarketing mean and why does it matter?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Smarketing is the strategic integration of sales and marketing into a unified revenue-generating function. It matters because aligned teams generate 208% more revenue from marketing efforts, achieve 36% higher customer retention, and see 38% higher win rates. Smarketing requires shared goals, shared data, service-level agreements, and regular cross-functional communication.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"what-is-the-difference-between-a-marketing-funnel-and-a-sales-funnel\"><\/span>What is the difference between a marketing funnel and a sales funnel?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The marketing funnel covers the top and middle stages of the buyer&#8217;s journey \u2014 awareness, interest, and consideration \u2014 where prospects are attracted and nurtured through content and campaigns. The sales funnel covers the middle and bottom stages \u2014 intent, evaluation, and purchase \u2014 where qualified leads are engaged directly and converted into customers. The handoff from MQL to SQL is the transition point between the two funnels.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"how-is-digital-marketing-changing-the-relationship-between-sales-and-marketing\"><\/span>How is digital marketing changing the relationship between sales and marketing?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Digital marketing has expanded marketing&#8217;s role deeper into the traditional sales process. Through marketing automation, personalised email sequences, retargeting ads, and content that addresses specific objections, digital marketing now nurtures prospects further down the funnel before sales ever makes contact. This means sales teams receive warmer, more educated leads \u2014 but it also means the line between &#8220;marketing activity&#8221; and &#8220;sales activity&#8221; continues to blur, making alignment more important than ever.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"conclusion-sales-and-marketing-are-stronger-together\"><\/span>Conclusion: Sales and Marketing Are Stronger Together<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Sales and marketing are two distinct but deeply interconnected business functions. Marketing generates the awareness, interest, and qualified leads that feed the sales pipeline. Sales converts those leads into customers and revenue. Neither function can reach its full potential without the other.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The most impactful action any organisation can take is to align both teams through a smarketing strategy \u2014 with shared goals, unified lead definitions, a common CRM, and regular communication. Companies that do this consistently outperform their competitors in revenue growth, customer acquisition, and long-term retention.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Whether you are a business owner looking to optimise your revenue engine, a marketing professional who wants to understand the sales perspective, or a student choosing a career path \u2014 understanding the difference between sales and marketing is foundational knowledge that will serve you at every stage. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.digitalvidya.com\/blog\/learn-digital-marketing-guide\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Start your journey by learning digital marketing from the ground up.<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The difference between sales and marketing comes down to one fundamental distinction: marketing creates demand and attracts potential customers, while sales converts that demand into revenue through direct transactions. Marketing operates on a one-to-many scale \u2014 building brand awareness, educating audiences, and generating leads through campaigns, content, and advertising. Sales operates on a one-to-one scale [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":224039,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"set","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[28],"tags":[11176,11173,11174,11175],"class_list":["post-158585","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-digital-marketing","tag-difference-between-sales-and-marketing-with-example","tag-difference-between-sales-and-marketing","tag-sales-and-marketing","tag-what-is-the-difference-between-sales-and-marketing"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.digitalvidya.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/158585","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.digitalvidya.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.digitalvidya.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.digitalvidya.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.digitalvidya.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=158585"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.digitalvidya.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/158585\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.digitalvidya.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/224039"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.digitalvidya.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=158585"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.digitalvidya.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=158585"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.digitalvidya.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=158585"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}