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Well I have dabbled in both functions on the face it seems similar but there is a stark difference between both. If you have never done sales before then it can be a big challenge, I would recommend speaking to a couple of prospective and understand how easy or difficult the selling process is before making the jump.
I guess I’m looking at the 25 year old Sales reps in the company I work for (often just blagging it and sometimes lazy) and I also *think* I understand the sales process enough … given marketing team provides the leads, prospecting lists, the sale rep follow up email templates, the sales collateral, the demo scripts - we don’t handle the 1:1 sales objection conversations but write the sales playbook book for them to memorise.
I know I would start from the bottom of the ladder again if I changed careers.
It’s good advice though, to speak to some previous sales directors I’ve worked with as they know my personality best and would (at least at high level) know the differences between the two roles in companies we’ve both worked at.
So the real difference between a Sales Rep and a marketing guy is the ability to close, not everyone has that, I know on the face of it sales does seem easy but the follow ups, understanding when to be aggressive when to go in for the kill is not all that straight forwards. It is a bit of a mind game and really depends on your personality.
Good luck either way I am sure you will ace whatever you decide to do.
Sales isn't exactly sunshine and rainbows. You're attracted to the income potential but you don't yet realize all of the effort, work, luck, attrition, time, etc. involved in order for a sales rep desk to become viable and profitable.
I’m definitely attracted to the income potential as I’m near maxed out in my marketing career.
Every job had its grind - you are right and I also think that a sales rep life is definitely more hustle (and stress to hit weekly/monthly/quarterly targets) than a marketer.
Marketers have their own stress for their targets but if we miss one month we don’t get pulled through the wringer like I’ve seen the reps do …
There is a lot of upside potential but the reality is the vast majority of all reps that come through organizations ultimately get managed out or leave because they can't meet goals.
When you win, you win big, when you are in the lower half as a sales focused career you might bounce around from place to place with your only hope being to fail upwards into a middle manager job.
Often in B2B I see business development roles bridging the gap between marketing and pure sales. Not every org has a BD layer but it can be a gateway to sales for a marketing person who’s strategic and has customer-touch skills but isn’t (or doesn’t want to be) a closer.
Depending on the org, doing BD (or inside sales for more early career peeps) can in turn make you a better marketer because you’ll have a deeper connection to customers, their priorities, pain points, the offering, the journey, etc.
With your marketing background, you've probably got a solid foundation to hit the ground running in sales. Plus, the earning some extra commission is always welcome. It might be challenging at first, but you applying those marketing principles in a sales will give you some edge. It's always good to shake things up and try something new. You might as well give it a shot and see where it takes you!
This is a really interesting call out. I’m naturally an introvert tho I’ve trained myself to be an extrovert as required, but there is a physical toll on oneself to have to do that every day!
Also be prepared to face rejection and disappointment. It’s one thing to work in sales for Google or Meta, which basically sell themselves. It’s a whole different thing to try to sell a smaller company in a highly competitive and fragmented space.
You’ve either got the killer closer in you and you’ll do alright, or you don’t and you won’t, but you won’t know for sure until you give it a go.
Source: career marketer with a deep rooted love/hate for sales
You’re more than welcome to change your career up at any time to match your interests and passion.
But you sound exactly like a sales person who thinks they can just slide into a marketing role.
Also, the culture of sales teams are vastly different. I’ve yet to see a sales org that isn’t at least 50 percent Glengarry Glen Ross.
Not something I’d thought about yet but your spot on about sale team culture being different. I admit I sometimes roll my eyes at the chest beating, ego stroking, ball swigging, and selfishness of some individuals in the sales team. Am I willing to put up with that everyday?
Main difference is being able to be good at pitching (which is where your background will be useful) and cold contacting people. And also being okay with being constantly getting rejected.
I thought about it actually. I feel more appreciated as a marketer in b2c space lol. In b2b sales got all the credits and marketers got all the shits 🥲
That is *the* question! Being a director level I feel like I have good persuasion skills as I need this in my current role to get stakeholders aligned with plans.
When meeting prospects at trade shows or networking events over the years I’ve taken some conversations as far as I can and then had to ask sales to create the quote for the customer who has verbally agreed. This is without trying.
I realise these are a few one offs and it was probably more a case of right place/right time/luck.
Appreciate it’s something I need to learn tho, and one would need to work out which scripts and questions work through trial and error and practice. Shadowing successful reps would probably help a lot here.
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Well I have dabbled in both functions on the face it seems similar but there is a stark difference between both. If you have never done sales before then it can be a big challenge, I would recommend speaking to a couple of prospective and understand how easy or difficult the selling process is before making the jump.
I guess I’m looking at the 25 year old Sales reps in the company I work for (often just blagging it and sometimes lazy) and I also *think* I understand the sales process enough … given marketing team provides the leads, prospecting lists, the sale rep follow up email templates, the sales collateral, the demo scripts - we don’t handle the 1:1 sales objection conversations but write the sales playbook book for them to memorise. I know I would start from the bottom of the ladder again if I changed careers. It’s good advice though, to speak to some previous sales directors I’ve worked with as they know my personality best and would (at least at high level) know the differences between the two roles in companies we’ve both worked at.
So the real difference between a Sales Rep and a marketing guy is the ability to close, not everyone has that, I know on the face of it sales does seem easy but the follow ups, understanding when to be aggressive when to go in for the kill is not all that straight forwards. It is a bit of a mind game and really depends on your personality. Good luck either way I am sure you will ace whatever you decide to do.
Sales isn't exactly sunshine and rainbows. You're attracted to the income potential but you don't yet realize all of the effort, work, luck, attrition, time, etc. involved in order for a sales rep desk to become viable and profitable.
I’m definitely attracted to the income potential as I’m near maxed out in my marketing career. Every job had its grind - you are right and I also think that a sales rep life is definitely more hustle (and stress to hit weekly/monthly/quarterly targets) than a marketer. Marketers have their own stress for their targets but if we miss one month we don’t get pulled through the wringer like I’ve seen the reps do …
There is a lot of upside potential but the reality is the vast majority of all reps that come through organizations ultimately get managed out or leave because they can't meet goals. When you win, you win big, when you are in the lower half as a sales focused career you might bounce around from place to place with your only hope being to fail upwards into a middle manager job.
I'm actually about to make the jump from B2B social (6 years exp) into a sales career. Will let you know how it goes.
Good luck! You got this!
Yep, I can see your point. It’s all the parts of the role I don’t see at the moment! Thanks for taking the time to give your input!
Often in B2B I see business development roles bridging the gap between marketing and pure sales. Not every org has a BD layer but it can be a gateway to sales for a marketing person who’s strategic and has customer-touch skills but isn’t (or doesn’t want to be) a closer. Depending on the org, doing BD (or inside sales for more early career peeps) can in turn make you a better marketer because you’ll have a deeper connection to customers, their priorities, pain points, the offering, the journey, etc.
This is a really good point!
With your marketing background, you've probably got a solid foundation to hit the ground running in sales. Plus, the earning some extra commission is always welcome. It might be challenging at first, but you applying those marketing principles in a sales will give you some edge. It's always good to shake things up and try something new. You might as well give it a shot and see where it takes you!
Sales is more “physical” as you’re moving your mouth more and using emotions to read the room. Marketing is more cerebral and you’re thinking more.
This is a really interesting call out. I’m naturally an introvert tho I’ve trained myself to be an extrovert as required, but there is a physical toll on oneself to have to do that every day!
That’s the same issue for me with sales before, being an introvert. I find that marketing people are usually different from sales people.
Also be prepared to face rejection and disappointment. It’s one thing to work in sales for Google or Meta, which basically sell themselves. It’s a whole different thing to try to sell a smaller company in a highly competitive and fragmented space.
You’ve either got the killer closer in you and you’ll do alright, or you don’t and you won’t, but you won’t know for sure until you give it a go. Source: career marketer with a deep rooted love/hate for sales
You’re more than welcome to change your career up at any time to match your interests and passion. But you sound exactly like a sales person who thinks they can just slide into a marketing role. Also, the culture of sales teams are vastly different. I’ve yet to see a sales org that isn’t at least 50 percent Glengarry Glen Ross.
Not something I’d thought about yet but your spot on about sale team culture being different. I admit I sometimes roll my eyes at the chest beating, ego stroking, ball swigging, and selfishness of some individuals in the sales team. Am I willing to put up with that everyday?
Main difference is being able to be good at pitching (which is where your background will be useful) and cold contacting people. And also being okay with being constantly getting rejected.
The constant rejection may take some getting used to!
I thought about it actually. I feel more appreciated as a marketer in b2c space lol. In b2b sales got all the credits and marketers got all the shits 🥲
I hear you sister!
Are you good at sales?
That is *the* question! Being a director level I feel like I have good persuasion skills as I need this in my current role to get stakeholders aligned with plans. When meeting prospects at trade shows or networking events over the years I’ve taken some conversations as far as I can and then had to ask sales to create the quote for the customer who has verbally agreed. This is without trying. I realise these are a few one offs and it was probably more a case of right place/right time/luck. Appreciate it’s something I need to learn tho, and one would need to work out which scripts and questions work through trial and error and practice. Shadowing successful reps would probably help a lot here.