We know this is a bold statement that could have us gawked at in some circles — but hear us out.
Marketing and sales are the same thing. The only thing that’s different is how they’re executed. Sales is executed through intimate conversations between one or a few people at a time — it’s relationship-based. Marketing is executed through informative conversations between an infinite number of people at the same time — it’s reputation-based.
Both conversations are providing value, insights, and promises. Both conversations are creating meaning and curating a sense of safety — you’re solving a problem and relieving them of something. Why are we talking about this?
A lot of agents that we talk to know that sales are a part of the business and are open and ready to get after it. A lot more agents recoil at the very mention of the word “marketing” and try to think of all the ways they can get out of it or have someone else do it for them.
“If we change the way we look at things, the things we look at change.” – Errol Gerson
If we see sales and marketing as the same thing — then how we perceive marketing changes. Success in the business comes down to relationships — your ability to create them with integrity is your reputation. Leverage that.
Listen to Lisa Cassidy — one of our top agents —share her experience working with Annuity Agents Alliance.