ow do you separate a company's sales successes from its marketing efforts? Is marketing or sales ultimately responsible for increased revenue? Isn't the point of promotion to boost sales? On the other hand, are you spending a lot of money on promotion and watching sales decline?

What are the differences between sales and marketing? How do they affect and complement each other? How do companies design effective programs for the respective areas, so that each is distinct, but also integrates with the other?

The varying methods used and purposes of these separate but related efforts can cause disagreements between the people or teams responsible for each.

No matter which side receives the accolades, their functions and results often overlap. The programs should be in alignment and work in conjunction with each other.

What sales and marketing have in common is that it's all about building relationships. Sales goals are more tangible in nature. It's easy to establish criteria and measure quotas to see when they've been met and what's working. And sales professionals use a number of subjective tactics to close deals; what works best for one salesperson might not work for another.

Successful sales happen when quality products or services are produced by reputable, dependable companies, which are then represented by straightforward people. They use a number of ways to find customers, present information, close the sale, complete regulatory forms and paperwork, and then provide excellent follow-up and customer service once the contract is signed.

Part of the marketing staff's role is to support the sales team with materials, including brochures and press releases, by establishing and maintaining the company's brand and carrying out the promotional aspects of the program. Marketing efforts position your company and create awareness for your company name, logo and products.

While a marketing program should also incorporate some means for determining its success, the effects are often not as obvious or easy to measure as, say, annual sales volumes.

(Nancy Drexler's column, "Marketing 101," appears monthly in The Green Sheet and provides a lot of useful information on a variety of marketing techniques. See her article on "viral marketing" in this issue.)

Most marketing efforts require capital; you need to pay for ad space, the production and mailing of brochures, or for sponsoring an industry event. Sales efforts, on the other hand, bring in the cash that creates the overall budget on which marketing is a line item.

Marketing, including branding, advertising and public relations, encompasses methods used to inform existing and potential customers about the services and products your company provides.

These methods each implement a different set of techniques to get your company's message across; it's wise for businesses to be familiar with their unique purposes and how to use them in an overall promotional plan.

When Promotion Is Newsworthy

An essential piece in your promotional toolbox is public relations. Whether you call it PR, publicity or communications, this is a form of marketing that delivers your tailored message through targeted media placements; participating in events, conferences and trade shows; and forming community or industry alliances and partnerships.

It's getting your name out there without directly having to pay for it (but there are always indirect costs involved, such as staff time, travel and overhead).

Press releases are the basis of any public relations effort; they're also often the starting point for generating the longer news stories or in-depth features developed by writers and editors looking for new topics to cover; your press release might spark an idea.

When an item about your company runs in a publication, even if the item resulted from your press release, your message benefits from the format: an unbiased news story, rather than paid promotion such as ads. The downside of sending press releases is that you lose control of the final outcome; if an item is presented as news, it's considered to be editorial content, not advertising, and is not subject to approval by anyone.

Another part of a marketing plan is advertising, or the purchase of print space or airtime from a media outlet. Because they're paying for the privilege, advertisers (usually) get to word their messages exactly as they want (within reason). Ads are not subject to a publication's editorial rules of objectivity; you can say anything you want about your company or products and services as long as those claims are true.

Even though press releases are written to get a specific point or message across, editors and reporters might decide to add to the information through additional research or conducting interviews for clarification or to get first-hand quotes.

You can easily see when your press release appears or results in coverage, but can the effect of media placements be measured? What makes information newsworthy?

Think about what you find interesting and items you like to read. Timeliness; specific relevance and significance to the publication, its editors and readers; the accomplishments and recognition of management and staff and unusualness of the topic are a few considerations.

Along with the standard items (mergers, executive appointments, new products), following are just a few suggestions for getting your company's name in print by shedding its activities in a newsworthy light. Always remember to target your information to the publication or media outlet.

• Generate press releases that tie in your products and services with current trends, events or industry news: Is your company offering health care benefits or a solution that incorporates HIPAA rules? Are you offering a service featuring a new technology such as contactless payments?
• Conduct a poll or survey of your merchant customers, then release a report, make an analysisor a prediction.
• Write a letter to the editor. Release a letter that you've received (with permission) from a merchant that your colleagues and associates might also find interesting.
• Write a review of a business- or industry-related book or white paper.
• Offer to share your expertise with writers and editors at trade and general publications; let them know you're available for general comment or on a particular topic such as Check 21.

Regardless of how many marketing functions you decide to implement, they're meant to help you and your company build successful and long-lasting relationships with customers.

That's the ultimate goal for both sales and marketing.