Ask 20 people this question, and you will likely receive 20 different answers.
Communication and marketing are closely linked and overlap in many ways, including in job descriptions and organizational departments. People within the industry blur the lines and argue over which one is more important, and people outside of it frequently use the terms interchangeably without really understanding what they mean. The main difference is that, by definition, marketing is promoting and selling products or services while communication is imparting/exchanging information or a means of connecting people or places.
In some cases, it’s easy to tell the difference. If you get a coupon from Target for 20% off on shoes, that’s a marketing piece. They’re trying to sell shoes. If your child’s school sends you a list of teacher workdays and holidays when the school will be closed, that’s communication. They want you to have that information, and they aren’t selling anything. But in a lot of cases, marketing and communication work hand in hand.
Here’s an example of the overlap:
In a past position, I created monthly e-newsletters that featured news about the organization, its’ programs, success stories, and other items of interest. The intent was to keep volunteers, alumni, and friends of the organization informed about the latest happenings. We wanted them to feel connected to the organization. So, easy to define – this was communication. But hold on; the organization also published a magazine that was for sale, promoted it in the newsletter, sold ad space to outside companies, and solicited donations. So, while it was primarily a communication vehicle, there were marketing elements.
Here’s another example:
A past client was hosting their annual conference, a major source of income for them, and wanted to promote the event. Their primary goal was to sell conference registrations. So, marketing. But they didn’t have a marketing budget or staff, so their promotional avenues were limited. They couldn’t afford paid advertising or market research, didn’t have a large social media following, and the main way they had to promote the event was through their email list – contacts that had signed up to receive information, not sales. So, I needed to craft messages that promoted the conference and drove registrations, but also provided enough information beyond the sales pitch that I didn’t alienate the audience. Primarily a marketing piece, but with communication elements.
If there’s so much overlap; why does the definition matter?
- To reach a goal, it’s essential to define it
If your CEO says, “we need to tell people about this” – what do they actually mean? If the goal is communicating the news, that requires a different approach than if the goal is to sell a new product. Marketing and communication might work hand in hand, but it’s important to know what the ultimate goal is in order to allocate resources and determine the primary audiences and channels.
- Skill sets differ; know what you’re looking for
A marketing professional might be able to create a great promotional and distribution plan, but not craft the messages that would move the audience to take action. Likewise, a communication professional might be great at telling the story of the organization, but not know how to set a price. Your organization needs to know what its priorities and needs are, and staff accordingly.
- Foster collaboration, not competition
The more marketing and communication understand each other, and the more the greater organization understands the differences and unique skills of each, the more likely you are to have a collaborative environment and reach your goals.
