Effectively reaching your customers is critical for business success. 

While this might seem obvious, it is an area which companies struggle with the most.  No matter how good your product or service is, customers will not come and find you - you must go out and find them. 

Marketing and sales go hand in hand, but they are two distinct functions within a company. In a small business, both functions may be carried out by the same person.  

Marketing supports the sales effort, helps to create the lead and paves the way for the sale to be made. 

Selling is about closing the deal and bringing revenue to the company.

There is a natural flow-on from marketing to sales, and this synergy must be understood in order to create effective marketing and sales strategies. Remember that before you start your new business, you need to decide on a strategy that will work for your individual situation.

The Small Business Tool Kit provides further information about marketing and sales considerations when starting up a business. These topics are also explained in depth in the Marketing and Selling Techniques modules.