Over the last 30+ years in marketing, I have discovered that people often use these words to mean the same thing, but they really are different.

If a home renovator puts signs and banners in front of a fancy house when they’re inside tearing down rooms to rebuild, that’s promotion. But it’s not good marketing.

Marketing is the creation of an entry point offer or conversation that ultimately leads your prospect to initiate an ideal sales conversation!

Promotion can support the great story that marketing creates and spreads. In today’s ATTENTION-driven economy it is really a selfish hustle for attention!

If you are trying to interrupt, trick, or coerce people to get the word out, you might be doing too much promotion and not enough marketing.

Let me know your thoughts on this.