People often confuse marketing and selling. Actually, these are very different skills.

• Marketing asks the questions: Who are my customers? How can I find and approach prospective buyers? What do they need? How can I give it to them?
• Selling asks the questions: What income and production do I need? How can I get prospects to act on my recommendations?

Marketing is the process of identifying groups of people who fit your prospect profile, are likely to want to do business with you, and with whom you want to do business. A "market" is a group of people who have:

• Common experiences, identity and characteristics - including generational cohort, income, occupation, hobbies, language, ethnic group and educational background, or a combination of identifying factors.
• Common needs, objectives or concerns - which can be resolved with your products and services.
• Communication networks - which you can use to get referrals and introductions to other qualified buyers who fit your prospect profile.