In marketing we talk. In sales we listen.
Marketing messages are one-to-many. You create a message and then broadcast that to an audience.
In sales, your message is one-to-one. You can build the message for each audience.
In marketing we choose words. We craft statements we think will create interest and engagement for a common denominator.
In sales, our prospect chooses the words; we listen and use their words to craft the message for a denominator of one.
The goal of marketing is to create qualified leads for sales — if you will: identify potential relationships. The goal of sales is to build and maximize those relationships.
With these distinctions in mind, think about the true skills and focus of your funding efforts. If you want to MAXIMIZE relationships, focus on the skills of sales. Focus on engaging individuals, not audiences. Worry less about the perfect words and focus more on clarity of concepts, and the questions to ask.