This is a re-post from thought leader Seth Godin and we think it’s pretty great.
People often use the words to mean the same thing, but they’re different.
If an exterminator puts signs and banners in front of a fancy house when they’re inside killing rats, that’s promotion. But it’s not good marketing.
Marketing is creating the conditions for a story to spread so you can help people get to where they hope to go. Marketing is work that matters for people who care, a chance to create products and services that lead to change.
Promotion can support that. Or it might simply be a selfish hustle for attention.
If you have to interrupt, trick or coerce people to get the word out, you might be doing too much promotion and not enough marketing.