Modern professional services marketing did not really begin until 1977. Up to that time, “marketing” was what the male-dominated professions did on the golf course. But when an Arizona court decision allowed lawyers to advertise in 1977, it ushered a new era, which also coincided with the rapid growth of female professionals.
Still, many PR people are mystified by services marketing. Our firm has been involved in this space since 1979, so maybe we can eliminate some of the mystery. Always bear in mind that professionals differentiate themselves by the quality of their thinking as well as their performance. That’s thought leadership – what we call the “marketing of ideas.”
Rules of the Road
Here are a few things to remember:
First, companies that buy a service are looking for one thing – a predictable outcome. From a CPA firm, it’s an error-free audit; from a management consulting firm, it could be a new go-to-market strategy. Corporations want successful trials from law firms and brilliant candidates from executive search firms. You get the idea.
Second, there is no guarantee that the buyer gets the desired outcome. Because services are delivered by people, they don’t offer the predictability of products. That makes relevant experience the key to the buying decision. Buyers want to know if a service provider has a track record of successful outcomes within a functional area, an industry, or both.
Making Experience Come Alive
How do you market experience? Certainly, the names of a firm’s clients are its most important asset. But those clients – and the services performed for them – are often confidential and cannot be used in B2B marketing communications.
What can be used are the insights of the firm’s people, which reflect their experience. Intelligently applied to the trends, issues and concerns of the target market – and the media that reach it – insights become the key differentiating factor. This is the marketing of ideas.
Getting Started
People love to talk about their work, and professionals are no exceptions to the rule. Ask them:
- What were your most interesting recent engagements?
- What did you learn from them?
- How does that apply to the larger market for your services?
And, if you’re a communications professional, can’t you ask these same questions of yourself and develop your own thought leadership platforms? Go ahead and try – and let us know how it turns out.
(photo by Kopfjäger)
To reach John:
Phone: 212.840.0444
Email: john@blisspr.com
LinkedIn: John Bliss
09/09/2009 at 11:15 AM Permalink
John:
A rainmaker once told me that clients hire a professional for one of two reasons:
1) They seek the best in class, or
2) They choose someone they trust, because of a pre-existing relationship
PR, as you have shown, is a great way to be seen as the best in class. Thanks for all the good work by your firm over the years.
Ford Harding
09/09/2009 at 3:07 PM Permalink
John,
First of all, I like the fact that you sent out a notice about your posting. That’s teaching by example.
What about timing? In my business, it’s only now and then that people are looking for my services. They don’t need them at regular intervals, like an audit. How do you market in that kind of environment? Continuously? (Could get expensive!)
Your recommendation to look into your own engagements is great. It’s the old “Acres of Diamonds” thing: there’s wealth in your own backyard if you have enough curiosity and wonder to see it. I often think the work I do is mundane, until I sit down quietly and think about each issue the client was dealing with.
In fact, I just got back from working with research scientists on how to present their work, and I’ll bet I can get a few blog postings for myself out of mining the experience for lessons.
Onward!
Sims Wyeth
09/10/2009 at 7:46 AM Permalink
This article is a short, concise summary of the essence of professional services marketing. The “Getting Started” is a simple excercise but could provide a lot of insight.
Nice article!
09/10/2009 at 2:10 PM Permalink
John,
Great point about the power of Thought Leadership as a means of demonstrating insight, and therefore experience. I think it’s important that the thought leadership has real substance and gives the reader genuine value.
I’ve been struck by two other points as I’ve helped professional firms wrestle with the issue of differentiation. One is that clients get real emotional value (over and above the business value) from the relationship with the professional, and that’s a neglected source of differentiation.
The second is that the business is more stable and lead generation less of a chore when the professional firm builds an identity that stands for something bigger and broader than the individual brands of its consultants. Substantive Thought Leadership and strategic PR are very effective in helping to build that elusive professional services organizational brand.
Tony Tiernan
09/11/2009 at 7:35 AM Permalink
Tony:
Thanks for your interest. I particularly like the point about “emotional value” being a client benefit over and above business value. That leads to the importance of trust, which is probably the bedrock of sustained firm/client relationships. That means that, even if the firm does not achieve the desired outcome, the client will not necessarily blame it on the firm and sever the relationship. It will trust that the firm gave its best effort but the desired outcome was not to be.
John
09/11/2009 at 8:52 AM Permalink
Thanks, Laura. You have an attractive website and great client list.
John
09/11/2009 at 8:53 AM Permalink
Thanks, Sims. In answer to your question, you’re right — marketing continuously is the answer to staying top of mind with potential clients. The good news is that you’re already doing it with your weekly tips! And I bet it’s not costing you a ton of money.
09/11/2009 at 8:54 AM Permalink
Ford:
I appreciate your comments because we have all had the privilege of learning from you.
John