marketing professional services

Like this article? PLEASE +1 it!

marketing professional services Tagged Articles

Selling Professional Services – 5 Opportunities to Grow Rich in Tough Economic Times
Selling professional services has always been challenging especially as the financial investment increases and the sales cycle lengthens. Even when times are good and the economy is booming. Right off the bat, you know it isn’t going to be easy. Just take a look around…

ON SERVICE BRANDING, DIFFERENTIATION, AND MARKET SHARE

By Mike Schultz and John Doerr To maximize profit, managers have pursued the Holy Grail of becoming number one or two in their industries. Recently, however, new measures of service industries like software and banking suggest that customer loyalty is a more important determinant of profit. - James Heskett, et. al., Putting the Service-Profit Chain to Work, Harvard Business Review Product companies seek to become market-share leaders. To do this, they look to launch and manage a portfolio of differentiated products that have specific features most appealing to a specific target audience for a reasonable (but as high as possible) price.

Other marketing professional services Related Articles

“A Business Coach’s Top Ten Tactics for Marketing Professional Services”

Marketing professional services is a real and difficult challenge. The challenges of marketing professional services are different from those of marketing products. Two major reasons for the differences are that clients cannot see or touch professional services before they buy them and the professional services are often produced and consumed simultaneously. And another reason is that marketing professional services is split among marketing, sales, professional and management staff instead of a dedicated marketing and sales force. Based upon my research and my own professional experience, I developed a Top Ten Tactics for marketing professional services. My top ten tactics for marketing professional services are:

The Abundant Marketing Mindset
It seems like every time I conduct a marketing workshop for small business owners about half the crowd admits that they don't really like marketing - it makes them feel like they are self-promoting. This mindset is particularly common among professional services providers. (Yes, doctors, lawyers, and accountants, I'm talking about you.)

How Professional Service Providers Can Break Through Resistance to Requesting Referrals, According To Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach

One of the most powerful strategic marketing tools is referrals. Are you resisting the opportunity to request referrals? In doing some research on this subject I learned that many, if not most, professional services providers resist because of fear. Yes, I said fear. The professional services providers are afraid they will: offend and therefore harm their relationship with a client; fail and not cultivate any new business; be perceived as a “salesman” or a “saleswoman” instead of as a professional; and be placed in a totally awkward and uncomfortable position with their clients. So, what can you do to break through and overcome this resistance? Your strategic thinking business coach has six (6) suggested “break through” strategies for you to consider.

Every day there are multitudes of entrepreneurial spirited people who think about starting his or her own professional service business. And of that multitude, there is some lesser number that actually moves forward and starts their own business to provide professional services off various kinds. Your Strategic Business Coach has worked with numerous entrepreneurs in the startup phase of their professional services businesses and has learned some valuable lessons from those experiences. From those “lessons learned,” Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach offers ten (10) recommended strategic actions that you need to take prior to starting your professional services business.

THE SEVEN DEADLY SINS OF PROFESSIONAL SERVICES MARKETING AND HOW TO AVOID THEM

By John Doerr The science and art of professional services marketing have come a long way in the last few years. It is no longer impossible to find examples of marketing efforts planned well, executed well, and measured well. Yet, in spite of these great strides, I continue to see the same marketing sins committed over and over again to the detriment of the firms and the people steering the marketing ship. What’s frustrating about these sins is that they are all made by intelligent people who have the good sense and ability to avoid them.

THE TOO SALESY PARADOX WHY PROFESSIONAL SERVICE PROVIDERS CANT SELL AND WHAT TO DO ABOUT IT

By John Doerr The distress is obvious. The complaints are frequent. The clear disdain for the activity is surprisingly unfiltered. What are we talking about? Selling, or more specifically, selling professional services. In conversation after conversation as I work with clients, conduct seminars, or network with my professional colleagues, I hear the same comments: Selling conflicts with my values as a professional. Selling gets in the way of building strong relationships. You have to have it in your genes - like a used car salesman. I don't sell professional services - I work with my clients to create the best solutions. People won't respect me as a professional if I am selling to them. I can't sell to them. What will they think of me? It (selling) is not what we do around here.

WHEN IT COMES TO MARKETING SERVICES: WE DON'T DO MARKETING
By Mike Schultz and John Doerr As we speak with leaders of professional services firms and ask them, "What do you currently do for marketing?" a certain percentage of them reply, "We don't do marketing." What we find, however, is maybe they do more than they think.

Design Your Own Logo, Save a Buck, Send the Wrong Message

Most new and small business owners are faced with the plethora of challenges, not the least of which are advertising and marketing. Making the most of their investment dollar is all-important. Too often, however, the corners that get cut can prove very costly down the road. Saving a buck on professional design services can set a bad precedent and create a stigma that is sometimes unable to be undone. Making the investment in professional design services can be a very wise move for many business owners.

Internet Marketing Specialists are in High Demand
In the ever expanding world of Internet Marketing, utilizing the services of a professional is becoming more and more necessary, which is why Internet Marketing Virtual Assistants are in high demand. Partnering with a Internet Marketing Virtual Assistant will help you to grow your online business much faster than on your own.

Client Feedback

When was the last time you asked a client for feedback about your professional services and how your office staff works as a team? You might turn up some useful information by doing a client feedback session when the work is complete. I recently had an experience with a hospital that is an example of how frustrating a poorly working team can be. As a practice advisor for attorneys I am always looking for examples, good and bad, about how to run a professional services practice.

Featured Article

Leadership and Greed

by: Dianne Crampton, Successful Team Building

Trending Articles

The Three B's of Dress

Internet Marketing For Travel Professionals – A Complete Guide

Using Value Stream Mapping Software

2 Traits To Create Relationship Through Your Brand - With People You've Never Met

Why You Might Not be Ready for Publicity

Newsletter

Get advice & tips from famous business
owners, new articles by entrepreneur
experts, my latest website updates, &
special sneak peaks at what's to come!

Suggestions

Email us your ideas on how to make our
website more valuable! Thank you Sharon
from Toronto Salsa Lessons / Classes for
your suggestions to make the newsletter
look like the website and profile younger
entrepreneurs like Jennifer Lopez.


Name:
Email: