When you sell a tangible product (a phone, a lipstick, a fridge)  the customer sees the item, reads the specs and reviews and then makes a purchase. But for service-based businesses, who sell something intangible such as training and coaching, landscaping or cleaning, the ‘product’ is invisible and because of this, your marketing needs to sell your expertise, time and most importantly, build trust.

A key point here is value perception. Customers are willing to pay a repeated premium, based on their perception of how valuable they believe your service is. Not only does this value need to be appropriately conveyed in your marketing, but it also needs to be sustained once your customer invests. This should be maintained through offering a high-quality service, a seamless customer journey, fair pricing and responsive and clear customer service.

Brands like Apple, who command high value through a strong brand image, consistent premium quality and innovation and well-rounded customer service, provide a good example of this.  

Don’t forget your target audience!

Of course, your target audience adds further nuance to your marketing strategy. For a B2B market your marketing not only needs to cultivate credibility, but it should also emphasise how it solves business problems, improves productivity and ultimately, saves money. But for a B2C market, who are more impulse-led and emotionally driven, your marketing needs to showcase the personal benefits, lifestyle enhancement opportunities and the emotional satisfaction that your service offers.

Essentially, whoever you’re selling to, your service marketing needs to tap into their desires and address them.

Here are five ways to approach your service-based marketing differently and how you can win:

1. Remember that you’re selling the intangible:

For the most part, unless you offer a free trial or taster session, potential customers can’t taste, touch or try your service before they buy. So, whilst product marketing can focus on tangible features, such as the fabric that a garment is made from or the organic ingredients used in a dish, service marketing should emphasise expertise, specialisation and customer experience.

Essentially, your marketing must make your service ‘real’. This can be done through effective case studies, behind-the-scenes content and detailed process explanations.

2. Building trust is crucial:

In service businesses, the ‘product’ and the ‘provider’ are often one and the same. Whether you’re a consultant, a personal trainer or an estate agent, your clients are buying you. The same is true for a team of pest control technicians, hairdressers or accountants. Building trust and a digital affinity between you, your team and your clients shouldn’t be underestimated.

Brand identity is key. An effective and professional digital presence is often your only chance to make a strong, first impression. Therefore, consistency and precision across your whole digital portfolio helps to showcase your skill and reliability.

3. The importance of relationship building:

In product marketing one-off sales are commonplace. Service marketing, however, thrives on long-term relationships. In many instances, it is these long-term relationships that nurture repeat sales, good quality referrals and emphasise the quality of your work.

Don’t neglect your existing customers. Keep offering them quality, not just through your established service, but through added extras like industry insights and tips and tricks. Tools such as newsletters, social media posts and events work well for this.

4. Social proof is powerful:

Show don’t tell comes to mind here. In our digital age which values and encourages digital connections, social media is a great tool for showcasing your testimonials, services and your team in action.

Make social proof part of your core lead-generation strategy. Don’t just list a quote or recount a service; create an effective story that guides readers through your client’s problem, the solutions you offered and importantly, the results.

5. Knowledge sharing is an awareness driver:

Service-based businesses often solve problems that customers don’t fully understand or don’t necessarily know they even have!

In turn, opening your audiences’ minds to new solutions and concepts is key to marketing your expertise as well as your service. This is often referred to as ‘thought leadership’, a strategic tool that establishes a brand or individual as a trusted industry authority and educates potential clients for free, to build awareness and credibility.

Make marketing work for your service-based business

At Bamsey Digital, our experts know that marketing a service isn’t necessarily about shouting the loudest, but more about building a consistent, valuable and trusted brand identity.

Whatever type of specialised service you offer, if you’re ready to optimise your marketing strategy and performance or need support building a forward-thinking plan, get in touch today and let your new marketing strategy do the work.