Marketing a Service: Do It Effectively

When it comes to marketing a service it can at times be more challenging than marketing a product. You are not selling something that is tangible; you are in fact selling the invisible.
When selling a service the customer experience is extremely important to closing the deal and marketing effectively. The experience has an impact on the perceived value of the service.
Services also tend to have the reputation built on one person. The people involved in selling and performing the service have the ability to make or break a company's reputation. It's harder to do damage control for service companies, which means you must always be on your game and your reputation must remained untarnished and pristine.
Consumers often find it more difficult to compare service vendors. They can not touch or feel the product, rather they have to trust that the service will be performed as promised. How can you help your consumers compare you to other vendors?
A service can not be returned. If a service is purchased, but does not live up to the consumers expectation they can not return it for a new product. This costs the consumer time and as individuals our we often few our time as more valuable than money.
How do you market a service company?
Keep in mind that in traditional marketing we have the 4 Ps. When it comes to service marketing we add three more.
Traditional marketing components include:

• Product
• Price
• Place
• Promotion

When it comes to marketing services you add three more components to consider. They include:

• People
  All people involved either directly or indirectly of the consumption of a service is important. People can add a significant value to a service offering. People sell the service and either make or break the marketing of the services you offer. It's time to take a look at the "face" of your service and evaluate.
• Physical Evidence
  The way that service is delivered needs to be communicated and followed through. You are creating an intangible experience so communication and documentation is the only physical evidence you have to share with your consumer. Make sure you are doing enough of it.
• Process
  Procedure and flow of activities of how services are consumed is an essential element to your strategy in marketing a services. Everything must run smoothly to keep the trust of your consumer.

By developing your 4 Ps of marketing and enhancing them with the three mentioned above you can successfully market your service even though you are selling the invisible.

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