What is the Marketing of a Professional Service?

Marketing is one of the hallmarks of successful companies. However, many firms that specialize in offering professional services do not fully utilize marketing strategies. Also, many firms that offer specialized professional services must adhere to professional standards for their marketing campaigns. As a result, marketing activities from professional service firms is generally less intensive than traditional manufacturing and commercial firms. 

Stigma

For many professions, there is a stigma associated with aggressive marketing tactics. In particular, doctors and consultants are often hesitant of launching large marketing campaigns. This stigma is a result of the historical practices of these types of professions. For example, according to research, doctors spend less of advertising than almost any other profession. This is partly a result of the profession's historical belief that doctors should serve the clients who seek them out. In other words, the profession has historically viewed it as wrong to actively seek out new patients for financial gain. However, changes in the pervasiveness of media makes marketing a successful strategy, and doctors' could increase the number of patients they treat with effective use of basic marketing campaigns.

Rules

Many professions have strict rules regarding what is acceptable advertising. For example, attorneys must abide by a strict code of ethics in their advertisements. In particular, they cannot claim to be a better attorney than any other practicing attorney. In other words, they cannot disparage their colleges for financial gain. However, attorneys are among the most aggressive in marketing professional services. This is a result of the extremely competitive nature of this profession, and its emphasis on financial gain for practicing attorneys.

Strategies

There are numerous strategies that professional services can use for marketing. In particular, television and radio commercials are the most common methods employed. However, social media campaigns are quickly gaining momentum. Social media allows the professional to directly reach out to potential clients. While television and radio commercials can help raise awareness about a professionals practice, social media allows the professional to directly communicate with potential clients. This increases the sales conversion rate, and it also reduces the cost of marketing.