How to Think about Positioning a Professional Firm
Poles and spans, lenses, function, and timing — everything you need to know to understand positioning better.
Thinking & Articles on Marketing for Professional Services firms
The times of placing an ad in yellow pages and consider marketing done are over. The role of marketing is growing. It is becoming the primary function of every business.
Professional services firms such as architects, contractors, lawyers, accountants, engineers and creatives have a trump card — their expertise. Their marketing efforts should use this advantage.
In these articles we explore ways of improving your marketing. We look into things that work and things that don’t. We combine theory with observations with personal experience and with that of other consultants.
Diagnose, Explore, Prescribe & Execute for the Right Buyer
Not every buyer is shopping for all four stages of the engagement. Matching buyer's type to the right mix of these four phases is key to market success of the firm.
The buyer is always right ... even when they're not
It appears that buyers of professional services are happy with making the same mistakes over and over again. Why wouldn't they take your professional advice when it is clearly in their interest?
How your “Foot in the Door” Tactic will Backfire
The Foot-in-the-door is a well-known and widely used tactic in the market. Professional firms suppose this way they'll earn trust and build rapport quickly. This approach can backfire too.
How to test the potential of your firm's differentiation
Prior to commitment to a transformational process of differentiation, the sensible question to ask is “How can we know in advance that our chosen differentiating idea is the right one?”
Aiming for Top rankings – what's the point?
Competition for higher rankings – is this all vanity or is there an inconspicuous merit?
More service offerings could make your firm less attractive
A broad range of capabilities that firms proudly put on display often includes basic-tier, commoditized services. While many firms crave for more sophisticated work, they signal buyers: we do everythi...
Holistic approach to marketing content distribution
The perfect marketing content is the one that pays for itself, delivers value to the target audience and makes producers and distributors excited about having more. Given the limited resources, how ca...
In the crosshairs of perfect positioning
What makes a professional services firm less interchangeable in the marketplace is good positioning. It isn't the only part of the puzzle but the most fundamental one.