The Professional Services Marketing

200 professional services buyers give real-life advice on what marketing tactics work and what mistakes to avoid when pitching new accounts in marketing, consulting, IT and other professional services.

There is a review of MarketingSherpa. We can’t think of another report that has the data on marketing and selling professional services. Critical information at 170 pages will help any business-to-business firm adjust their marketing and selling tactics. 200 buyers of professional services were surveyed by the authors.

• what causes customer churn
• what marketing tactics are key influencers
• why more than 50% of buyers will jump ship to a new vendor – and how to stop them
• what problems are the most important to fix to repair a client relationship

When it comes to finding providers and pitching to buyers, you just can’t lump all professional services together. The buying decision can be different depending on the buyer. Buyers of marketing and advertising services have different priorities than buyers of HR services, which are different from IT buyers.

Key factors in the marketing and sales process are ranked in the report.

• web site: which buyers use web sites to aid in the buying process?
• marketing mix: what’s the best way to reach buyers for different services?
• firm reputation: can your reputation carry you or sink you?
• firm size: does it matter how big you are?
• industry experience: how important is it to have industry experience?
• sourcing: how do buyers source new providers?
• engagement: what do buyers need to stay loyal?

In addition to the 70 charts and figures, the authors provide 33 expert analyst comments to help you take the data and use it to find the best marketing and sales tactics for your specialty.

There is a table of contents. The professional services marketing benchmark report shows how clients buy accounting, IT, consulting, legal, and other services.

The research team welcomes you.

About how clients buy teams.

There are important details about this report.

How clients buy research and analysis.

There is a Glossary of terms.

The report findings and analysis are in the executive summary.

The introduction is about something.

Overall findings.

How clients find professional service providers.

How clients choose service providers.

Provider business development problems have an impact on potential improvements.

People who are switchers vs. people who are switchers Loyals.

There are differences between provider types.

Purchasing company size has an influence on revenue.

Purchasing company industries.

Conclusion

The participants.

Participant companies and decision makers are profiled.

The decision makers.

There are areas of responsibility.

Purchasing areas have Concentration and Overlap.

Survey Participant Companies have demographic information.

Purchasing is looking up.

Firm revenue and profit.

Services expenditures.

Disposition of professional service buyers.

Does the purchaser prefer small firms, big firms or something in between?

The employee headcount is a hiring factor.

Provider firm size is not a clear preference.

There are satisfaction scores and openness to changing service providers.

Current professional service and consulting providers have satisfaction levels.

It is possible to switch service providers in the next two years.

Switchers rate 4 and Loyals rate 5.

Companies initially identify and research potential service providers.

How they find you and how they learn more.

Referrals are the first tier.

Provider brand recognition and event delivery is tier 2.

Tier 3 is Somewhat Interactive and Opinion Influencing.

There are seminars, presentations, and webinars.

There are in-person seminars and presentations.

Webinars

The influence of service providers websites.

Website’s influence over ultimate purchasing decisions.

Service providers can improve their first approach to potential clients.

The initial approach to pet peeves is straight from the buyers.

Buyers decide to hire third-party professional services firms.

Decision making factors and their relative importance.

Participants prioritize factors differently.

The selling approach and abilities of providers are imported.

There is a provider’s sales approach and abilities.

The most compelling ways to develop trust with a potential new client are straight from the buyers.

Problems clients encounter are the most important ones.

There were problems encountered during the process of hiring professional services providers.

Clients report fewer problems during the purchasing process.

If providers improve in specific problem areas, you should consider purchasing services.

The most important things service providers can do to influence the hiring decision are straight from the buyer.

Pet Peeves…How not to behave during the hiring process.

There is a research supplement about switchers andyals.

The introduction is about something.

The profile of participant companies and decision makers of switchers and Loyals.

The demographic is firm.

Purchasing environment

Disposition of buyers.

Companies initially identify and research potential service providers.

How they find you and how they learn more.

The websites of service providers have an influence.

Buyers decide to hire third-party professional services firms and consultants based on whether they are switchers or Loyals.

Decision making factors and their relative importance.

The selling approach and abilities of providers are important.

Problems clients encountered mattered the most.

That’s right. There is a research supplement for service purchasing areas.

The introduction is about something.

The participants are in the service purchasing areas.

Participant companies and decision makers are profiled.

There is a professional service outlook.

Disposition of professional service buyers.

Companies initially identify and research potential service providers.

How they find you and how they learn more.

There are seminars, presentations, and webinars.

The websites of service providers have an influence.

Buyers decide to hire third-party professional service firms and consultants.

Decision making factors and their relative importance.

The selling approach and abilities of providers are important.

Problems clients encounter are the most important ones.

Purchasing Firm Size is a research supplement.

The participants are the size of a firm.

Firms initially identify and research potential service providers.

Purchasing Firm Size is how buyers decide to hire third-party professional services firms.

Purchasing Firm industries have additional findings.

There are 70 charts and graphs.

1. Professional Services Engaged By Survey Respondents
2. The Percentage of Buyers Responsible for Multiple Service-Purchasing Areas
3. Length of Time Firms Have Been In Operation
4. Number of Employees in Firms
5. Respondent Firms’ Types of Business
6. Respondent Firms’ Form of Ownership
7. Gross Annual Sales for Calendar Year 2004
8. Expectations for 2005-2006 Third-Party Services Purchasing Levels (Given Current Spending Per Area)
9. Participants’ Likelihood to Work with Provider Firms Employing Specific Numbers of Professionals
10. Satisfaction with Current Service Providers, Percent “Very” or “Somewhat Satisfied” (5 or 4)
11. Satisfaction with Current Service Providers Change If Viewing Only “Very Satisfied”
12. Likelihood of Buyers to Switch Providers in 2005-2006
13. Comparing General Satisfaction to Switching Likelihood
14. Difference in Loyalty Between Satisfaction Levels “4” and “5”
15. Satisfaction with Current Service Providers, Comparing “5” and “4” Scores Between Switchers and Loyals
16. Methods buyers are Likely to Use to Initially Identify and Learn More About Potential Service Providers
17. Percentage of Participants Who Are At Least “Somewhat Satisfied,” By Their Likelihood to Use Referrals As Initial Identification Method
18. How Service Buyers Hear About In-Person Seminars, In-Person Presentations, and Webinars
19. Website Influence Over Initial Discussions and Ultimate Decision to Hire a Service Provider
20. Influence of Provider’s Website in Ultimate Decision to Buy, By Satisfaction Levels
21. How Service Providers Can Improve Their First Approach
22. Importance of Factors in Decision to Choose a Third-Party Services Firm
23. Very Satisfied Participants and Differences In Importance of Hiring Factors
24. Important Factors in Decision to Hire a Professional Services Provider, Regarding Sales Approach and Abilities
25. Very Satisfied Participants and Emphasis on Sales Approach and Abilities
26. Most Compelling Ways to Develop Trust with a New Client
27. Problems Encountered During Process of Hiring Consulting and Professional Service Providers
28. Very Satisfied Participants and Problems Recently Encountered
29. Likelihood of Buyer to Consider Purchasing Services, if Providers Improve in Specific Problem Areas During the Hiring Process
30. Problems Experienced in Hiring Process Vs. Impact on Purchase Likelihood if Improved
31. Most Important Things Service Providers Can Do During the Purchasing Process to Influence the Hiring Decision
32. Switchers Vs. Loyals: Size of the Participant Firms’ Employee Bases, Significant Differences
33. Switchers Vs. Loyals: 2004 Firm Revenue, Among IT Consulting & Services Purchasers
34. Switchers Vs. Loyals: Expected Change in Purchasing Levels of Professional Services in the Next Two Years, Given Current Spending, Significant Differences
35. General Satisfaction Levels Closely Matching Switching Levels
36. Satisfaction with Current Service Providers, Comparing “5” and “4” Scores Between Switchers and Loyals
37. Switchers Vs. Loyals: Likelihood to Use Initial Methods of Identifying and Learning About Potential Service Providers
38. Table of Mean Likelihood to Use Methods To Initially Identify and Learn More About Service Providers, By Service Area Used, Showing Results of “Switchers”
39. Switchers Vs. Loyals: Website Influence Over Decision to Initiate Discussions with Service Provider, Significant Differences
40. Switchers Vs. Loyals: Mean Importance of Factors in the Decision to Choose a Third-Party Professional Services Firm/Consultant, Range of Mean Values Across All Service Areas and Methods
41. Table of Mean Importance of Factors in the Decision to Choose a Third-Party Professional Services Firm/Consultant, By Service Area Used, Showing Results of “Switchers”
42. Switchers Vs. Loyals: Importance of Factors in the Decision to Choose a Third-Party Professional Services Firm / Consultant, Significant Differences
43. Switchers Vs. Loyals: “Service Provider Did Not Listen to Me”
44. Professional Services Engaged by Survey Respondents
45. The Percentage of Buyers Responsible for Multiple Service-Purchasing Areas
46. Number of Employees in Participant Firms Represented, By Service Purchasing Area
47. Industry of Participants’ Firms, By Service Purchasing Area
48. Gross Annual Sales for Calendar Year 2004, By Service Purchasing Area
49. Expectations That Firm Profits Will Increase in 2005, By Service Purchasing Area
50. Service Purchasing Areas: Methods Used to Initially Identify and Learn More About Service Providers, Sorted by Mean Likelihood of Total Participants to Use
51. Service Purchasing Areas: Discovering Seminars, Presentations, and Webinars, Significant Differences
52. Service Purchasing Areas: Decision Factors
53. Percentage Rating Approaches and Abilities “Extremely Important,” By Service Purchasing Area
54. Incidence of Problems During Business Development Process: Significant Differences Between Service Areas
55. Accounting and Financial Consulting: Problems Experienced in Hiring Process Vs. Impact on Purchase Likelihood if Improved
56. Legal Services: Problems Experienced in Hiring Process Vs. Impact on Purchase Likelihood if Improved
57. Management Consulting: Problems Experienced in Hiring Process Vs. Impact on Purchase Likelihood if Improved
58. Information Technology Consulting and Services: Problems Experienced in Hiring Process Vs. Impact on Purchase Likelihood if Improved
59. Human Resources Consulting: Problems Experienced in Hiring Process Vs. Impact on Purchase Likelihood if Improved
60. Architecture, Engineering, and Construction: Problems Experienced in Hiring Process Vs. Impact on Purchase Likelihood if Improved
61. Training: Problems Experienced in Hiring Process Vs. Impact on Purchase Likelihood if Improved
62. Marketing, Advertising, and Public Relations: Problems Experienced in Hiring Process Vs. Impact on Purchase Likelihood if Improved
63. Professional Services Currently Engaged, By Respondent Company Revenue in 2004
64. Length of Time Respondent Businesses Have Been in Operation, By Revenue in 2004
65. Significant Differences in Expectations for 2005 Profits, By Firm Size
66. Likelihood to Work with Service Providers of Different Sizes, Percent “Very” or “Somewhat Likely,” By 2004 Revenue of Purchasing Firms
67. Website Visitation Before Purchasing Services, By Firm Revenue
68. Website Influence Over Initial Discovery and Ultimate Purchasing Decision, By Firm Revenue
69. Significant Differences and Trends in Importance of Decision Making Factors, By Firm Size
70. Service-Purchasing Responsibility Areas, By Purchasing Firm Industry

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