Marketing Your Service-Based Business in 2019

Guest Post by Lauren Wiseman

The modern consumer doesn’t buy out of necessity alone, and brands can no longer use pricing as their main selling point to attract a loyal client. Even companies that sell physical goods can no longer rely on dry facts when presenting their unique offer to a certain audience. Every brand, product and service-based, needs to sell values and promises first and foremost. A car is no longer just a vehicle, but your reliable companion on a road-trip adventure. In a similar sense, a plumber is no longer just a handyman, but an expert who will improve the function of your home.

If you are looking for viable ways to market your service-based business and help your customers understand what makes you unique in a sea of similar offers, then look no further than the following tactics. They are designed to help you make the most of your brand’s authenticity and turn even the simplest of services into experiences modern consumers will love.

Define your uniqueness

In this day and age, you cannot afford to be just another New York chef or one of many fitness trainers in Melbourne. It’s all about finding, refining, and presenting that special something that makes you memorable and unique in the eyes of your target audience. Without that “edge”, you cannot expect your customers to perceive your particular skill as unique – simply because it truly isn’t.

Every market has subcategories and specific “gaps” for that spot your brand should fill. In the pursuit of uniqueness and the best way to express it, you should conduct thorough research of both the market and your competitors. Mimicking their offers will get you nowhere, but you can learn from them and tailor your own offers to target your customers better.

Craft a flawless digital presence

Even with an incredible team of experts under your wing and an impeccable service record backed up by hard-earned credentials, the world will never know your true value if you stay in the shadows of the brick-and-mortar past. Simply put, you need to translate that wonderful service of yours into the digital realm in order for your customers to be able to relate to your business and fully appreciate your services.

For instance, even something as simple as professional bus hire in Sydney can be transformed into an experience that will be worth your while with the help of the right digital approach, such as transparency and ease of navigation. If you make your offers clear with the use of imagery, pair it with rich, descriptive language, and pack it all into a seamless, intuitive presentation, you can rest assured that even the most mundane services can become alluring.

Rely on reviews and feedback

After you’ve built a fine digital presence, remember that your audience will only be able to trust you if others have given you their trust and you haven’t failed them. Asking for feedback on a regular basis is essential because you can learn from customer comments and improve.

Make sure that your business is not only registered on all relevant business directories but that you enable feedback and reviews wherever possible. Of course, use them as a part of your own website as well, so that clients can see quotes almost as soon as they visit. Regular surveys can also help you reveal any gaps in what you do and provide you with invaluable insights as to how you can attract more clients in the future.

Connect via social networks

Selling physical goods comes with the perk of using alluring images, whereas many services are more abstract, and it can be difficult to give them a visual identity your audience can relate to. However, as a living entity, your brand can come to life even more through social networks. From  interactive contests and engaging comments to discount offers and handling customer service queries via social networks, you can use these platforms to increase visibility as well as brand awareness.

Social networks are also perfect for establishing a more personal, one-on-one connection, which is vital when you respond to criticism and when you share positive reviews. These modern communication options are essential for service-based businesses to get traction online.

Deliver awesome content

Finally, producing content that is inspiring as well as useful is one of those strong points for service-based business models. This is that portion of your digital existence where you don’t aim to sell, but to provide value in the form of solutions, how-tos, educational infographics and video guides. These serve to tell a story, as well as build your company’s reputation.

Content is your best possible outlet for establishing authority and making sure your brand will be perceived as a reliable source of information, which will, in turn, increase your chances of winning your audience’s trust. Not to mention the likes, shares, comments, and other reactions your content can inspire.

Marketing a service-based business will always pose a challenge. However, if you take these tips to heart, your company can stand the test of time and build a reputation of excellence in your industry.