Professional Services Marketing

A proven approach to revenue-generating marketing and client development

Professional Services Marketing is a fully field-tested and research-based approach to marketing and client development for professional services firms. The book, now in its Second Edition, covers five key areas that are critical for firms that want to grow and become more profitable: creating a marketing and growth strategy; establishing a brand and reputation; implementing a marketing communications program; executing lead generation strategies; and developing business by winning new clients. You will also read real-world case studies that illustrate major points, as well as quotes and stories from well-respected professionals in the industry.

• The Second Edition features new research and updates throughout, including new chapters on social media and online marketing, as well as new case studies and interviews
• Authors Mike Schultz and John E. Doerr are the coauthors of the Wall Street Journal and Inc. Magazine bestseller Rainmaking Conversations and Professional Services Marketing; Lee W. Frederiksen is coauthor of Online Marketing for Professional Services
• Will be widely promoted via multiple online routes and direct mail marketing

Firms of any size can use this proven approach to marketing and client development to attract new clients and grow their professional service businesses.

Acknowledgments ix

Introduction 1

Part I Strategy and Planning 5

Chapter 1 What Marketing Can Do for a Firm 7

Chapter 2 Marketing Planning 23

Chapter 3 Keys to Building a Terrible Marketing Strategy 37

Chapter 4 The Seven Levers of Lead Generation and Marketing Planning 43

Chapter 5 How to Think about Fees and Pricing 55

Chapter 6 Don’t Worry about Your Competition (Let Them Worry about You) 69

Part II Focus on Branding 79

Chapter 7 Brand—What It Is; Why Bother 81

Chapter 8 Three Elements of Well-Crafted Brand Messaging 93

Chapter 9 Uncovering Your Key Brand Attributes 107

Chapter 10 Your Firm, Your Brand 123

Chapter 11 RAMP Up Your Brand 137

Chapter 12 Differentiating Your Firm 147

Chapter 13 Building Brand and Marketing Messages 157

Chapter 14 On Becoming a Thought Leader 167

Part III Generating and Nurturing Leads 181

Chapter 15 Content Marketing 183

Chapter 16 Marketing Communications and Lead Generation Tactics 195

Chapter 17 Introduction to Lead Generation 241

Chapter 18 Value and Offers in Lead Generation 249

Chapter 19 The Case for Sustained Lead Generation and Relationship Nurturing 257

Chapter 20 Targeting 271

Part IV Making the Sale 281

Chapter 21 RAIN Selling 283

Chapter 22 Creating Essential Relationships 297

Chapter 23 Building a Culture of Business Development Success 311

Chapter 24 Selling with Hustle, Passion, and Intensity 323

About RAIN Group 329

About RainToday.com 331

About Hinge 333

About the Authors 335

Index 339

MIKE SCHULTZ is the Co-President of RAIN Group and coauthor of the bestselling Rainmaking Conversations and Professional Services Marketing. He was named the global Top Sales Thought Leader in 2011 by Top Sales Awards. He is also Publisher of RainToday.com, which was named the Top Sales and Marketing Resource Site in 2010 and 2011. He is frequently quoted in news outlets such as Business Week, Inc. magazine, MSNBC, the Huffington Post, and others.

JOHN E. DOERR is the Co-President of RAIN Group and coauthor of Rainmaking Conversations and Professional Services Marketing. John was named the Top Sales Thought Leader in 2011 by Top Sales Awards and has trained thousands of sales professionals, helping them master the complex sale through in-house training and public presentations, both domestically and abroad.

LEE W. FREDERIKSEN, PHD, is Managing Partner at Hinge. He has worked with many global brands, including Anheuser Busch, American Express, Capital One, Monster.com, and Yahoo! Lee has been quoted in Fortune, New York Times, USA Today, Wall Street Journal, Entrepreneur, Business 2.0, and Advertising Age, as well as numerous trade and professional journals.

In the old days, professional services firms could survive without much marketing effort. Put together a team of good people, deliver strong service to clients, and you might get by just fine on repeat business and client referrals. Well, those days are gone. While repeat business and referrals are still necessary, today you also need smart, effective marketing and a culture of business development success to attract a steady stream of clients and grow your business in an increasingly competitive world.

Now in its second edition, Professional Services Marketing gives you the field-tested, research-based marketing and sales approach your organization needs to succeed. Updated with new chapters on social media and online marketing, this book helps you select the marketing strategies and tactics used by thriving, high-growth firms.

The book covers five key areas your firm can’t grow without:

• Creating a marketing and growth strategy for today’s marketplace
• Establishing the reputation and visibility required to become a market leader
• Implementing a proven marketing communications program that works in any economy
• Developing a lead generation strategy that attracts a strong, steady flow of new clients
• Creating rainmakers and a culture of business-development hustle, passion, intensity, and success

Professional Services Marketing, Second Edition includes new case studies that illustrate what works in today’s marketplace, as well as firsthand stories from well-respected industry professionals. This is the ideal guide to growing your business, whether you are in consulting, law, technology, accounting, or any other professional service industry.