Secrets of digital marketing for service-based businesses

Digital marketing is by no means a novel form of advertising. It has existed for years and continues to evolve as the digital age advances. However, like with all forms of marketing, it has specific tenets to adhere to. Innovation will surely test the boundaries, but no secrets of digital marketing, for service-based businesses or otherwise, will stray far. Two basic examples of this are personalizing content and ensuring accessibility for the visually impaired; both are universally beneficial practices.

That said, service-based businesses face different competitive landscapes and challenges. The basic sales funnel will remain mostly the same as with product-based companies, but subtle and explicit vital differences exist. Moreover, digital marketing “secrets” will often hinge on these differences and propose a distinct focus.

Digital marketing for service-based businesses is a long-term investment

Arguably the most fundamental rule for most businesses, digital marketing offers a long-term investment. It is “a marathon, not a sprint”, as many marketers claim. Short-term benefits will be limited, and you should expect no overnight transformations.

Having grasped this reality should help inform decisions and evaluations. Similar to search engine optimization (SEO), digital marketing for service-based businesses is a long, continuous process.

Digital marketing takes dedication continuous monitoring.

The sales funnel: digital marketing for service-based businesses overlaps with that for product-based businesses

With the above in mind, it’s vital to note that the sales funnel is mostly universal. There will be essential adjustments, but the basic principles remain the same for all industries and most business types.

Exact terminology will likely vary, but the sales funnel can typically be divided into the five following stages.

#1 Attract

Arguably the most fundamental goal for digital marketing for service-based businesses, attracting potential customers is the first step. In this regard, there are three basic premises to help attract potential customers.

1. Understand your audience

Customer insights are why such software as Customer Relationship Management (CRM) is as lucrative as it is. Accurate customer insights help tailor content for personalized marketing and create customer personas and map customer journeys.

For service-based businesses, this is likely even a more vital concern. Selling a service is selling a unique, valuable proposition, so understanding your audience is paramount. Understanding your audience’s needs and pain points is crucial toward marketing a service, and that’s what customer insights help provide.

• Make it easy and digestible

With your customer insights in hand, your marketing content is bound to be more accurately focused. However, simplicity is a fundamental aspect of digital marketing. Audiences that are not yet invested in your offers are easily dissuaded. Thus, corporate jargon, run-on sentences, and obscure messaging can sabotage your efforts. As such, digestible content best demonstrates that “less is more”. Whether you need to gather leads to grow your moving business or raise brand awareness for your graphic design agency, simplicity is crucial.

A simple website UI can improve your marketing content’s effectiveness.

• Prioritize your offerings

Finally, attracting potential customers hinges on the above factors, addressing their needs and pain points convincingly. An essential step in this process is to prioritize your offerings; consider price points, service relevance and quality, and others. A service that may attract more customers, even if it accounts for less revenue, may need to take priority in your website or marketing content. As you fine-tune your prioritization, also consider whether you should use social media or not.

#2 Engage

After attracting your audience, you need to engage them in a meaningful way. That hinges on two vital marketing cornerstones; make your unique selling proposition, and demonstrate your expertise.

• Make a unique selling proposition

Your customers likely explore multiple options before deciding on a purchase. This is particularly true of service-based businesses since services are often more of a commodity than cheap or essential products. Thus, you’ll need to assure them that your proposition is unique and different from the competition.

Here, consider the famous business adage, “People don’t want quarter-inch drill bits, they want quarter-inch holes”. Whether it was L. E. ‘Doc’ Hobbs, Theodore Levitt, or anyone else who coined it, it remains true. Marketing should speak to your customers’ needs and desires, not merely the solutions you offer.

• Demonstrate your expertise

This step is arguably the most crucial in terms of digital marketing for service-based businesses. Your expertise will inform your customers’ decisions, so you should provide proof of it in any way available:

●      Customer testimonials and reviews

●      A thorough portfolio

●      Case studies, awards, and citations

For an example of clear visibility of such material, consider how moversdev.com showcases their professional network on their home page.

#3 Convert

Now that you have engaged your audience, conversions may present a challenge. As such, after ensuring your marketing content’s relevance and quality, you should improve your conversion factors.

• Provide clear CTAs

Clarity and visibility are both vital in terms of CTAs (Calls-to-Action). Ensure that your CTAs are easy to find and clear in their wording and purpose.

Your CTAs should be as clear as possible to facilitate purchases.

• Choose optimal conversion channels

With customer journey maps in hand, carefully choose your ideal conversion channels. Consider whether social media, Google AdWords, or other channels produce the best results for you. 

#4 Retain

After a purchase is completed, retaining your customers is an excellent long-term goal. Retaining existing customers costs much less than acquiring new ones, especially for service-based businesses. Retention is usually achieved in two ways; by offering long-term value and by re-engaging.

• Offering long-term value

For long-term value, consider the following perks, among others:

●      Loyalty services

●      Additional online service value

●      Incentives and discounts

• Re-engaging

Next, you may consider re-engaging through email retargeting, remarketing, and social media updates.

#5 Advocate

Finally, a frequently overlooked part of digital marketing for service-based businesses lies in having customers become advocates. This will occur naturally with quality services and satisfied customers, of course, but you can also incentivize it.

As a basic example, you may incentivize reviews and testimonials with limited discounts. Customer testimonials are an excellent way of having them advocate your service on account of its quality and their experience. Naturally, as you do, you should also ensure your incentives don’t cheapen your brand image. This could have an adverse long-term effect, and digital marketing is indeed a long-term effort.