43+ SAMPLE Service Marketing Plan

What Is a Service Marketing Plan?

Before we get to the service marketing plan, we should define what is a marketing plan first. A marketing plan is referred to as a business document that details a company’s advertising strategy for driving sales and reaching its target market. A marketing strategy also outlines the outreach and public relations activities that will be implemented over time, as well as how the organization will assess the impact of these initiatives.

A service marketing plan is defined as a document that details a business’s advertising strategy regarding its services and discusses how the services that they offer to the consumers will reach its intended demographic target. In other terms, this document answers the question as to how the company’s services are going to be delivered in an efficient, reliable, and cost-effective manner.

Categories of Service Marketing

Listed below are the different types/categories of service marketing:

Features That are Present in Service Marketing

Here are some characteristics or features that makeup service marketing:

Intangible Performances. Service Marketing places emphasis on intangible performance. Services, which are both invisible and intangible, are simply not the same as products. This necessitates new marketing methods that promote an invisible service, but through the viewpoint of productivity, marketers do it brilliantly. Therefore, service marketing is classified as nothing more than a depiction of an intangible performance that the general public makes use of on a daily basis.Non-ownership. Service Marketing does not rely on product marketing, in which the audience is enticed to own products. This is due to the fact that a service can be consumed rather than owned. As an example of this scenario, one can consume the eating experience at a restaurant as opposed to owning a pencil, the latter of which is a result of product marketing. This trait, in particular, emphasizes the amount of effort that service marketing authorities must use in order to attract clients.Perishable Products. A service, unlike things that survive a long time, is prone to expire within a relatively short period of time, which qualifies it as a perishable commodity. This is due to the fact that service lasts as long as a client is present at the location. After then, it only becomes merely a memory that one can recall. Because service is a perishable commodity, many people in the audience are resistant to being persuaded. Nonetheless, service marketing includes perishable items and advertises them in some way to attract the target demographic.No Standardized Consumption Costs. Unlike the cost of a product, which is extensively standardized, the cost of using a service is not at all standardized. We can use different tiers of restaurants as an example to illustrate. A one-star restaurant is likely to offer its services at a low cost and of poor quality. At the same time, a 5-star restaurant will offer the same services but with higher quality and a better experience. The distinctions between services might be numerous and significant. In order to advertise a service, the cost of consumption becomes a primary focus in service marketing.Inseparability. A service that is inextricably linked to the producer cannot be disconnected. However, it still encourages the target audience to make use of a certain service and enjoy it to the maximum. A service is an indivisible entity that should pique the audience’s attention sufficiently for them to consume it. For example, a service in a beauty salon is inseparable from its producers because you visit the venue and use the services at the salon itself; there is nothing you physically take away from the salon. As a result, the service is inseparable.

What Are the Different Types of Service Marketing Strategies?

How is service marketing effectively done? Here are the different types of strategies that encompass it:

Education. Customer education is one strategy of marketing a service. You may accomplish this by hosting free seminars, lunch-and-learns, or other educational events. You can write pieces for publications and newspapers, as well as deliver presentations at trade events and conferences. Through an educational marketing approach, you stress the advantages of using the service rather than the features or prices of the product.Social Media. Social media may also be utilized by small firms with limited advertising budgets to make an impression. A social media marketing plan enables service providers to educate consumers and encourage them to spread the news to their network of contacts by utilizing free social media applications such as Facebook. For example, on Facebook, you may build a free company page where you can detail your service. Display client testimonials and case studies on your page, or hold contests with cash prizes or free sessions or visits.Referrals. A referral or word of mouth is one of the most effective strategies to promote an intangible. A satisfied consumer will not expect to be asked about a service by a friend, and she will frequently like to share her experience and explain why she appreciates the service. Many service providers employ referral schemes in their marketing strategy. You may also pay clients a cash incentive for each recommendation they bring your way, give them a service for free for each lead they send your way, or give their friends a discount on service if they refer the customer.Product Demonstrations. Customers may be hesitant to test service if they are unsure of what they will receive. To combat this, offer free demos to allay their fears and, in turn, this often results in rapid purchases. For example, if you provide personal training, you may approach a major corporation with a health program and try to give an employee discussion and a free fitness session. If you provide public relations services, you may meet with a business owner to examine his existing marketing plan, propose PR efforts he could attempt, and describe the cost of doing so.

Steps in Marketing a Service Business

Here are the steps you can follow when you want to effectively market your own service business. Keep in mind that there are some steps that are unique to the type of service that you are marketing so they will not be listed below.

  • 1. Identify Objectives

    The first step you should do when you want to market your service business is to identify the objectives of your business. How do you identify your objectives? You may utilize tools such as a SWOT Analysis test in order to aid you in identifying the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats that may be present in your service business. Also, don’t forget to set your objectives. Keep in mind that the objectives that you’ve set should be SMART (specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, and time-bound). Once you’ve done that, start establishing your marketing objectives. Remember that the goal is to create awareness for the service you’re planning to market.

  • 2. Identify Your Target Audience

    After identifying your objectives, it’s now time to identify your target audience in this step. But who should they be? The target audience of the service business that you’re marketing is the people who will make use of the services that you will be offering. In identifying who your target audience is, make sure to include the demographic values such as their age or gender as well as their psychographic behaviors which are their personal interests and behaviors.

  • 3. Outline Your Marketing Messages

    After identifying your target audience, now you should outline the marketing messages that will be essential in the marketing of your services. You must establish your primary marketing messaging in each marketing plan. Consider what sets you apart from your competition. A message that would serve as the topic for your marketing communications would be focused on your service business’s unique value proposition. The marketing messages that you’re planning to outline might be concentrated on your product’s cost, convenience, or even quality.

  • 4. Focus on Brand Positioning and Marketing Channels

    After you’ve outlined your key marketing messages, it’s time to focus on your brand positioning and your marketing channels. What is brand positioning? Simply put, brand positioning is a statement that identifies the where, who, when, why, and the how of your brand’s identity. Having effective brand positioning is key because it is what makes the brand attractive to its target audience.

    Speaking of marketing channels, these are the means that will let you reach your target customers effectively. These can be social media sites or applications, or they can also be through word of mouth, text channels, or print advertisements.

  • 5. Focus on Your Marketing Plans

    Now that you’ve determined what your brand positioning is, as well as what your marketing channels are, now it’s time to think about the type of content that you will be sharing. Think about using a lot of photographs of your service, instructions on how to use or avail the service, tips and interesting information about your business, articles, and blog posts about your service when designing your marketing campaigns. Also, consider how much and how regularly you will publish material.

  • 6. Keep in Touch With Your Clients and Evaluate Your Efforts

    This is the final step in marketing a service business. When you’ve finished focusing your efforts on perfecting your marketing plans, it wouldn’t hurt to keep in touch with the customers you’ve reached. The most effective method on this is to send some emails to them in a specific interval, which contains newsletters about new services that your company can offer. Afterwards, it is time to determine the key metrics of your service business as this will help you determine if your marketing has been a success or if there still is significant room for improvement that is present.

FAQs

How different is a Business Plan from a Marketing Plan?

A business plan is different from a marketing plan because it describes how a company will run and function as a collective and it also serves as a roadmap for the entire company. It will also encompass the goals, missions, values, finances, and strategies that the company will utilize in its day-to-day operations and in achieving its goals. The business plan itself already includes the marketing plan which then emphasizes creating an effective strategy on how the services that the company has to offer will reach its intended target demographics.

What is a Service Business?

A service business is a corporate company that provides specialized tasks to consumers or other businesses through their employees. The products of a service firm are intangible, which creates marketing issues. Because there are no items on shelves or in warehouses, it is critical to focus on the qualities and features of the services available to clients.

SWOT Analysis is mentioned as part of marketing a service business. What is it?

A SWOT Analysis (Strengths, Weakness, Opportunities, Threats) refers to a strategic planning approach that is used to assist a person or company in identifying the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats concerning their businesses and how they prepare their projects. This approach is intended for use in the early phases of decision-making processes and may be used as a tool for assessing the strategic position of various types of companies. It is also designed to identify the internal and external elements that are favorable and unfavorable to the achievement of the venture’s or project’s objectives. This method is a proven tool of strategic analysis.

Service Marketing reflects on the methods that a type of service that a company offers is promoted to its target market. This type of marketing usually calls for the promotion of a non-tangible service that is still sold out to its customers. More to that, service marketing has become important nowadays since more services like banking and insurance have emerged as popular commodities. In this article, examples of service marketing plans are readily available for download so you can have something to use as a reference.