Let's Get Physical

Way back when I was still at University, at a time when I thought conveyancing was some sort of psychic power, I was being taught the differences between product marketing and services marketing.

Whilst a lot has changed since then (number one being the emergence then dominance of the internet) some things don’t change. So what information were my lecturers trying to impart to a theatre full of hung over students, sorry eager academics?

The Marketing Mix was not an exciting cocktail for management undergraduates, but a model dating back to 1960 which covered the 4 P’s of product marketing – product, price, promotion and place (distribution).

For services though a further 3 P’s were applicable, Physical evidence, People and Process.

Physical evidence in this context is about what your clients see or touch before, during and after they have used your services. The aim, from a marketing perspective, is to reduce the perceived risk of using an intangible service through the physical (tangible) evidence the client comes into contact with.

For a law firm this will include:

Office exterior

Location
Signage
Cleanliness
Parking
Security

Office Interior

Furnishing / Décor
Cleanliness
Signage
Reception
Meeting rooms
Toilets
Heating / lighting

Promotional material

Letterheads
Brochure
Business cards
Invoices
Emails
Accreditations

Employees

Dress / uniforms
Language used

It can be argued now that the online world forms a significant part of ‘physical evidence’, though not actually physical in nature! Your website, content, social media presence and online reviews can all serve to reduce and perhaps increase the perceived risk in selecting you as a service provider.

Next Steps

Using the above list as a starting point and perhaps with a fresh pair of eyes, look at the physical evidence you are providing your clients and prospects with. What does it say about your firm – is it reassuring or does it create some doubt and uncertainly about the quality of service a client will receive?