Factors that influence the marketing of professional services

Abstract

This study explores the marketing in a multinational professional services organization and attempts to identify marketing factors relevant to the organization. The main objective is to identify critical factors that influence the successful marketing of professional services. To accomplish this objective, research is undertaken as a case study with a quantitative survey of employees from the professional services organization. The main finding was that the 7P framework (product/service, price, place, promotion, physical evidence, people, process) was applicable and that place, physical evidence and product components were seen as most critical, with promotion and price appearing to be least critical, maybe because conservative attitudes to marketing still exist within professional service organizations. The study added to the literature on professional services marketing, giving insight into the marketing of professional services in today's dynamic and changing economic environment. Our findings will, therefore, assist professional service organizations to utilize their marketing resources more effectively and efficiently.