Title: Consultancy Services: Marketing Strategies for Intangible Services
The traditional marketing with its marketing mix have for long been the dominating marketing strategy, where focus have been on placing the product at the best place with the best possible price. When it comes to services, the possibilities are not the same; the firms must adapt new marketing methods in order to sell and market their services effectively. If the services are “invisible” as well, the consultant must create a promise and the client must feel secure. Mutual relations then become important, and focus is instead put on the client’s needs rather than the firm’s own interests.The purpose of this thesis was to examine how management consultants most effectively sell and market their services. Further the purpose was to discover how big consultancy firms differ from small. Theories within the traditional – respectively relationship-based marketing were used in order to get a deeper insight…
Contents
1. INTRODUCTION
1.1. Problem Discussion
1.2. Purpose
1.3. Practical and Theoretical Relevance
2. THEORY
2.1. Moving from Transaction Marketing to Relationship Marketing
2.1.1. The Marketing Strategy Continuum
2.1.1.1. The four Ps; still useful or old and limited?
2.1.1.2. The importance of nurturing the resources
2.1.1.3. The importance of feedback from clients
2.1.1.4. Two-way communication is more effective than one-way
2.2. The Concept of Relationship Marketing
2.2.1. The Relationship Lifecycle
2.2.1.1. Creating interest and a relationship
2.2.1.2. Keeping and maintaining the relationship
2.2.1.3. Managing the lifecycle
2.2.2. The Relationship Theory
2.2.2.1. Technical and functional dimensions
2.2.2.2. Quality, commitment and trust
2.2.2.3. Making the relationship last
2.2.2.4. A stable relationship still needs to be developed
2.2.3. Critics and Conclusions of Relationship Marketing
2.3. Consultancy Services
2.3.1. Marketing Strategies for Consultancy Firms
2.3.2. Indirect and Direct Marketing Approach
2.3.2.1. Group communication
2.3.2.2. Individual communication
2.3.2.3. Hidden marketing
2.3.3. Potential Clients do not always Need Help
2.4. Discussion
2.4.1. The State of the Art
2.4.2. Research Questions
2.4.3. Hypothesises
3. METHODOLOGY
3.1. Methods of Obtaining Information
3.1.1. Quantitative and Qualitative Informatio
3.1.2. Operationalizing
3.2. Primary Data
3.2.1. Sampling
3.2.2. Validity
3.2.3. Reliability
3.3. Revision of the Chosen Methodology
4. EMPIRICAL STUDY
4.1. The Answers
4.1.1. Transaction-Based versus Relationship-Based Marketing
4.1.2. The Degree of Effort Put on Marketing
4.1.3. Knowledge Development
4.1.4. Other Questions
5. ANALYSIS
5.1. Marketing Activities and Marketing Methods
5.1.1. The Type of Marketing Approach Used by Consultants
5.1.1.1. The reasons for using one of the two marketing approaches
5.1.2. The Most Common Used Interactive Marketing Method
5.1.2.1. Effectiveness of the most common used interactive marketing methods
5.2. Client Focus
5.2.1. Frequency and Duration
5.2.1.1. The efforts put on nurturing the relationship
5.2.2. Evaluation and Feedback
5.2.2.1. The extent to which the consultants are keeping a client database
5.3. The Difference between Small and Big Consultancy Firms
5.3.1. Interactive Methods or Active Activities?
5.3.1.1. The interactive method mostly used
5.3.1.2. Duration and Frequency
5.3.1.3. Evaluation, feedback and client databases
5.3.1.4. Development and advancement
6. CONCLUSION
6.1. The Answers to the Research Questions
6.2. Own Reflections
REFERENCES
APPENDIX
Author: Olsson, Emilie
Source: Vaxjo University
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