I went to a new dentist about three months ago. As soon as I made the appointment with them I received in the mail a greeting card welcoming me along with a picture of the entire staff and a brief paragraph describing the practice. I walked through the door to their office in a good mood already, and was greeted with various plants in the corners, an aquarium composing the far wall of the waiting room, and soft, comfortable chairs. The women behind the counter greeted me with a smile. The whole experience was pleasant, and after the appointment was over I received a thank you card about a week later. I intend to go there again.

Everything, from the greeting card, to the comfortable look of the office, to the friendly smile behind the receptionist’s desk was evidence of successful marketing. The quality of the job he did was also exactly what I had expected, but then, I think most would agree that going to the dentist isn’t always just about the quality of the service being provided. Given how many have a specific fear of the dentist, calming the person down can be just as important as how well their teeth are cleaned.

All of this leads to the unique differences between marketing a specific product in comparison to a service. Quite often I receive catalogs and booklets in the mail advertising various products, and when it comes to selling a computer or an article of clothing the catalog is rather effective. If I’m buying a computer I like to know what the specifics are, something a catalog can tell me. Sure, I want the person behind the counter when I pick it up to be friendly to me, to be nice, but ultimately the product is what I’m going to be happy or unhappy with. But would a dentist use catalog printing as an effective way of advertising their services? Could a stock advisor send you a booklet and get your business, or are you going to want to meet the person before you put your trust in them?

Marketing a product can be as simple as letting a customer see what they’re getting and effectively providing it to them. This isn’t a particularly lengthy interaction. If the product is well-priced and high quality you’re going to keep doing business with them. The product is what makes or breaks a person’s interaction with the business. But when it comes to jobs based around a service, you’re selling more than just the service being provided. You’re becoming close to the customer, getting to know them and allowing them to get to know you, and because of it you need to handle marketing yourself in different terms. Greeting card printing allows them to know you care about having them as a customer, just as sending thank you cards shows them you want to continue this business relationship. Could Best Buy send out greeting cards to every customer they have? Of course they couldn’t, and so they utilize catalog and booklet printing instead.

No matter what business you run, think first about the exact nature of what you have to offer the customers, and consider what the best way to market yourself will be. Every business needs marketing, but understanding the best path, and understanding the differences between marketing a product vs. a service will do wonders to secure a customer base.


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