How can the lack of a physical good in a pure service affect efforts to promote the service?
There's nothing to remind the customer who you are and what you do.
I remember that I bought a fancy jacket from Chicos. But what do I have to remember who my insurance agent is?
The lack of a physical good in a pure service can have various effects on efforts to promote the service. Here's an explanation of how it can affect the promotion:
1. Tangibility: Unlike physical goods, services are intangible, meaning they cannot be seen, touched, or physically demonstrated. This can make it challenging to communicate the value or benefits of the service to potential customers. Without a physical item to showcase, marketers must find creative ways to illustrate the benefits and outcomes of the service.
2. Visualization: When promoting services, the absence of a physical good makes it difficult for customers to visualize what they will receive. With physical products, customers can see and touch the items, which helps them understand the benefits and features. However, this is not the case for pure services. To overcome this, marketers can use visual aids, graphics, or presentations to help customers visualize the process, outcomes, or experiences associated with the service.
3. Word-of-mouth: The lack of a physical good can affect word-of-mouth promotion. Physical goods often serve as visible symbols of ownership or status, which can stimulate conversations and recommendations among consumers. In the case of services, unless customers actively share their experiences or outcomes with others, it can be challenging to generate organic word-of-mouth promotion. Therefore, service providers need to encourage customers to share their positive experiences through testimonials, referrals, or online reviews to compensate for the absence of a tangible product.
4. Building trust: Trust is crucial in promoting any offering. Physical goods can sometimes establish trust by allowing customers to see and evaluate the quality before making a purchase. In the absence of a tangible item, service providers need to build trust through other means, such as providing guarantees, certifications, or sharing customer success stories. Demonstrating expertise and credibility becomes essential to convince potential customers of the value and reliability of the service.
5. Emotional connection: Physical goods can evoke emotions and appeal to customers on a sensory level. In the case of pure services, marketers must focus on creating an emotional connection with potential customers through effective storytelling, testimonials, or by showcasing the positive impact the service can have on customers' lives. Building an emotional connection can help compensate for the absence of a physical good and make the service more appealing.
In summary, the lack of a physical good in a pure service can require marketers to be creative in their promotional efforts. They need to find alternative ways to communicate the value, visualize the benefits, generate word-of-mouth, build trust, and create emotional connections with potential customers.