1156: Differentiate Your Professional Services Firm through Thought Leadership with Scribewise Founder John Miller
As a professional services firm, you're facing a unique set of marketing challenges that set you apart from traditional product or SaaS companies. The typical digital marketing strategies and tactics don't always translate, leaving you frustrated and struggling to stand out. How do you effectively market your expertise and high-value services in a crowded landscape?
John Miller is a marketing maverick on a mission to help professional services firms break free from the shackles of safe, uninspired marketing. As the founder of Scribewise, he's a true trailblazer in the world of thought leadership and demand generation for high-stakes industries like management consulting, IT services, and benefits consulting. Today, John discusses the unique marketing challenges faced by professional services firms and explores the key differences in the buying cycle, customer mindset, and marketing strategies required for success in the professional services space. Stay tuned!
Quotes
“Thought leadership is essentially your gift to your industry. It’s like free consulting—not yet customized to a client, but it demonstrates your thinking and expertise.” - John Miller
"Courageous marketing isn't just outrageous or crazy; it's bold. It requires a lot of confidence, which takes a great deal of homework to build up." - John Miller
“Slow is smooth, and smooth is fast.” - John Miller
Takeaways
01:32 Professional services firms have a different marketing approach compared to product-oriented or SaaS companies, as they often sell high-value engagements rather than individual user subscriptions.
04:39 Thought leadership is crucial for professional services firms to demonstrate their expertise and build trust with potential clients, which is more important than quick lead generation.
07:41 Creating consistent, valuable content takes patience and a long-term mindset, as it can take time to see the results in terms of increased engagement, new business conversations, and revenue growth.
13:29 Marketers should avoid making unrealistic promises and instead focus on building trust and making the buying process less daunting for professional services clients.
19:18 Embracing courageous, bold marketing that stands for something can be more effective than playing it safe, even if it means facing some initial pushback.
Resources
- Scribewise: We make professional services firms unignorable.
- John Miller on LinkedIn
- Playing It Safe Sucks: A manifesto for courageous marketing by John Miller on Amazon
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