Professional Services

About the industry

100

Name three sub-industries part of the professional services industry.​​​​​

Staffing & Recruiting, Trucking & Transport, Financial Services, IT Services, Legal Services, Marketing Agencies, Construction/Real Estate, Education & Training

200

Name & explain one marketing challenge professional services businesses face.

producing content, tracking ROI, standing out in the market, generating leads, communicating their expertise

300

Why is nurturing prospects/ clients so important in this industry?

Long sales cycles or because it's project-based work

400

Name one meeting you booked in Q4 for a professional services company.

+ bonus 100 if you can say why they needed HubSpot.

About the persona

100

What is one focus that a CEO of a financial services business might have?

Taking market share from competitors, territory expansions / entering new markets, process optimization

200

Why is brand awareness so important for marketers to focus on in the professional services industry?

Brand awareness is vital in the professional services industry as it builds trust and credibility, which are essential when services are based on expertise and reputation. It helps differentiate firms in a competitive market, influencing client decision-making by assuring them of the firm's reliability. Moreover, strong brand awareness supports long-term client relationships, facilitates referrals, and aids business growth as it provides a solid foundation for entering new markets or expanding service offerings.

300

Name & explain one sales challenge professional services businesses face.

managing client relationships, long sales cycles, high competition

400

Name a difference in strategy between a local & global professional service company.

Local:

• Reputation based on local expertise

• Often strong personal connections

• Focus branding efforts on local culture and regional strengths, leveraging community involvement and local expertise.

Global: 

• Consistent global brand image, while tailoring to local nuances

• Must build trust on a larger scale

• Develop a unified brand strategy that communicates their global presence and diverse capabilities

Handle this objection

100

We don't need a CRM, we do project-based work?

It's important so that you can get a comprehensive view of your clients, manage the relationship throughout the project and nurture + upsell them throughout the project.

200

"We're using MailChimp"

Mailchimp is great for newsletters but how are you tracking prospects on your website and making sure you are nurturing them?

300

Roleplay: 

You’re reaching out to a Marketing Manager at a local mid-sized law firm. The company has a small marketing team and they have been using basic tools for email marketing, and nothing for content creation. They are struggling with brand awareness and coming off as an expert in their field.

Team Vote: Yes / No

400

Roleplay: 

You’re speaking with a Director of Marketing at a staffing & recruiting company. They currently use mailchimp but have been struggling with generating enough new recruits for their clients.

Team vote: Yes / No