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It's somewhere between the Invisble Man and the Emperor's New Clothes.

Professional services are intangible offerings that are often complicated or complex (although they may not always appear as such to inexperienced clients) and are usually provided by well skilled individuals at a significant rate.
Some of these services can be delivered in substantially cheaper forms usually with a comparable drop in quality - but this is not always seen by the client, especially when the services are more of a ‘support’ service as opposed to one that is directly relatable to sales or profit.

In fact, professional services marketing is a beast unto itself.
It is so different to products or commodities.
It requires a different set of rules.

Author Harry Beckwith captured it perfectly in the title of his book “Selling the invisible”. Unfortunately to some clients it all appears a bit like The Emperor’s New Clothes.But how do you make a future promise (which is effectively what professional services are) easier to sell?

The traditional “marketing mix” as defined by Neil H. Borden in the 1960’s configured itself around the 4Ps of product, price, place and promotion.
That doesn’t quite fit with professional services. Instead we think around our own 4Rs...

Recognition. Relevance. Reputation. Relationship

Taking in their broader sense they encompass factors such as price but package it with company standing (because your reputation most often determines what you can charge). It’s not perfect and is a touch simplistic but it does identify the change of perspective you need for professional services marketing. Not all of these are strictly communication tasks, although branding and communication (both internal and external) play a large role.

While considering this, think also about these clear action points;

Invest in your brand and reputation - they’re very similar. And they’re your point of difference.
In 1921 Frank Knight, the leading US economist, said that if a design or element of branding contributed to the choice of your product over your competitors’ then it couldn’t be considered as any less significant than any actual, physical benefit or advantage. This was one of the more significant steps in identifying branding as playing an important role in preference and selection.
When there is no physical product as such, when the ‘service’ is sold unseen and untested, when there is reasonable expenditure involved - ensuring your image and market reputation is where you want it to be for the people you want to attract is absolutely paramount. This is not just about brand, but professional conduct, your office environment, your name around town .... anywhere anyone touches your brand.
However the most visible part of this is undeniably your brand and brand wardrobe, which can act to co-ordinate and tie together the other strands of corporate perception.

Be different. If you’re not, no-one will remember you. If you look much the same as your competitors they may go to them by mistake. But don’t try to be something you’re not. Find a point of difference, a niche that fits you and your clients (both current and potential) and then work it.
Bill Bernbach (founder of DDB and one of the fathers of modern advertising) said, back in the days of Mad Men, that not being different was suicidal.
It was true then and it’s even more true today.
But it’s not just being different for the sake of it - it’s differentiation to create preference. You want to stand out to appeal more, relate more and connect more to the clients you want.
Yet you don’t often want to look too different either, because that can scare people away. It’s creating your own niche and owning it. Wholeheartedly.

Be seen. If you're not out there, you're making it hard for yourself. But plan to make sure you're in the right places with the right messages.

Simplify communication but without dumbing it down - you’re selling a complex service based around expertise. The trick is not to become too detail or jargon heavy, while not oversimplifying your pitch. It’s a matter of positioning yourself and your services as relevant to your clients.
It should connect and mean something to them. The closer you can get your services to relate to their bottom line, the more what you’re offering will make sense.
This is often difficult with professional services marketing because the services themselves are usually expertise based rather than time or effort-related.
They’re often abstract, especially in areas of consultancy and advice. These high-level services are hard for some people to see as relating to their profitability or success.
Likewise ‘support’ services that run smoothly are not always seen as adding value.
If a client is focused on running their business, professional services can seem an expensive component that they’re not always sure about. They may not know exactly what they’re getting or what it’s really worth.
Remember too that what you’re selling and what they’re buying may not be exactly the same thing. You may see the relationship from different perspectives. For example, a business advisor may be offering experience and technical expertise focused around growth within a specific sector. The client may be looking for a trusted ally that acts as an extension of their business and is someone with whom they can share confidential matters, short and long term goals, opportunities and challenges.

It’s not as simple as doing one thing. It never is. A well thought-out, structured and multilevel strategy needs to be in place. Running ads won’t work if the service delivery doesn’t go on to match your promise. If your brand says traditional and conservative and your offices are filled with 25 year olds in very contemporary surroundings you’ve got a mismatch.
And even when you have the right consistency, there’s no single channel to reach all the people you want to. There needs to be a combination of collateral, advertising, pr, electronic presence and in-house material to reinforce the brand promise and sell your organisation. That also needs to stand apart and be different.
There are other people doing what you do. Some are probably better at it. Certainly others, probably not better at it, will be cheaper. There are always others who are much the same. How can you beat them?
The answer is a multi-tier approach that’s co-ordinated around your core values and positioning.

Of course, this isn’t everything there is to say about the matter, but rather a quick overview of a specialist area.