Marketing & Communication

Marketing for Professional Services

Consultancies, law firms, accountants, engineers and training providers sell expertise and trust rather than products. This course covers marketing for professional services: defining niches, thought leadership, relationship and referral marketing, proposals and pitches, client experience, digital presence and business development habits for professionals.

5 days Classroom or live online English

Smart Horizon Certified - Global Leadership Consultants

Take the course details with you.

Download the full standard outline: why attend, methodology, objectives, audience, competencies, the daily outline and current plans.

Download course PDF

Why attend

From knowledge to real-world impact.

Professionals often dislike selling, yet growth depends on it. You will learn marketing approaches that suit expertise-based firms.

Workplace challenges

Professional Problems This Course Is Designed to Solve

The programme explores practical approaches to the following challenges. Results depend on how the learning is applied in your organisation.

Difficulty translating subject knowledge into practical workplace decisions.
Inconsistent approaches to the activities covered in the course outline.
Lack of a structured plan for applying and reviewing new skills.

Course methodology

How you will learn.

Niche definition workshops, thought leadership planning, pitch practice and case studies.

Course objectives

What you'll take away.

By the end of this course, participants will be able to:

Define target niches and service positioning
Build thought leadership programmes
Develop referral and relationship marketing
Write winning proposals and pitches
Improve client experience and retention
Create business development routines for professionals

Target audience

Who should attend.

This course is suitable for:

Partners and principals in professional firms
Marketing managers in services firms
Consultants and advisers
Business development managers
Independent professionals

Target competencies

Capabilities you will build.

Participants will develop competencies in:

Positioning
Thought leadership
Relationship marketing
Pitching
Client management

Course outline

Your learning journey.

A focused, practical outline with time to explore, apply and reflect.

Day 1Professional Services Marketing

09:00–10:08How clients choose advisers
10:08–11:00Trust and credibility
11:00–11:30Coffee break
11:30–11:45Trust and credibility (continued)
11:45–12:53Positioning
12:53–14:00Exercise

Day 2Niches and Offers

09:00–10:08Niche selection
10:08–11:00Service packaging
11:00–11:30Coffee break
11:30–11:45Service packaging (continued)
11:45–12:53Pricing approaches
12:53–14:00Workshop

Day 3Thought Leadership

09:00–10:08Content and events
10:08–11:00Publishing
11:00–11:30Coffee break
11:30–11:45Publishing (continued)
11:45–12:53Speaking
12:53–14:00Exercise

Day 4Relationships and Pitches

09:00–10:08Referral systems
10:08–11:00Proposals
11:00–11:30Coffee break
11:30–11:45Proposals (continued)
11:45–12:53Pitch practice
12:53–14:00Role play

Day 5Client Experience

09:00–10:08Service quality
10:08–11:00Client reviews
11:00–11:30Coffee break
11:30–11:45Client reviews (continued)
11:45–12:53BD routines
12:53–14:00Action plan

The timings provided are estimates and may vary depending on the number of participants and the discussions taking place during the sessions. They are indicative only and do not constitute a binding commitment.

Dates & venues

Find a session that works for you.

Confirmed dates accept registration requests. Tentative dates are enquiry only.

Good to know

A few things to know.

How is the course delivered?

Our classroom programmes combine facilitated discussion, case studies, exercises and reflection. The precise format will be confirmed before enrolment.

Can you deliver this programme for our team?

Yes, you can enquire about a tailored programme. Share your goals, group size and preferred dates with our learning team.

Will I receive a certificate?

Participants who complete the programme receive a Smart Horizon UK certificate of attendance. Smart Horizon UK programmes are not externally accredited and do not award a professional qualification, licence or designation. Where a course title or outline refers to a professional certification (for example, AACE International's Certified Cost Professional), the programme supports learning and preparation only; the credential itself is awarded solely by the relevant professional body under its own application and examination requirements.

What should I confirm before booking travel?

Please confirm the session, exact venue, accessibility arrangements, fees and any visa requirements with the team before arranging travel. Tentative dates are not confirmed sessions.

Keep exploring

Your next horizon awaits.

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The full course agenda and dates are available above. Use the session links in Dates & venues to choose a session. Registration and quotation forms require JavaScript; you can also contact our learning team directly.