Marketing Goods or Services

(undated, probably in December, 1980)

There is a fundamental difference between the marketing of manufactured goods and the marketing of services.

Goods are marketed to the general public after the labor is performed, and the result in the form of the goods is open for scrutiny.  The discussion centers on the product.

Services are marketed before the labor is performed.  Therefore the marketing discussion must emphasize trust and reliability.  The labor which the buyer will receive will be performed after the commitment to buy is made.

Marketing services requires constant trust in the worker.  Marketing goods requires only trust in the goods.  People will buy reliable goods from a mean man.  They will generally prefer to buy services from someone with more personal compatibility.