In the early days of marketing professional services, way back in, say, 1981, you'd ask people what was different about marketing professional services. They'd say, "Oh, well, you're selling an intangible." There are still some academics who'll tell you that. Even learned ones. And there are still accountants and lawyers who say the same thing.

Defining The Intangible

Is a service intangible because you can't put it on a shelf and count it in an inventory? Never mind the real differences between selling a professional service and selling a product (intangible isn't one of 'em). Is a service really intangible?

If you stop to think about it, being told that what you're doing is an intangible should be enough to incite rage in the meek (is there such a thing as a meek accountant or lawyer?).

"Not perceptible by touch," says one dictionary. But perceptible nevertheless.

There are two ways of looking at it. Accountants produce certificates, instructions, reports, and so forth -- all very tangible. Lawyers produce briefs, mortgage documents, wills, contracts, legal decisions by the page, and so forth -- all very tangible. And tangible as well are the pages of reports produced by consultants.

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