This week, physical evidence is the topic of our 12Ps marketing mix series.
What is physical evidence?
Khan (2014) argues that “[physical evidence] holds great importance because the customer normally judges the quality of the service provided through physical evidence.”
Physical evidence is concerned with all tangible aspects of the customer experience, which includes branding.
Physical evidence serves as social proof, boosting the organisation's professionalism and trustworthiness and reassuring individuals who may be hesitant to purchase your products or services without knowing what they are getting themselves into.
Physical evidence can have the following components:
Uniformity in branding and advertising materials.
The cleanliness of a physical business or office.
The appearance, demeanour, and professionalism of the staff or personnel.
Testimonials or references from previous clients.
Reviews or evaluations found online.
Marketing decisions made about physical evidence
Why would a consumer assume that a company's services or products are up to par if the facilities are subpar?
In a similar vein, while providing services, you should be able to demonstrate your capacity and versality by showing a brochure of what you do.
When your product is merely an idea or a concept, how can you demonstrate that you have truly produced it? This is very crucial when selling ideas or concepts, which is why many organisations who want to acquire funding for a new building or project will frequently get a model constructed of it to give some tangible evidence of what they are selling.
In summary, physical evidence is about the tangible aspects of providing products and services that customers will view with confidence and trust. This can be achieved by soliciting consumer input and comments, promoting reviews and developing and providing reference materials.
Email us at: enquiries@ovacgroup.com for a free consultation with our team specialists.
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