Service marketing addresses the unique challenges of promoting intangible services — they can't be touched, stored, or experienced before purchase. Banking, education, healthcare, and consulting all fall under service marketing.
Beyond the traditional 4Ps, service marketing adds 3 more: People (staff quality), Process (service delivery), and Physical Evidence (tangible cues). This creates the 7Ps framework.
A hospital's marketing highlights doctor expertise (People), appointment systems (Process), and clean facilities (Physical Evidence). Service quality depends on human interactions, making employee training and culture critical marketing elements.