CPA Firm Marketing Trends

Source: CPA Trendlines

The following is a complete reprint, reproduced with permission, of an article by Alan Vitberg.

I believe that marketing and business development at CPA firms is on the edge of a transformation based upon the monumental changes to the way we receive, process, use and share information.

It's not about “pushing” information out to prospects, it's about being found by prospects searching online for solutions to their needs, issues or pain; converting those eyeballs into leads and new business; and employing tools that deliver metrics for pinpointing the ROI from investments made in marketing and business development.

Successful firms are taking a fresh approach to business development that combines traditional one-to-one marketing with new marketing strategies and tactics built upon inbound marketing, a laser-like focus on lead generation, and the many faceted ways that social media can be employed for new business purposes.

Among the key strategies and tactics they employ are:

• Integrating internet and social media strategies tied to lead generation campaigns
• Demanding accountability from everyone in the firm for new business development
• Defining and measuring marketing key performance indicators (KPIs)
• Leveraging the firm's thought leadership as a component of lead generation
• Putting the right infrastructure (and strategies) in place to acquire, track, nurture and convert leads to engagements

While there are many other strategies and tactics, the firms re-allocating budget and other resources away from branding to hard-core lead generation activities with measurable ROI are firms that are winning new business.

It's a new world, and like those firms that capitalized on the tidal wave of accounting and law firm marketing that began in the 1980s, the more progressive and entrepreneurial firms of today will see and seize the opportunities, and grow their top line.

From CPA Trendlines, http://cpatrendlines.com, “Alan Vitberg: Accounting Marketing on the Verge of a ‘Lead Gen' Revolution,” July 7, 2011.