accounting firms redefine value…
…as competition redefines accounting firms.
by bruce w. marcus
author of professional services marketing 3.0 read more →
marketing
announcing the new book by bruce w. marcus
“…a must-read for those interested in what the future holds…”
change your thinking, change your future
competing today necessitates a client-driven, not practice-driven, firm.
by michelle golden
professional services marketing 3.0 by bruce w. marcus
bruce’s newest book documents an important evolution in professional firms and the way law and accounting firms interact with current and prospective buyers. these interactions include serving the client, but also—quite importantly—reflecting how people working in firms present themselves in terms of their ability to bring true value to those who hire them.
bruce’s approach is two-fold: understand the past, and be intentional about the future. as you read, and consider your firm’s present marketing in light of this broader, historic context, you have the opportunity to identify counter-productive attitudes and approaches and move to an advanced level of marketing sooner than you otherwise might. the author shares, through his rich observations and experiences, that the views a professional holds about the value of his or her offerings, and marketing in general, are more important than the specific marketing tactics he or she undertakes.
five new realities for accountants and lawyers
make no mistake: change is coming, whether the incumbents like it or not.
by bruce macewen
adam smith, esq.
from the foreword to professional services marketing 3.0 by bruce w. marcus
when i first heard the title of bruce w. marcus’ latest book, i thought “professional services marketing 3.0? well, forgive me, but i think i need to be clued in on what exactly were 1.0 and 2.0.” not only does bruce answer this question, he provides an expansive and ambitious vision of what he sees ahead for us as we cross the threshold.
now, if you need the same help i did in recognizing 1.0 and 2.0, the first was in the wake of the 1977 u. s. supreme court decision in bates v. state bar of arizona, which is commonly seen as a narrow decision striking down the prohibition on attorney advertising, but which bruce w. marcus insightfully identifies as something far more momentous: the beginning of open competition in professional services.
the second stage is where we are today, with a frank recognition of the necessity of marketing, but a time (the present) when it’s still tainted by the mild whiff of the promotional, the sales-y, and the unprofessional. bruce writes that “if there’s one thing that has inhibited innovation and growth in professional services marketing in the decades since bates, it’s the disconnect between marketers and the professionals they serve,” but i would say it goes even further. marketers are often treated as the obligatory but unwelcome guests at the dinner party.
five easy ideas for a quick business boost
reach for the low-hanging fruit.
by sandi smith
accountant’s accelerator
if business has slowed for you, it’s not just you. with people making the most of a disappearing summer, getting ready for school, and trying to keep from being too cranky from the heat wave in much of the country, it’s all most of us can do to stay on our routines.
as entrepreneurs, we still need to make payroll, meet our budget goals, and get enough cash in to keep our doors open. so how can we cash in on the low-hanging fruit?
we spend a lot of energy going after the fruit that is out of reach, and most of it spoils before we can get our act together. then we wonder why marketing is so expensive, we don’t close the deals, and we are left with a big expense.
so that’s why i want to share some tips about how to go after the low-hanging fruit. you won’t even need a ladder for these revenue-builders. read more →
rebuttal: google searches for accountants is rising, not falling
hoisted from comments, in response to “who’s searching for accountants?“
by div bhansali
accountantsworld
the number of google searches for accountants hasn’t dropped by over 50% since 2004. in fact, it’s grown pretty substantially.
google trends doesn’t chart absolute growth or decline in a search term – it charts how popular that term is relative to searches as a whole. this is from google’s own help document (http://www.google.com/intl/en/trends/about.html#1):
are you ready for the new age of professional services marketing 3.0?
how to survive as the future unfolds.
by bruce w. marcus
professional services marketing 3.0
professional services marketing 3.0? this from someone who has written, spoken, railed against jargon and gimmicks?
well, yes, because in this rapidly changing economic environment, intensely competitive landscape, and highly charged computer age, it’s the best way to define significant evolution from one distinct period to the next. but, that’s exactly what’s happened – and is happening — with cpa firms. and in management practices, business models, and structure as well.
eight tips on getting your niche practice started
what are you waiting for? by jean caragher capstone marketing there are many success factors critical to the effective implementation of your strategic market plan. the more of these factors that exist within your firm, the more likely the plan will … continued
it’s a new generation in lead generation
the old ways just won’t cut it any longer!
by gale crosley, cpa
cpa firm growth consultant
the more things change, the more we need to change with them. massive shifts in market conditions are profoundly affecting our profession. but it’s not just the market that’s recalibrating. we’re also in the midst of a revolution in information gathering, which influences how our buyers think and how they make decisions.
these changes represent a realignment of our universe. they demand that we move beyond old, familiar ways of generating leads and adopt new strategies that reflect today’s environment. read more →
who’s searching for “accountants?”
not as many as before. in fact, the number of google searches has dropped by 50% since 2004. we were alerted to this “alarming online search trend” by amit vemuri, ceo at teaspiller, a company which has already generated a … continued
survey: clients find most accountants’ websites useless
or, so says teaspiller, which wants to be the yelp! of tax and accounting firms. the company says it surveyed 158 clients, showed them a few accountants’ websites and asked what they liked and didn’t like. self-serving or not, the … continued
gold medal client service: get involved, stay involved
fight for the client, and win!
enrolled agent thomas blair has built a thriving practice and solid reputation as a taxpayer’s advocate in irs cases.
here are a few of blair’s stories, in his own words:
the battle for the center gets heated
mid-sized accounting firms step up competition for the heart of the market.
by rick telberg
no one is fighting harder for every new client and every new dollar than the accounting firms in the middle of the market, according to new 卡塔尔世界杯常规比赛时间 research.
nationwide, an astonishing 86% of mid-sized firms (those with five to 15 partners or about 51 to 100 employees) have been stepping up their marketing efforts, according to the new study.
to be sure, firms of all sizes are increasing their marketing activities — from solosists (about 47%), to 2-to-10-person offices (55%), through 11-to-50-person offices (73%), and the more-than-100-persons offices (77%). but it’s in the 51-to-100-person category that the battle seems most heated these days.