and four key ingredients.
by bruce w. marcus
professional services marketing 3.0
how does an accounting firm become part of professional services marketing 3.0?
part of the answer resides in building a marketing culture within a firm, which means that everyone in the firm understands that he or she has an active role in marketing and practice development and understand what that role entails.
more professional services marketing 3.0: what accounting firms need to understand to grapple with radical change | six reasonable goals for cpa firm marketing | the tools of marketing are not a program – they are simply tools | is your marketing program really a program? | six metrics for marketing roi | how to formulate the right marketing goals for your firm | get real: 15 questions for achievable growth | if you don’t know where you’re going, how do you know how to get there? | eight tips for staying one step ahead of the competition (and maybe the client, too) | nine things we know for sure about how to grow an accounting firm | the cpa’s castle is crumbling
a firm may be said to have a marketing culture when it’s professional staff:
- understands and recognizes the role that marketing plays in firm management and development.
- understands and respects the professionalism of the marketing professional and the marketing staff.
- recognizes the relationship between what they do and the needs of the marketplace.
- understands and accepts its role in the marketing process.
- understands and accepts that non-billable hours spent on marketing are an investment in the future of the firm, and are not simply non-billable hours.
- participates in specific marketing activities.
- retains and supports competent professional marketing staff.
- structures the firm to develop and pursue a marketing program.
- and ultimately, is managed by people who understand and enthusiastically support the marketing effort.
a firm that meets these criteria is one that will compete successfully, function profitably, and grow.
building a marketing culture
building a marketing culture is a process that requires….
- top management support
- good marketing professionals
- marketing education of appropriate firm professionals
- a sound and professional marketing structure within the firm
firms may have their rainmakers, the partner who could go into a revolving door alone and come out arm in arm with a new client. but in today’s competitive marketplace, one or two rainmakers are not enough, if only because the competitive firms have three or more rainmakers going after the same prospective clients that you want. the firms that want to grow and thrive must be turned into marketing machines – to have a culture that understands and supports a marketing effort.
bruce w. marcus is a pioneer in professional services marketing and coauthor of “client at the core.” this is adapted from his new book, “professional services marketing 3.0,” available for purchase here.
copyright 2011. used by permission.