inside the 90-day marketing plan for cpa firms – streaming webcast [discontinued]

“excellent guide!” “a host of sound advice!”

– accountingtoday

jean marie caragher

the author and creator of the uniquely feasible 90-day process, jean marie caragher, is an award-winning, recognized industry expert with more than 25 years of accounting marketing experience. widely regarded as knowledgeable, experienced, and tenacious, jean inspires cpa firm growth and longevity using a practical, relationship-based approach. her approach is based on her experiences as a cpa firm marketing director, a cpa association executive director, and her 16 years of consulting experience since forming capstone marketing.

follow jean on twitter: @jeancaragher; linkedin.com/in/jeancaragher; facebook.com/capstonemarketing

executive summary

with cpa firms of all sizes seeking new clients as never before, there is no better way than by creating a focused, actionable marketing plan. the 90-day marketing plan for cpa firms provides a step-by-step process to create a plan for firms of any size, from sole proprietors to multi-office, regional firms.

yes, it really is possible to complete the steps in this handbook and create our firm marketing plan in just 90 days. the timetable is aggressive, but it is doable – if you know the right processes and procedures contained in the 90-day marketing plan for cpa firms.

success requires a few important rules:

success rule 1: stick to the schedule. this creates a sense of urgency and makes the marketing plan a priority project. with that said, don’t be concerned if you stray by a few days here and there. the point is that you keep the process moving forward.

success rule 2: no shortcuts. it is important to implement each step. you’ll notice that there is quite a bit of research to be conducted at the start. you may be thinking, “do i really need to conduct a client survey?” or “do i need to analyze client data for three prior years?” how you end up utilizing this handbook is completely up to you. however, the more items that you skip, the less effective your marketing plan will be.

success rule 3: accountability. whether you are a cpa or a marketer, remember: someone must be in charge. someone must take the ultimate responsibility to make sure that each step is completed.

success rule 4: leadership. an extra tip for marketers: find the partner – ideally, your managing partner – who will give you 110% support and help sell this process to the partner group. without this partner support, no matter how talented you may be, you will not be successful.

this process works for anyone. the 90-day marketing plan for cpa firms is built with both cpas and marketers in mind – at firms and practices of all sizes and styles.

it is based on cold, hard fact: the 90-day marketing plan process is built, in part, on findings from the sevenkeys to successful cpa firm management, a joint research project spanning seven years conducted with 卡塔尔世界杯常规比赛时间 research. the input from thousands of practitioners at firms of all sizes demonstrates with amazing clarity the behaviors and attitudes used by leading firms to consistently achieve superior results.

item: sevenkeys leaders are 19 times more likely than their competitors to enjoy superior revenue growth.

clearly, the leading firms are doing a lot of things right. think of the firms that you compete with most often. what can you do in creating your marketing plan that’s going to aid the growth of your revenue and your firm? the sevenkeys leaders leadingare increasing their revenue because they build and follow smart marketing plans. they’re niching. they’re firing clients that don’t fit their target. they’re making a lot of great decisions which often require difficult conversations. and they have the leadership to make those tough decisions.

item: sevenkeys leaders are 14 times more likely than their competitors to garner wider profit margins.

sevenkeys leaders are doing a lot of the right things, and they’re doing them right. the 90-day marketing plan reveals their winning methods and practices.

it takes a team: marketing planning works best with a team. some firms may need no more than four or five people. but smaller firms – because they can be quicker and more agile – may need just two or three. teamwork is important in gathering the data points and action items required to create a well-informed, rock-solid plan. and it helps in keeping each other accountable moving forward.

the sooner you get started, the sooner you reap the benefits: by the time you’re finished with this handbook, you’ll have a marketing plan that you can start implementing immediately. we guarantee it. so why wait?

“jean’s process takes the guess work out of developing a strategic marketing plan. this is a must-read for firms who are serious about taking their game to the next level.”

– jamie d. thomas, director of marketing & communications, the lba group, jacksonville, fl.

“i love it! i’ve added it to the recommended reading list for our leadership academy.”

– sandra wiley, coo & shareholder, boomer consulting inc.

“the 90-day marketing plan is a logical process which allows cpa firm marketers to pursue long-term strategic success and avoid short-sighted ‘firefighting’ tactics. jean’s process contemplates all the key aspects – client analysis and survey, competitive landscape, the value of an honest swot analysis, growth objectives, niche evaluation, leadership – that provide the foundation of strategic goal setting and actionable planning. communication flows, and there are no surprises when the final plan is launched. follow the process, and your firm will be on the fast path to growth. brilliant and right on point!”

– jack kolmansberger, chief marketing officer, herbein+company inc., reading, pa

“jean continues to be a trendsetter when it comes to innovative and creative marketing ideas. more importantly, her ideas and concepts work and come from many years of successful execution in cpa firms. her book is a “must read” for firms serious about growth.”

– allan d. koltin, ceo, koltin consulting group

“a ‘must have’ resource for practitioners who want to put their firm on the right path to growth. this practical, step-by-step action plan is like having your own personal gps with jean’s expertise conveniently packed inside. say goodbye to confusion as you learn how to navigate from where you are right now to wherever you want to go, in just 90 days.”

– tracy crevar warren, editor, bull’s eye! the ultimate how-to marketing & sales guide for cpas

“in the 90-day marketing plan for cpa firms, author jean marie caragher has efficiently approached the age-old dilemma of how to get started and how to maintain a marketing approach that will enable a firm of any size to build its brand and develop a sustainable reputation. by integrating practical advice, relevant survey data and a timeline for implementation, caragher’s readers are assured of success. segmenting the process into manageable, actionable items backed up with explanations provides everyone from the novice to the most seasoned professional with the ability to connect the why with the how and when.”

– sally glick, chief marketing officer, sobel & co., llc

“whether you want to put together your marketing plan in 90 days or nine months, jean provides a great framework that will help. she stresses the importance of analyzing clients as well as the marketplace and provides templates for those who wouldn’t know where to start. her process will help anyone start and keep the marketing planning process moving along.”

– katie tolin, director of practice growth, ss&g

“what makes this marketing book different from most of what i have read is that this 90-day, 13-week marketing plan does not even begin to discuss marketing until week number 6. instead, jean leads you on a journey of discovery about your own firm that includes a complete guide and tools to perform client analysis, industry analysis, swot exercises, mission, vision and goal setting. the process is designed to explore what you currently do, what you want to do more of, what you should stop doing and then setting a plan to do just that. this is the rifle shot approach to getting the clients you want… not just more clients.”

– william r. pirolli, cpa/cff/pfs/cgma, partner, disanto priest & co cpas, warwick, ri