{"id":4541,"date":"2009-09-08t15:52:44","date_gmt":"2009-09-08t19:52:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/48e130086c.nxcli.net\/?p=4541"},"modified":"2015-10-23t02:33:00","modified_gmt":"2015-10-23t06:33:00","slug":"cpa-firms-battle-recession-with-new-marketing-plans","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"\/\/www.g005e.com\/2009\/09\/08\/cpa-firms-battle-recession-with-new-marketing-plans\/","title":{"rendered":"cpa firms battle recession with new marketing plans"},"content":{"rendered":"

two in three firms plan to boost biz-dev efforts. what\u2019s working in accounting marketing today? join the survey; get the answers.<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

by rick telberg<\/em><\/p>\n

both because of the business downturn and despite it, accounting firms are largely resisting the impulse to cut marketing spending and business development activities. and a significant number are even boosting
\nsales efforts.<\/p>\n

early results from a 卡塔尔世界杯常规比赛时间 survey for the aicpa show that roughly a third of firms have increased their marketing efforts amidst the recession, a third have reduced their activities and the other third report no change.<\/p>\n

going forward, however, most firms will be hitting the gas pedal to accelerate practice development activities. indeed, early responses to the survey suggest 70 percent of firms will be expanding their sales efforts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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what\u2019s working for accounting firms today?<\/strong><\/p>\n

join the survey. get the results<\/a>.<\/strong><\/p>\n

(free. confidential.)<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

many accounting firms are stepping up marketing just to maintain revenue levels. \u201cclients are closing their doors and we need to replace them to stay in business,\u201d says one small-office owner who is increasing biz-dev efforts just to stay even.<\/p>\n

indeed, these may be times of adversity for some; but for others, there\u2019s opportunity. \u201ceveryone else in the market has pulled back, while clients are more open to cost-cutting ideas than at any time in the last nine years,\u201d according to kc truby, a widely known quickbooks trainer<\/a> for accountants and serial entrepreneur based in casper, wyo. \u201cthe average cpa firm is growing old and more inclined to just ride it out to retirement.\u00a0 for aggressive firms, this is a good time to grab market share.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cwe are increasing activity overall only slightly, but we have major initiatives to upgrade our website and to grow a new line of business,\u201d says joe eckelkamp, ceo at the e&a cfo group in st. louis. \u201cthe web site<\/a> is remarkably successful.\u201d and, he says, new business is flowing from \u201cletting people know you are growing the niches, like audit, that others are leaving.\u201d it\u2019s \u201cbeen a home run,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n

in grand rapids, mich., prangley marks cpas is increasing spending, but carefully.\u00a0 \u201creceipts and billings are falling, so we need to increase both,\u201d says partner tom jeakle<\/a>. \u201cwhile we will do considerably more marketing and selling, we are trying to spend more wisely.\u201d the firm will be complementing its traditional reliance on community service activities with some new forays into social media.<\/p>\n

at padro & co. in miami, for example, owner jose f. padro<\/a> expanded marketing efforts and will do so again this year. \u201cit is a very important part of my business growth,\u201d he says. \u201cthe more the firm spends, the more it grows. through the firm marketing efforts, we have expanded instead
\nof contracting.\u201d<\/p>\n

to be sure, padro says, the gains are \u201cnothing to brag about,\u201d but up is better than down in any business. as part of his efforts, padro hired a marketing consultant and is blogging, twittering and facebooking. you\u2019ll find him on twitter<\/a> and blogging<\/a>. lately, he was opining about the cash for clunkers program, saying, \u201clet us not forget about our american industries; they need our help and we need them to maintain ourselves as an always progressive country.\u201d the messaging reinforces his positioning to small and mid-sized business clients as \u201ca businessman who happens to be
\nan accountant.\u201d<\/p>\n

but he\u2019s also working to make sure that everyone in his small office knows how the practice will grow. \u201call employees are being trained to understand the marketing philosophy of our firm,\u201d padro says.\u00a0 \u201cit is cheaper to maintain a customer than get a new one.\u201d<\/p>\n

his advice to colleagues: \u201cmake every employee understand the importance of quality in service from the secretary to the managing partner.\u201d<\/p>\n

next question: <\/strong>what\u2019s working in accounting marketing today? join the survey; get the answers<\/a>.<\/strong><\/p>\n

copyright 2009 aicpa, where it was first published. used here by permission.
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