Wednesday, July 21, 2010

See You on Facebook: CPA Firms Surge into Digital Marketing

Tax and accounting firms are rapidly adopting digital and online marketing strategies as traditional business development activities fall by the wayside, according to research conducted for "The Seven Keys to Successful CPA Firm Management" practice improvement program.

For the first time ever, a majority of CPAs report that over the next year their marketing plans will be emphasizing digital initiatives, such as website development, email newsletters and social media.

"To be sure, personal networking remains the top business-getting activity for tax and accounting firms," said Jean Caragher, president of Capstone Marketing, which, with Bay Street Group LLC, produces the Seven Keys CPA practice improvement program. "But now they are increasingly taking those in-person networking activities online."

The topline results of the survey are free to the participants and detailed analyses and recommendations are scheduled to be unveiled in a one-hour webinar:

"Marketing + Biz Dev: Trends and Strategies 2010"
Thursday, August 12, 2010
1:00-2:00 p.m. Eastern

Accounting firm executives, managers, and marketers can register here.


According to the survey, the top five marketing tactics CPA firms will be pouring new resources into are:

1. Networking with prospects and referral sources (69%)
2. Upgrading the firm's website (55%)
3. E-newsletters (53%)
4. Thought leadership (blogging, publishing articles, speaking engagements, white papers) (49%)
5. Social media (LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, etc.) (47%)

"Clearly, the tide has turned toward digital," said Rick Telberg, CEO of Bay Street Group LLC. "I think it's safe to say yellow page advertising is dead. The internet is taking over."

Tuesday, July 6, 2010

60 Ideas in 60 Minutes

60 Ideas in 60 Minutes, the closing session at this year's Association for Accounting Marketing Summit, tripled its goal and generated 180+ ideas learned during the conference and through real life experiences. What I've learned so far is that I participate in an industry with colleagues who are more than willing to share ideas and best practices that help make me a more effective consultant and marketer.