Evaluating and Working with a Marketing Professional: How to make the relationship work!

1. Evaluating and Working with a Marketing Professional: How to make the relationship work!

2. About Us Kristin Wing Amy Hoppenrath

3. About Us Launched in 2009 Focused solely on professional services Focused on helping clients build expertise www.AccelerAction.com

4. Our Conversation Today • Marketing vs. Business Development • Strategist vs. Implementation • The marketing brain vs the CPA brain • How to know if you’re ready • How to hire or outsource • How to help firm marketer be successful

5. Let’s Learn About You! Raise your hand if you have a internal marketing support (marketing director, coordinator) Raise your hand if you are thinking of adding a marketing professional to your staff

6. Industry Trends with CPA Firms The two biggest questions we hear from CPA firms….. What is this going to cost us? What are other firms doing?

7. Trends in CPA Firms Association for Accounting Marketing 2010-2011 Survey

8. Trends in CPA Firms Association for Accounting Marketing 2010-2011 Survey

9. Trends in CPA Firms Association for Accounting Marketing 2010-2011 Survey

10. Trends in CPA firms

11. Trends in CPA Firms

12. Stumbling blocks in CPA firms CPA’s: • Not sure what your really want to accomplish • Drive marketing from the tactical side. • Don’t understand marketing. • Don’t include marketing people in firm strategy/planning

13. What do you want? Ultimately: ROI

14. Marketing & Business Development

15. Firm Marketing Over the Years • Admin to professional • No job description, no accountability • The shift began… • High skilled directors

16. Marketing brain v. CPA brain

17. Marketing brain v. CPA brain Marketers: • Bring a different perspective • Are educators • Are collaborators • Are facilitators

18. A great marketer will…. • Develop a program that help you to accomplish your BUSINESS GOALS • Be a strategic partner • Offer a different viewpoint

19. A great marketer will…. • Be jazzed about the industry • Have a ‘get it done’ attitude • Naturally curious about the industry • Looking to find a business challenge

20. Potential obstacles There are many obstacles to helping your marketing professional achieve success

21. Avoid The Kitchen Sink

22. 4 Ways to Avoid The Kitchen Sink DevelopMetrics

23. 4 Ways to Avoid The Kitchen Sink Prioritization

24. 4 Ways to Avoid The Kitchen Sink Make them a part of the process

25. 4 Ways to Avoid The Kitchen Sink Stay out of their way

26. Strategy vs. Implementation Expert Identify the skill sets that you need • Strategic planner • Make it happen • Collaboration • Educate • Advise • Focus

27. Strategic Marketer What does a strategic marketer do? Helps your firm to achieve it’s goals!

28. The Best Mix Implementation Marketing Strategy Implementation

29. Strategic Marketer Builds marketing strategy

30. Strategic Marketer Creates niche strategies

31. Strategic Marketer CRM, data management tools

32. Strategic Marketer Creates business development processes and collaborates with partners

33. Strategic Marketer Manages marketing budget

34. Strategic Marketer Hires and manages outside vendors

35. Strategic Marketer Managing firm assets (websites, etc)

36. Strategic Marketer Strategic public relations

37. An Implementor A strong implementor can …… • Get things done • Great relationships with firm professionals • Very task oriented • Details are important

38. Implementor Researching organizations, associations

39. Implementor Updating marketing collateral, assistance with proposals

40. Implementor Managing firm events, webinars

41. Outsource vs. Hiring Talent • Management • Budget • Time • Strategic business focus

42. Things to consider • Is professional firm experience a must? • Part time vs. full time? • Be clear about what you need • Accountability • Job description • Seat at the table

43. Hiring External Help What to consider: • Budget • Industry/firm experience • Communication skills

44. Hiring External Help • Who will manage the relationship? • What is the process for reporting results to partners? • How will the agency manage costs, estimates? • How do they answer the question “What other accounting firms do you work with?” • Retainer vs. project

45. Are you ready to hire? • Aggressive growth goals • Partners not using time efficiently • Missing new client opportunities • Poor tracking of business development

46. Biggest reason? No one knows who you are in the marketplace!

47. Are you ready to hire? • Budget is there • Professionals trying to be marketers • Culture has shifted or… needs to • Nothing is getting done

48. Hiring Marketing Professional • Sample job descriptions • Recommend a hiring committee • Professional services experience • AAM salary survey

49. In Summary • It’s a long term commitment • Setting expectations is critical • Professional service firm experience • Make them your partner • Budget

50. Trends in CPA Firms Compensation The AAM survey does include specific data points for compensation across titles including: • Marketing director • Marketing manager • Marketing specialist • Marketing coordinator • Sales coordinator • Business development manager