MAP SUCCESS: Molinar on Marketing

What are most important business development trends facing CPA firms today?

For some answers, just ask Russ Molinar, Director of Marketing & Practice Development at Plante & Moran. We did, and here’s what Russ offered up…

1) The maturation of marketing. Marketing in most accounting firms is an “adolescent” — a teenager with increased expectations and demands being placed on the function. The marketing function has emerged from a tactical “write the brochures” mentality to more of a strategic and revenue-focused function.

2) The next phase of business development and sales professionals. Many firms have tried using outside lead generators, with mixed success. Many firms, starting with the Big Four and now cascading down to the national and super-regional firms are looking beyond “lead generation” to marketing and sales professionals to help with sales coaching, sales management, account planning, and opportunity management, among other things.

3) Integrating marketing and sales. Marketing should drive sales, or at least create opportunities for the firm. Many of the marketing tactics often used by accounting firms aren’t linked with sales efforts ? for example, trade shows or event sponsorships to increase firm awareness without adequate planning and follow-up activities to turn those efforts into qualified leads. Firms should be looking to more aggressively and comprehensively link and better integrate existing marketing and sales efforts. Our firm, along with many others, is looking to change the focus to more of a sales, or practice development, orientation.

You can catch Russ and the best of accounting marketing at the AAM
Summit in June. Visit: AAM

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Posted at April 29, 2005
Filed Under BSG [CPA TRENDLINES] | Leave a Comment

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