accounting firms redefine value…
…as competition redefines accounting firms.
by bruce w. marcus
author of professional services marketing 3.0 read more →
here’s what you’re looking for: 卡塔尔世界杯常规比赛时间 research
announcing the new book by bruce w. marcus
professional services marketing 3.0
its evolution, its future, and how to thrive with it.
by bruce w. marcus
(co-author of the best-selling “client at the core”)
with an introduction
by michelle golden
(golden practices inc.)
click here to buy direct from the publisher and save 24%
free shipping
a new step in the marketing evolution
from the preface to “professional services marketing 3.0”
by bruce w. marcus
“professional services marketing 3.0” brings us the accountant who is now completely conversant with the role of marketing in the practice, the techniques of marketing, and the role of the professional marketer. where, under 2.0, it was the professional versus the marketer, under 3.0 we now begin to see the cpa/marketer – in a new partnership.
we see new kinds of firms, with new configurations, developed to improve productivity and client service. we see new attitudes by the cpas, and new cpa/marketer relationships. it’s a new step in the evolutionary process.
the cpa profession is already raving!
advance praise
for professional services marketing 3.0
by bruce w. marcus
bruce marcus’ newest book documents an important evolution in professional firms and the way law and accounting firms interact with current and prospective buyers. these interactions include serving the client, but also—quite importantly—reflecting how people working in firms present themselves in terms of their ability to bring true value to those who hire them. the author’s approach is two-fold: understand the past, and be intentional about the future.
from the introduction by michelle golden,
golden practices inc., and author of
“social media strategies for professionals and their firms”
bruce marcus has been a distant mentor since i began following his writings in 1990. in 
“professional services marketing 3.0,” bruce takes us on a remarkable journey from marketing 1.0 to 3.0, dissecting all the concomitant changes taking place in the marketplace. like a master cartographer, he maps out the forces of marketing 3.0 that will change the professions—most importantly, from being practice-centric to becoming client-centric. because the purpose of any enterprise is to create a customer, marketing and innovation are the only functions that matter, as they create results, whereas all the rest are merely costs. read this brilliant work to learn how to perform both of these functions more effectively in an environment dominated by creative change.
ron baker, founder, verasage institute,
author of “implementing value pricing:
a radical business model for professional firms”
bruce has always been on the nose of the ship – peering into the future and guiding firms’ growth strategies. he does it again, with profound insights in professional services marketing 3.0. this book is a gem!
gale crosley, cpa
crosley+company
bruce w. marcus has always been the type of gentleman to get us to think. with professional services marketing 3.0, he continues to challenge us in the ever-changing professional services marketing world. thank you, bruce, for sharing your wisdom and perspective on a profession we both love.
jean marie caragher
president, capstone marketing
this book is a must-read for those interested in what the future holds for professionals seeking growth in this new millennium. timely, relevant and focused.
christian payne, ceo
kellogg & andelson cpas
click here to buy direct from the publisher and save 24%
free shipping
published by bay street group llc, which also produces 卡塔尔世界杯常规比赛时间
and the seven keys to successful cpa firm management
is the tax and accounting business in trouble?
a matter for debate.
some say the business has reached maturity (here and here) and may even be in decline (here). others argue the best and biggest days lie ahead (here).
readers have been weighing in. read more →
the growth strategy forums
high-achieving cpa firm partners and industry luminaries will be joining rick telberg from cpa trendlines to share insights and experiences into today’s toughest questions and tomorrow’s most promising opportunities. cpas will be learning directly from from peers and experts, including michael platt from inside public accounting, bill carlino from accounting today, and tony batman from 1st global, one of the sponsors.
the agenda includes:
- top growth strategies for both tax and wealth management firms
- effective methods to build transferable enterprise value
- ideas to manage clients’ life-cycle changes
- techniques to developing the next generation of clients
- new succession planning strategies and much more.
click here to learn more
how to grow in a zero-growth environment
start building a micro-niche in your firm.
by david wolfskehl
the micro-niche method
according to recent research, the number of accounting firms may be declining, as may be the number of accountants in public practice. at the same time, the profession is increasingly competitive. most firms are ramping up their marketing efforts. many of these firms will see some success. for others, little will change. building a micro-niche, however, could change the prospects for all of these firms.
who needs new clients when you already have plenty who want more from you?
why you shouldn't ask, "how are firms getting new clients these days?"
five new realities for accountants and lawyers
make no mistake: change is coming, whether the incumbents like it or not.
by bruce macewen
adam smith, esq.
from the foreword to professional services marketing 3.0 by bruce w. marcus
when i first heard the title of bruce w. marcus’ latest book, i thought “professional services marketing 3.0? well, forgive me, but i think i need to be clued in on what exactly were 1.0 and 2.0.” not only does bruce answer this question, he provides an expansive and ambitious vision of what he sees ahead for us as we cross the threshold.
now, if you need the same help i did in recognizing 1.0 and 2.0, the first was in the wake of the 1977 u. s. supreme court decision in bates v. state bar of arizona, which is commonly seen as a narrow decision striking down the prohibition on attorney advertising, but which bruce w. marcus insightfully identifies as something far more momentous: the beginning of open competition in professional services.
the second stage is where we are today, with a frank recognition of the necessity of marketing, but a time (the present) when it’s still tainted by the mild whiff of the promotional, the sales-y, and the unprofessional. bruce writes that “if there’s one thing that has inhibited innovation and growth in professional services marketing in the decades since bates, it’s the disconnect between marketers and the professionals they serve,” but i would say it goes even further. marketers are often treated as the obligatory but unwelcome guests at the dinner party.
five easy ideas for a quick business boost
reach for the low-hanging fruit.
by sandi smith
accountant’s accelerator
if business has slowed for you, it’s not just you. with people making the most of a disappearing summer, getting ready for school, and trying to keep from being too cranky from the heat wave in much of the country, it’s all most of us can do to stay on our routines.
as entrepreneurs, we still need to make payroll, meet our budget goals, and get enough cash in to keep our doors open. so how can we cash in on the low-hanging fruit?
we spend a lot of energy going after the fruit that is out of reach, and most of it spoils before we can get our act together. then we wonder why marketing is so expensive, we don’t close the deals, and we are left with a big expense.
so that’s why i want to share some tips about how to go after the low-hanging fruit. you won’t even need a ladder for these revenue-builders. read more →
rebuttal: google searches for accountants is rising, not falling
hoisted from comments, in response to “who’s searching for accountants?“
by div bhansali
accountantsworld
the number of google searches for accountants hasn’t dropped by over 50% since 2004. in fact, it’s grown pretty substantially.
google trends doesn’t chart absolute growth or decline in a search term – it charts how popular that term is relative to searches as a whole. this is from google’s own help document (http://www.google.com/intl/en/trends/about.html#1):
are you ready for the new age of professional services marketing 3.0?
how to survive as the future unfolds.
by bruce w. marcus
professional services marketing 3.0
professional services marketing 3.0? this from someone who has written, spoken, railed against jargon and gimmicks?
well, yes, because in this rapidly changing economic environment, intensely competitive landscape, and highly charged computer age, it’s the best way to define significant evolution from one distinct period to the next. but, that’s exactly what’s happened – and is happening — with cpa firms. and in management practices, business models, and structure as well.
eight tips on getting your niche practice started
what are you waiting for?
by jean caragher
capstone marketing
there are many success factors critical to the effective implementation of your strategic market plan. the more of these factors that exist within your firm, the more likely the plan will succeed.
these factors include: read more →
start from day one with the ‘one firm’ vision
three essentials to making it work: entrepreneurial spirit, leadership skills and knowledge.
by paul rich
rothstein kass
if your goal is to be a “firm” (rather than a collection of sole practitioners) with the potential for significant growth, maximization of revenue and profits, the “one firm” model should start upon the commencement of business operations.
who’s searching for “accountants?”
not as many as before. in fact, the number of google searches has dropped by 50% since 2004.
we were alerted to this “alarming online search trend” by amit vemuri, ceo at teaspiller, a company which has already generated a little controversy in these pages. but read on for vemuri’s views and analysis. vemuri’s take is interesting, provocative, and, if correct, problematic for the profession. his call to action isn’t necessarily new, but that doesn’t make it any less urgent. then see the rebuttal here.
— rick telberg
by amit vemuri
ceo, teaspiller
it’s a wake-up call to the worldwide accounting community. it also confirms the aicpa’s latest survey about how all size firms are having a hard time getting new clients (and retaining clients).
observations:
- online searches for “accountants” have declined by 50% since 2004.
- the steady decline represents a cagr of about -10%.
- the problem is happening worldwide – not just in the united states.
some good explanations:
- do-it-yourself accounting software is stealing market share from accountant practices.
- accountants don’t know how (or want) to market themselves online.
some other explanations – mostly refuted:
we’ve spoken to the accounting community and got a lot of possible explanations. here are some of the explanations we’ve refuted.
- “clients search for specialties.” we’ve tried multiple types of accountant searches (cpas, pcaob, financial planners, etc.) and almost all are seeing declines. read more →