three things to know before jumping in. by jean marie caragher capstone marketing you can’t start thinking about selecting a niche until you have a firm grasp of your firm’s current situation. that’s why you need a marketing audit of … continued
and 99 others worth watching. barry melancon, president and ceo of the aicpa since 1995, again tops accounting today’s highly influential list of the highly influential. 1. barry melancon, president and ceo, aicpa at the top of melancon’s to-do list … continued
it’s not the product marketing they teach in college.
by bruce w. marcus
author of professional services marketing 3.0
accountants have historically not been concerned with the market. they are concerned with being good accountants, and meeting their own personal needs for professionalism. they are concerned with merely getting clients. that was sufficient pre-bates, but not now, because it’s not a competitive approach in a seriously competitive environment.
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the internal revenue service is unveiling the specifications for the competency test individuals must pass to become a registered tax return preparer.
preparers who pass this test, a background check and tax compliance check as well as complete 15 hours of continuing education annually will have a new designation: registered tax return preparer.
get the instant download: read more →
it’s competition, not technology, that’s driving change in the accounting profession. and it’s just as scary.
by bruce w. marcus
author of professional services marketing 3.0
there seems to be a general impression that the changes in accounting that created the modern firm resulted from the blast of technology that began to enter the professions in the early 1980s. not so.
sixth month of year-over-year gains.
by rick telberg
employment in the accounting and bookkeeping sector slipped by a statistically insignificant 800 jobs in august, to 922,400 people. that was barely a change from june’s 923,200-jobs level, and it represents the third straight month of declines. but it also represents the sixth month of year-over-year gains.
…as competition redefines accounting firms.
by bruce w. marcus
author of professional services marketing 3.0 read more →
“…a must-read for those interested in what the future holds…”
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 →
exclusive series of half-day workshops to meet and learn from the best firms and leading experts.
competing today necessitates a client-driven, not practice-driven, firm.
by michelle golden
professional services marketing 3.0 by bruce w. marcus
bruce’s 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.
bruce’s approach is two-fold: understand the past, and be intentional about the future. as you read, and consider your firm’s present marketing in light of this broader, historic context, you have the opportunity to identify counter-productive attitudes and approaches and move to an advanced level of marketing sooner than you otherwise might. the author shares, through his rich observations and experiences, that the views a professional holds about the value of his or her offerings, and marketing in general, are more important than the specific marketing tactics he or she undertakes.
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.
why you shouldn’t ask, “how are firms getting new clients these days?”