This article recaps season 8 : episode 3 of the Forward Focus Amplify podcast, where host Mike Jones and Sam Pagel sat down with attendees at the AAM Summit 2025 to explore what true growth looks like in today’s accounting firms.  Joe Kovacs(opens in new tab), Kelsey Brewer(opens in new tab), Jeshanah Fox(opens in new tab), and Chris Camara(opens in new tab) shared how their firms are leveraging testimonials, podcasts, rebrands, and client-centric messaging to create marketing that doesn’t just look good, but proves value.

The Story Only You Can Tell

In a profession built on precision and trust, marketing can often feel like a minefield. Too flashy and you risk undermining your credibility, too safe and you blend into the background. But across the accounting industry, a quiet revolution is underway. It’s not driven by trend-chasing or jargon-heavy campaigns, but by something much more authentic: storytelling.

In season 8:episode 3 of the Forward Focus Amplify podcast, Joe Kovacs, Kelsey Brewer, Jeshanah Fox, and Chris Camara shared how their firms are leveraging testimonials, podcasts, rebrands and client-centric messaging to create marketing that doesn’t just look good, but proves value.

Proof, Not Puff: Why Testimonials Still Matter

“Content marketing is familiar territory for most firms,” said Kovacs, founder of Kovacs Communications and longtime CPA firm marketer. “But where I see real untapped potential is in social proof. Testimonials and case studies where clients do the talking.”

Rather than relying solely on internal messaging, Kovacs urges firms to elevate the voice of their clients, spotlighting results in a way that builds trust organically. He tied this directly to the power of local SEO and recommends that testimonials and case studies go on geo-specific pages to improve visibility and drive conversions. “Imagine landing on a local office page and immediately seeing a client story from that same market. That’s powerful.”

It’s a simple but overlooked tactic in many firms’ marketing strategies. The key is showcasing the journey from where the client started to what pain point was solved to the results that followed.

Giving Clients a Seat at the Table

For Brewer, CMO at McGuire Sponsel(opens in new tab), storytelling isn’t limited to web pages. Her team launched Let’s Talk Tax, a conversational podcast designed to pull back the curtain and let prospects hear what it’s like to work with their advisors.

“Traditional CPA podcasts are often technical,” she said, “but we wanted to bring people into the room with us to hear how we think and how we talk through complex tax issues in a really human way.”

This human connection, she emphasized, is what clients are craving. “We’d hear from partners that clients would say, ‘you guys just talk about this stuff differently.’” The podcast became a bridge to that experience — chill, candid and rooted in real client scenarios.

The lesson? Storytelling doesn’t always have to be polished. Sometimes it’s about being present, unscripted and clear enough to be trusted.

Rebranding as a Cultural Reset

Sometimes, the story your firm needs to tell is its own. Fox, director of marketing at Brown Plus(opens in new tab), led her firm through a full rebrand, including a name change, that wasn’t just a facelift. It was a cultural shift.

“We kept ‘Brown’ to honor our history,” she said. “But ‘Plus’ represents everything that comes next. It’s our future.”

The rebrand, which won an AAM-MAA award, wasn’t about flashy design. It was deeply strategic, backed by data, surveys, focus groups and a desire to unify internal culture with external messaging. “It gave our team something to rally around. And it made us stand out in talent recruitment and client conversations.”

One of the most powerful tools that came from the effort? A brand book, lovingly dubbed the “remark-a-book,” that put the firm’s story, visual identity and messaging into one cohesive reference. “It sits in our lobby. Clients flip through it. It’s not just for marketers. It’s for everyone.”

The rebrand allowed Brown Plus to articulate not only who they are, but who they aspire to be, and that’s something younger professionals and long-standing clients alike could connect with.

Pain Point First, Product Second

For firms promoting advisory services like CAS (Client Accounting Services), storytelling can’t start with features. It has to start with the client’s frustration.

Camara, a principal with Camara Communications, emphasized this point. “The firms seeing success with CAS messaging are the ones who focus on pain points. On how much time clients waste with manual processes, how error-prone it all is and how they just want it off their plates.”

In other words, marketing CAS is less about automation and dashboards, and more about relief. It’s emotional before it’s technical. “If we can position CAS as a way to relieve that administrative headache,” she said, “we’re telling the right story.”

Too often, firms lead with their tech stack. But as Chris pointed out, it’s the problem that sells the solution. The story starts with struggle and ends with freedom.

Why Story Works

Whether it’s a testimonial, a podcast, a rebrand or a service line narrative, credibility comes from clarity. You can’t fake a good story. And when told well, it earns trust, communicates differentiation and builds long-term loyalty.

For firms wondering where to start, Kovacs suggests listening. “Talk to your clients. Capture their words. Their stories are your best marketing.”

Brewer agrees and adds that letting your people’s voices shine internally matters too. “Podcasts gave us a way to let clients hear us, not just our expertise, but our tone, our values, our personality.”

And for those in the midst of change, Fox’s advice is clear: “Your brand should reflect not just where you’ve been, but where you’re going. It’s not about being flashy. It’s about being real.”

The path forward for accounting marketing isn’t more spin. It’s more story. And the kind of stories only you can tell.

Interested in hearing more? Listen to the full podcast episode, or see what else we’re talking about on AAM’s podcast, Amplify! This resource, and many more, are available to AAM Members. Find out what membership in AAM can do for your firm and your career as an accounting marketer.