How to Gain Partner Buy-In for New Marketing Strategies

When proposing new strategies or tactics, gaining partner buy-in is often one of the biggest hurdles for accounting firm marketers. With partners usually focused on the immediate bottom line, making a case for innovative marketing ideas requires careful preparation and a compelling narrative. This blog post summarizes insights from industry experts who shared their tips in the Spring/Summer 2024 Growth Strategies publication.

What our AAM Experts are Saying

When seeking partner buy-in, start with the “why” to help them understand the purpose and importance of your request. Clearly articulate the benefits and relevance to your goals. Be thorough in your research, highlighting anticipated outcomes and their alignment with the firm’s strategy. Demonstrating a clear connection between your request and strategic goals will make your case compelling and increase the likelihood of gaining the necessary buy-in.  I have also found that engaging a respected, influential leader or champion who can advocate on your behalf to other leaders is very helpful. This endorsement can significantly increase credibility and support.

Alice Grey Harrison
AGH Group

Tie in potential business outcomes to the marketing project you’re pitching. Can you attach numbers to it? For example, let’s say you want to complete a website project for $20,000. If your goal for the new website is to bring in new clients that total at least $150,000 in firm revenue, then the initial project investment is only 13% of the potential revenue. That helps partners see the project not just as an expense, but as a worthwhile investment that will lead to greater revenue gains. It helps them see that it would cost the firm more in lost revenue to not invest in the project.

Andrew Litchford
Starling

Align with firm goals: Marketing doesn’t set a firm’s goals; it helps achieve them. Ask partners what they want to accomplish and align your activities with their goals.

Take baby steps: Start small with one or a few partners. Have a start and end date and the metrics that you’ll measure to determine if you scale up. Show success before asking everyone to make a change; you may not get everyone to change, but that will have to be OK.

Mind your metrics: Showing an increase in website traffic is nice, but a sales pipeline that includes more ideal clients and revenue than last year is better. It’s harder to do but will get more attention from partners.

Alison Simons
Simons Marketing

Conclusion

Gaining partner buy-in requires marketers to blend strategic alignment with compelling storytelling and data-driven justifications. By focusing on the “why,” attaching tangible business outcomes, and starting with small, measurable projects, marketers can build the trust and confidence needed to implement innovative strategies.