Meet a Member: Julia Germeyer

February 26, 2025

JUST THE FACTS

  • Name: Julia Germeyer
  • Title: Director of Marketing
  • Years of Experience: 18
  • College Name & Degree(s): University of Pittsburgh, B.A. Communications and Public & Professional Writing; Point Park University, MBA
  • Firm Name: PBMares, LLP
  • Firm City & State: Newport News, VA
  • Firm Size: #72 IPA in 2024
  • Email Address: [email protected]
  • Professional Memberships: AAM; Professional Services Marketing Association (PSMA) of Pittsburgh (Current Board President); Customer Experience Professionals Association (CXPA)
  • LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/juliaegermeyer/

What types of client experience strategies does your firm employ?

    • CX is in the strategic plan
    • Quarterly client surveys
    • Client stratification dashboard
    • Targeted client messaging, including resource guides
    • CX partner goals
    • CX in partner retirements (new in 2025)

Tell us about your CX Circle and the topics the group covers. The group always brings an engaging discussion. Last year, we covered topics like client onboarding, surveys, voice of the client, CX technology tools, CX trends in accounting and upcoming learning opportunities. This year, our Circle members are excited to do some live workshops and showcase CX projects in their firms.

Your firm submitted two AAM MAA submissions in the CX category last year. Could you tell us about those programs? One project featured a Client Success Toolkit that we developed in response to frequent client pain points or questions that arose in surveys; a one-stop resource to help clients understand how to work with us easier. The other project was V1 of our client journey mapping process and included the 12-month journey map itself along with resources for partners.

What is the structure of your marketing department? We have five team members, including our Chief Growth Officer. Our CGO directs and oversees the entire firm’s growth plan and strategy, and our team helps her implement that. Within our team, we each have functional responsibilities, such as internal communications, graphic design, business development, CX or digital marketing, though there’s a lot of cross-over, so we work closely with one another. We also have a couple dedicated outsourced fractional experts in areas like automation and SEO. I’m biased, but we have the best team!

What have you learned the hard way?

    • Keep things simple.
    • The avoidance strategy is a terrible way to deal with nagging projects or people.
    • Don’t assume.
    • Learn how to manage up, down, and sideways regardless of what your title and role is.

What is a “must know” for new accounting marketers? Your CPAs expect you to know the accounting industry. If you don’t, take the initiative to learn: read industry publications, familiarize yourself with industry terminology, perform independent research, look at industry thought leaders and what they publish, network within AAM and ask when you’re unsure. Throughout your career, stay curious.

What is something people may not know about you? For years growing up, I played the flute, piccolo, and piano, and placed in regional and county bands. Last year, I bought a digital piano to relearn how to play.

What is the biggest benefit you receive from your AAM membership? AAM has been instrumental in fostering a community of like-minded professionals. It’s been a go-to source of knowledge, a networking hub and a sounding board for ideas and challenges. And welcoming – that’s not something you can always say about some professional associations.

Share one marketing tip. Know your audience.

What do you feel is the biggest issue facing accounting marketers today? I would say how to incorporate AI into our work or into our firms, but it really just comes down to adaptability, which isn’t in itself new at all.

What would you be doing if you had not become a marketer? Good question! Maybe pursued law or went into nonprofit work of some kind.

What is the biggest project you are working on right now? We’re redesigning our website and overhauling our approach to online lead gen. On the CX side, we’re working on infusing CX into retiring partner transitions and supporting the CX-focused partner goal.

If you had an unlimited budget, what is one thing you would implement immediately? Hire more staff!

What books have you read recently that you feel would be beneficial to other AAM members? Content Inc., CX4Rocks, or Primal Leadership

What blogs/social feeds do you subscribe to that are helpful? On LinkedIn, I really like these three:

      • Leadership Insights Weekly by Shelley Smith
      • Customer Experience Works by Jeannie Walters
      • Experience Craft by Lauren Feehrer
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