What Accounting Marketers Can Learn from a Smarter MarTech Approach

Marketing technology is changing the way accounting firms connect with clients and grow their business. But with so many options, it can be tough to know where to start or how to use these tools well.

If your firm’s tech stack feels disconnected from your growth strategy, you’re not alone. Accounting marketers are under pressure to show results but often lack the right alignment.

On the first episode of Amplify Season 7 Meg Hoevener, marketing manager of McGuire Sponsel, talks with Jamie Miller and Don Breckenridge from Marketing by Numbers about how they approach marketing technology differently – and why it’s paying off.

Building a Strong Foundation Before Buying Tools

Jamie and Don talk about the importance of clean contact lists and making sure the marketing teams have an understanding of the business goals of the firm. They talk about the differences of using a practice manager (not recommended), an email marketing system and a full on Customer Relationship Manager (CRM).

As marketers, we know that are tools are only as good as our foundations. In MarTech it’s important to remember that the  tools only work once the team aligns workflows and responsibilities across marketing, sales, and service lines. They advise taking a measured approach to introducing automation, building dashboards, and cleaning up data before asking stakeholders to rely on them.

Where to Start?

“It depends” says Don. Where to start depends on where you are already at. Some firms already have a solid email marketing plan in place while some first have a solo marketer or a Partner who doesn’t have time to remember to send out the email. If you have a process in place, start tracking where your audience is going or if you have no email marketing system, work on getting an updated list from your practice manager into a more marketing focused software.

Eventually the goal is to have CRM at the center of your tech stack.  Having one central system to track client interactions and segment your audience makes a big difference and helps teams and firms of all sizes automate communication and find opportunity within their client and prospect groups.

“So when we look at the tech stacks, certainly the CRM is going to be a first step,” Breckenridge said. “The next is how to facilitate the content creation process because you’ve got to be able to create good thought leadership content that is valuable to your recipients, to your prospects, and to your clients.”

Special Considerations for Smaller Firms

Smaller firms may not be ready for a CRM, Miller added. In those cases, a good email marketing tool, like MailChimp of Constant Contact, can be a steppingstone to a CRM.

Consistency is key. Miller observes that many firms start strong with newsletters or social posts but then fade away. Setting realistic goals – like one post a week or two articles a month – and sticking with them keeps clients engaged and looking to your firm for education.

Quality also matters. Breckenridge reminded listeners that your website, emails, and social media represent your firm’s brand. Outdated designs or sloppy emails can turn off clients and prospects.

The Role of AI and Looking Ahead

While AI wasn’t the main focus of the episode, Miller and Breckenridge acknowledged that it’s a hot topic in MarTech now.

Tools like ChatGPT can speed up content creation dramatically. Firms that struggled to create two or three articles a month started using AI and jumped to 12 articles without adding extra time from experts. Breckenridge notes that AI can get you from zero to 90% fast, with subject matter experts refining the final output.

But beware – AI tools pull from various sources, and sometimes the information can be outdated. Miller points out that platforms like ChatGPT may not always have the latest details since they are using the general crawl which contains at least millions of webpages. It’s crucial to fact-check and use current, trusted sources to back up your content.

Breckenridge said he often gets questions about the ethics of using AI to create content. The goal is to offer valuable content for your firm’s clients and prospects, he said. “What[your audience wants] and expects is that you’re going to keep them informed and you’re going to send them valuable, accurate information that they can leverage to improve their lives.”

Hoevener noted that she puts every piece of content through Grammarly, one of her favorite tools in her tech stack, which checks for plagiarism and will tell you the percentage of AI that’s detected in the piece.

Takeaways for Accounting Marketers

For marketers at accounting firms, this episode offers a practical reminder: Don’t just chase platforms – build a system that aligns with your people and goals. Start with a clear understanding of your internal processes, and ensure you’re pulling the data that matters the most.

Whether you’re managing Salesforce, exploring AI, or just trying to improve reporting, the lesson from Miller and Breckenridge is clear – smart growth starts with smart alignment.

Listen to the full episode of Amplify, Season 7, Episode 1: “People, Process, Platform” wherever you get your podcasts.