AAM MINUTE
March 2026: A Fresh Take on Communications & PR This Spring
Seasoned Marketer: Public relations has long been a staple in accounting firm marketing strategies. From partner quotes in industry publications to award announcements and thought leadership placements, PR builds visibility and credibility. But when leadership asks, “What’s the ROI?” many marketers struggle to answer. Here’s how to measure PR impact in ways that align with firm growth and business development goals.
Hot Topic: As current events, social matters and natural disasters continue to rise in number as potential threats, it’s more important than ever to evaluate your crisis preparedness posture. Click here for a recommended approach to your analysis and playbook development.
Beginner’s Guide: Let’s admit it: the concept of public relations (PR) can seem scary. In this Beginner’s Guide, let’s walk through what PR really is and how you’re probably primed to conquer this alongside your current marketing efforts without even realizing it.
Articles of Interest: The AAM Annual Summit is right around the corner! This month’s Articles of Interest spotlights several upcoming Summit sessions tailored to communications-focused accounting growth professionals. Click here to learn more.
Business Development: Most accounting firms claim to prioritize the same things — relationships, responsiveness, industry expertise. So why do some firms consistently win better clients and conversations while others compete on price? The answer isn’t a better tagline; it’s a different behavior. This month’s AAM Minute BD article explores how communications and PR directly drive business development when firms stop treating differentiation as a message and start treating it as a practice.
Meet a Member: Joe Kovacs, APR, managing director of Kovacs Communications, discusses the critical role of public relations and corporate communication in accounting marketing, and how the Accreditation in Public Relations (APR) can elevate a marketer’s skills and qualifications in this area. Read more in this month’s Meet a Member.
February New Members
Abbey Napier, ATKG
Amber Rhodey, Rubino & Company, Chartered
Brian Nowak, Cathedral CPAs & Advisors
Clara Buse, Windham Brannon
Claudine Hildreth, RubinBrown LLP
Courtney Ferguson, Freelandt Caldwell Reilly LLP
Emilee Russell, Moore Colson
Emma Simmons, Brown, Edwards & Company, LLP
Erica Caldwell, YHB | CPAs & Consultants
Esthefania Lopez, DWC CPAs and Advisors
Guillaume Vadnais, Freelandt Caldwell Reilly, LLP
Jason Kennedy, Choate Frazier
Jillian Richardson, DZA PLLC
Lauren Hoffman, Squire & Company, PC
Lauren McKinney, Hannis T Bourgeois, LLP
Matt Heiderman, HBK CPAs & Consultants
Michol Banes, Nichols Cauley
Natalia Latsios, Walz Group
Whitney Barno, Frazier & Deeter, LLC
