Marketing in accounting firms has long been an uphill battle. Marketers have had to fight for budget, prove ROI and demonstrate that marketing is more than just an expense. But forward-thinking marketers are proving their worth by making strategic changes, tracking impact and aligning marketing with firm-wide goals.

For this episode of the Amplify! podcast series on proving your worth (S6: E 7), I did a series of lightning interviews at the 2024 AAM Summit, with leaders across the accounting industry who are successfully shifting the perception of marketing within their firms. Their stories highlight key strategies for demonstrating the value of marketing, gaining firm-wide buy-in and driving measurable impact.

1. Rebranding as a Strategic Growth Lever

Several firms are using rebrands to reposition themselves beyond the traditional CPA identity. Becca Johns at Rea & Associates shared how their firm is transitioning from a CPA-focused identity to an advisory-driven brand, reflecting their evolving services. This shift isn’t just cosmetic; it aligns with their staff composition, acquisitions and market positioning.

Similarly, Weinstein Spira refreshed their brand with a website overhaul, updated headshots and a cultural showcase video. Chloe Andrade highlighted how this reinvigorated both internal engagement and external perception. The result? A brand their team is proud to share.

2. Data-Driven Marketing: Proving ROI in Real Terms

Several marketing leaders are taking a data-first approach to prove their worth. Christine Cruz from Summit Virtual CFO by Anders underscored the importance of systematizing marketing operations, ensuring every process is documented and repeatable. This structured approach allowed their team to scale efficiently into new industries.

Danny Estrada at Rare Karma emphasized that marketing success hinges on leveraging data effectively. By integrating multiple data sources like industry trends, relationships and billing data, marketers can make smarter decisions and demonstrate direct business impact.

At Elliott Davis, integrating lead tracking into their website has helped tie content directly to revenue. Sarah Moore shared that their ability to show how thought leadership drives new business is shifting internal conversations from “why invest in marketing?” to “how can we invest more?”

3. Aligning Marketing with Firm Growth and Business Development

The best marketing initiatives aren’t just about brand awareness, they drive tangible firm growth. Jack Kolmansberger at Herbein + Company discussed moving away from traditional realization metrics to a more holistic earn-rate evaluation. By focusing on overall firm health rather than billable hours alone, they can better align marketing and sales efforts.

Neil Barrow, a business development expert with RevOps Advisors, stressed the importance of realigning BD and marketing from an “origination” mindset to an “enablement” mindset. Instead of expecting partners to generate leads on their own, firms should equip them with marketing-driven insights, referral tracking and opportunity management tools.

4. Marketing as a Cultural Catalyst

Marketing isn’t just about external messaging. It plays a key role in shaping firm culture. At Whisman Giordano, Christa McLaughlin spearheaded a “50 Acts of Kindness” initiative to celebrate the firm’s 50th anniversary. The impact extended beyond community goodwill; it reinforced their core values and secured industry recognition, including a Better Business Bureau Torch Award.

Josh Woods at Lane Gorman Trubitt emphasized the power of internal marketing. By overhauling their firm’s intranet, he provided employees with a modern, accessible platform for collaboration and communication. His approach? Show leadership the solution in action — “Show me, and then I’ll understand.”

5. Content Strategy and Not Vanity Metrics

Content remains a powerful tool, but only when used strategically. At Armanino, Katie Cohodes optimized their tax planning guide by analyzing heatmaps and engagement data. The result? A better user experience, more efficient updates and the firm’s highest-performing marketing campaign of the year.

Meg Hoevener of the McGuire Sponsel marketing team echoed this sentiment, focusing on analytics to ensure their efforts drive real engagement rather than just “doing things to do things.” By evaluating content performance, they can refine their strategy and maximize impact.

Marketing is Reshaping Firms

The leaders I spoke with are proving that marketing is not just a support function. Rather, it’s a strategic driver of growth, culture and business development. Whether through rebranding, data-driven decision-making, internal alignment or community engagement, these firms are shifting the narrative.

For marketers in accounting firms, the challenge is to move beyond traditional tactics, track real impact and align efforts with firm-wide goals. The firms that embrace this mindset won’t just justify their marketing investments — they’ll set the stage for long-term success.

By Mike Jones, Resound and Cassy Clayman

This blog post was written based on content from the latest season of Amplify, the podcast of AAM – dedicated to firm growth. This article is based on Season 6, Episode 7, featuring lightening interviews conducted by Mike Jones and Cassy Clayman at the 2024 AAM Summit. Learn more about the podcast and listen first-hand at https://accountingmarketing.org/category/amplify/.