Meet a Member: Kayla Juba

JUST THE FACTS

• Name: Kayla Juba
• Title: Senior Marketing Specialist
• Years of Experience: Over 11 years in MarCom; over six years in Accounting Marketing specifically
• College Name & Degree(s): Shippensburg University, Bachelor’s Degree in Communication/Journalism with a Concentration in Public Relations
• Firm Name: Brown Plus
• Firm City & State: Camp Hill, PA
• Firm Size: $26M, five office locations, ~140 team members
• Email Address: [email protected]
• Professional Memberships: Association for Accounting Marketing (AAM), LEA Global
• Community Involvement:
  • AAM Minute Committee Co-Chair
  • LEA Global Marketing & BD Steering Committee Member
  • Brown Plus United Way Campaign Planning Committee Member
• LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kayla-juba/

 

GETTING TO KNOW YOU

What is your firm’s process for marketing strategy and budget planning for the upcoming year? When do you start?

Our Marketing Plan is directly aligned with our Firm’s overall Strategic Plan, with various tactics, goals and KPIs that directly tie to lead generation, brand awareness, client service and employee experience. Each tactic, goal and KPI is directly tied to a specific team lead within our Marketing Department.

Our Marketing Director typically starts drafting our budget in September or October. This allows our leadership team enough time to consider how the Marketing budget fits into the overall Firm budget and to pre-approve planned expenses for the following year.

 

What is the structure of your marketing department?

Our Marketing Department is led by our Marketing Director, who manages our Marketing Plan, budget and overall strategy. In my role as Senior Marketing Specialist, I help execute that strategy, with a strong focus on content creation and review, event management, proposal development, media relations and marketing team supervision. We also have a Marketing Coordinator who supports all facets of marketing for our Firm.

 

What is a “must know” for new accounting marketers?

Learning the intricacies of the public accounting industry is a definite “must learn” for new accounting marketers. It’s hard to fit everything that comes with that into one list, but here is my best attempt!

• Accounting is a relationship-driven business, so accounting marketing is not about flashy campaigns – it is about deepening your client trust and relationships.
• Accounting is a highly regulated environment, with new legislation coming out frequently that requires understanding from your professionals and communication to your clients.
• Most firms offer the same core audit, tax and advisory services, so differentiation is crucial; focus on what makes your firm and your professionals unique.
• Thought leadership is the name of the game. Content marketing (think blogs, webinars, case studies etc.) is one of the most effective tools at positioning your firm as a leading thought leader for your region and/or for any specific service lines or industries you are targeting.
• Accounting firms need a steady pipeline – not just of clients, but of talent as well, as talent is an accounting firm’s key asset. Therefore, your job is to market to attract both.
• Accounting is a highly seasonal industry, so marketing campaigns will need to be planned around key tax deadlines and audit cycles.

Also, understanding that, in any type of professional services marketing, trust and credibility are everything. Good marketing communicates: “You have this specific problem, and our product/service is the solution for that problem.” In public accounting, the problem that you are marketing towards is anxiety. Often, when clients think about accounting, they have significant worries about accuracy, compliance, regulations, deadlines, etc. Therefore, throughout all your marketing efforts, your primary focus should be showcasing your firm’s high degree of professionalism, expertise and client service, to counter those concerns and help ease some of that anxiety.

Understanding these essential points will help position you as an invaluable resource – not just for external clients and prospects, but also internally to your fellow team members.

 

What is the biggest benefit you receive from your AAM membership or what affect has AAM had on your career?

Networking, networking, networking!

Marketing is a unique profession in that it requires a fundamental understanding of two separate industries – the marketing industry, but also whatever industry you are marketing within. Another tricky thing about it is that some of the closest professionals to you who best understand your challenges are likely your competitors, so it can be hard to connect with others who are experiencing your same pain points. AAM is amazing at bringing together professionals who have the same opportunities and setbacks from all across the country. It’s also amazing at pulling together invaluable resources from some of the most seasoned minds in the industry, to help AAMers thrive in a rapidly evolving professional landscape.

 

What do you feel is the biggest challenge facing accounting marketers today?

I think that AI is one of the biggest challenges – and opportunities – facing accounting marketers today. The sheer pace of change makes it difficult to know which tools offer the best value and how to build strategies that won’t be outdated tomorrow. At the same time, AI opens up exciting possibilities for efficiency, personalization and deeper client insights. The key will be embracing the technology thoughtfully, experimenting with what works and staying agile as strategies evolve alongside the AI tools themselves.

 

What would you be doing if you had not become a marketer?

Had I not become a marketer, I think I would be teaching middle or high school English. I adore all things writing and literature; “The History and Structure of the English Language” was one of my favorite courses in college!

 

What is the biggest project you are working on right now?

Overall, events are the biggest part of my job that I’m having to manage right now. We have five different client education/CPE events coming up between now and the end of the year. We also have four new client appreciation events scheduled for next month. On top of that, I’m also managing a lot of internal events related to our Firm’s United Way campaign, culture sessions with various teams and kicking off a Working Parents Group ERG. So, fall season is a really heavy event season for me and my team!