AAM Minute eNewsletter: February 2013

Association for Accounting Marketing
Issue Editor: Christina Swonger, GBQ Partners LLC

February 2013

Bring in More Prospective Clients with a Referral Source Nurturing Campaign

Dawn Wagenaar, Ingenuity Marketing Group

Like other professional service firms, you've mastered channels such as newsletters, social media sites and trade shows to generate successful leads, and yet your marketing strategy is still missing something. You may have overlooked your current clients as valuable referral sources. Read this article to find out how teaming up with your best clients can bring in more prospective clients.

Connections in the Making

Christina Swonger, GBQ Partners LLC

Networking is a great opportunity to meet prospects, as well as referral sources. Referral sources are important to help practice niches obtain work and become a profitable niche for the firm. I interviewed Rebekah Smith, Director of Financial Advisory Services with GBQ Consulting, LLC whose projects are about 95% from referral sources. Click here to read more about her tips and trade secrets.

Fast>>Five

Daniel Jackman, Plante Moran

Every issue, we share five (or so) links to great ideas or interesting articles we've found since the prior issue. They're worth clicking.

>>Forbes provides the rules of the game with: The 8 Networking Rules You Should Never Break

>>Going for it? Take a look at Entrepreneur's Hate Small Talk? How to Break the Ice When Networking for Business

>>Networking is a two-way street. Jodi Glickman focuses on being generous in her A Confession of a Networking Pro

>>It's how you say it... HBR Blog Network reminds us that a well-crafted letter still gets the job done

>>Referrals.com? It's true, online relationships are a referral source as internet searches top referrals

>>Are you mobile-friendly? Important to consider as The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal report that Google AdWords will soon make mobile ads mandatory

Just Add Water: Content Marketing for the Professional, Not Just the Firm

Aimee LaBrake, Dixon Hughes Goodman LLP

Over the last several weeks, Content Marketing has become the biggest marketing buzz since the introduction of Social Media. With so much "buzz" on this area, we instantly think about the use of content marketing and content strategy for the firm's strategic marketing communications campaigns. However, there is another layer that is just as important in professional services firms, the professional.

Partner Perspective

Karen Love

Director, Practice Growth

Pannell Kerr Forster of Texas, P.C. (PKF Texas)

Houston, Texas

Karen Love has been a member of AAM since 2000 and was inducted into the AAM Hall of

fame in 2009. She is energized by mentoring and networking with others and enjoys watching the success and growth of her team. Wonder what she thinks is the must know for new accountants? Click here to find out.

What's In a Name?

Sarah Milans, RyanSharkey, LLP

Are you a marketer or business developer? Are the lines clear, blurred or nonexistent? Read this insightful article to get the opinion of one active AAM member.