Check out the link below for the article, “Three Recession-Proof Marketing Ideas,” recently posted in CPA Insider written by Rick Telberg of the Bay Street Group.

http://www.cpa2biz.com/Content/media/PRODUCER_CONTENT/Newsletters/Articles_2008/CPA/Apr/Marketing_Ideas.jsp

Bay Street Group and Capstone Marketing are conducting marketing research on several topics related to the successful operations of CPA firms. The first survey is regarding marketing and business development. Participate in the survey and receive a free copy of the results. It can be found at http://www.zoomerang.com/Survey/?p=WEB227NJYWY3KA.

Look for more surveys in the coming weeks.

In his book, The Professional Firm50, Tom Peters (www.tompeters.com) shows you how to reinvent work including 50 sections and over 200 things to do. Now that you’ve survived another tax season it’s important to refocus your marketing and sales efforts. The following things to do are adapted from Peters’ book:

1. What is our product? Start a series of sessions around this topic.
2. Put together a superb Sales & Marketing Kit. Start now. Spend semi-lavishly to make it an unqualified “WOW!” (I.e.: Don’t be chintzy!) Consider bringing in an outsider to help you learn the ropes of marketing-selling.
3. As the process above proceeds, talk “sales” with your clients: Let them help you define your product and its clear (we hope) advantages.
4. Conduct marketing/sales training sessions. The idea is not Arm Twisting 101. The idea is: This Is Our Cool Product … and this is why it’s cool/special.
5. Include “Sales Talk” in your weekly operations-projects review meetings.

The Professional Firm50 was published in 1999. What I’ve learned so far is that there are many timeless marketing and sales activities that will contribute to the growth and success of your firm if implemented consistently.