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Part I: The critical role of
"Integrated
Internet Marketing"
by Kevin W. Brown, M.B.A.
Digital
marketing is a proven key component of a CPA firm's overall marketing
program. In fact, more than ever, your clients are relying on online
methods to receive information and choose their accountants. So what
can your firm do to address, and likely enhance, your digital marketing
efforts?
Key Principles of "Integrated Internet
Marketing"
Several
years ago, my firm coined the phrase "Integrated Internet
Marketing" to explain a
better method to increase the effectiveness and efficiency of your
online marketing activities.
Integrated
Internet Marketing is a
systematic process of combining the various parts of your digital
marketing into a cohesive,
efficient and productive campaign (e.g., branding, websites,
SEO/SEM, social media, and e-communication campaigns).
Wouldn't everyone want this, whether a strong or challenging economy?
Of course! However, the reality is that most digital marketing efforts
by CPA firms are disjointed and ineffective to some degree; Integrated
Internet Marketing is critical in reversing these failures.
Your firm can use the principles of Integrated Internet
Marketing. Key aspects include:
- Strategic planning is applied to generate
a synergistic benefit, so that the combined effect is far greater
than the sum of each individual activity.
- Tactically handling
each detail so that every component is maximized in
effective results.
- Clear communication and
professionalism (vs. disjointed and dissimilar messages,
incomplete, or missing key details).
- Compelling messaging is critical to attract and engage
your targeted markets (avoiding the impression of disarray or lack
of impact due to inconsistencies, errors and lack of a cohesive
plan).
- It requires experienced marketing
management, typically one firm handling all of it
(vs. multiple vendors, each of which tells you that their
product/service is the most important, and who generally don't
communicate well with each other, if at all; resulting in
disjointed efforts, bad PR, and poor results).
When
implemented effectively, Integrated Internet Marketing considers the
firm's goals and weighs pros/cons of each technique so that there is a
greater likelihood of achieving those objectives and generating new
business. A key focus is efficiency, productivity and reduced costs.
Avoid "One Size Fits All" Marketing Products
While
you search for vendors to help with your digital marketing campaign,
you'll likely encounter persuasive salespeople who attempt to convince
that their product is "THE answer" to your marketing needs
(i.e., we've all encountered SEO/SEM firms that think every CPA firm
should use them, no matter the target market or practice area). This is
in direct opposition
to the principles of Integrated Internet Marketing.
Usually
this person lacks a formal education in marketing and pushes their
product above all other options, no matter the specifics of your firm's
services or targeted market. A
true marketing professional could never conscientiously do so.
This
about it -- could there possibly be one marketing technique that can be
effective for every market? Of course not! Each market segment has
different needs. Otherwise, everyone would use that approach and
nothing else.
Don't miss the next issue!
In
the next issue, we will discuss developing profit-driven goals and
exceptional branding steps to consider in your digital marketing
efforts, using Integrated Internet Marketing. If your firm is
interested in implementing digital marketing, contact
us.
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