SWOT “Snapshot” for Strategic Marketing

Weaknesses Wrong Salespeople in some markets

Inconsistent with our Brand message – we’d essentially

be telling a lie in those markets

Young public company afraid to spend money You Get What You Pay For

Fighting for Identity as a division of larger company All Competitors are Niche

Strengths & Opportunities Consultant Hiring: Average15 Years experience in both public

accounting and private industry, Regularly turn away those hired by

our competition

Personal Service and Quality of Work (huge opportunity!)

Not Yet Known in the Marketplace – Can Set our Own Future!

Mini-Audience Analysis

Client Demographics

Expensive Audience to Reach

Salary from $100k++, Very tight schedules

Primarily Male, Age 40-60

Use “Gatekeepers” at many companies

Requires Strategic Selling & Marketing

Consultant Demographics

Same

Competitive Analysis & ROI

Competitor Spends (Maintenance Mode)

Big 4

$15B, 1-2% = $150 million - $300 million

Consulting

$500M, 1-2% = $5 million - $10 million

Second Six

$350M, 1-2% = $3.5 million - $7 million

Solutions Firm

$150M, 1-2% = $1.5 million - $3 million

SCENARIO 1: Taking Ground

TAKING GROUND

What would this look like? Every issue of CFO

Every issue of Internal Auditor

Every issue of State/Local CPA publications

Regular issues of local Business Journals

Regular Quotes in CFO & local Business papers

Quarterly White Papers & Speaking Circuit

Presence on Major Boards – Editorial, Associations

Financial Solutions Quarterly Survey in every CFO’s inbox

What would this feel like? CFOs ask for our quarterly research!

Create a Buzz

Fun! Hit the Ground Running!

Pride in our Company – Confidence Booster

Motivating for Salespeople – CFOs take their calls

Fast Pace

TAKING GROUND: Risks & Rewards

Risks Expensive to Execute (future ramp down must be imperceptible)

Must Manage Reputation & Messaging tightly – everyone on

same message nationwide; good timing for new Sales hires

Need Infrastructure to support fast growth – Consultants ready to

deploy, fully staffed Strong Sales/Recruiting force)

We Must deliver or else we’ll have the opposite effect

Rewards Fastest Way to Ramp Up

Supports Investment in New Sales Hires - Announces “We’re

Here & We Know Our Stuff!” (“We’ve Arrived” even as we are still arriving – gets us there faster)

Name Recognition – for both potential Clients & Consultants

Brand Develops – warms up cold calls

Builds Credibility – get meetings quicker

Sets the Stage for Longevity (Investment will be recognized)

SCENARIO 1: Taking Ground

Price Tag for

Aggressive Growth:

4-6% of Revenue

$2.4 – 3.6 million

SCENARIO 2: Be There, But Be Square

Greetings,

We will now dominate

your market.

Thank you.

BE THERE, BUT BE SQUARE

What would this look like? Selected Presence in CFO

Selected Presence in State/Local CPA publications

Selected Presence in local Business Journals

Some Quotes in CFO & local Business papers

Seek Presence on Major Boards – Editorial, Associations

Financial Solutions Quarterly Survey in most CFOs’ inbox

What would this feel like? Getting in the Mix

Starting to Make Ourselves Known

Pride in our Company for Top/Selected Markets

Motivating for Top Market Salespeople

Medium-Fast Pace

BE SQUARE: Risks & Rewards

Risks Ripples vs. Splash

Slower to support new hires competing against established

brands

Nationwide (-or- Flipped: a strategic growth move)

Markets that aren’t selected could bail & lose staffing work

(problem if we are depending on that revenue)

Rewards Opportunity for Top Markets to Take Ground

Brand Develops in Pockets

• Addresses Markets individually while improving

infrastructure (we don’t hold back our top performers

because others aren’t ready)

Sets the Stage for future growth in markets that need retooling

Protects Reputation Building – reduced risk of breaking brand

promises in underperforming markets

SCENARIO 2: Be There, But Be Square

Price Tag for Growing

Professional Services Firm:

Recommended

3.3% of Revenue

$2 million

BUILDING OUR BUSINESS

Year 1

SCENARIO 1: Taking Ground

6% of Revenue = $3.6 million

Year 2

SCENARIO 2: Be There, and Be Square

3.3% of Revenue = $2 million

Year 3 and Beyond

SCENARIO 3: Flying Steady

1-2% of Revenue = $900k - $1.2 million

Sprinkled throughout

SCENARIO 4: Be Different

Budget for Special Campaigns

Where Do I Sign?!?

“Our study concludes that this is the percentage of our customers who will buy from us without any

expenditure whatsoever on our part.”

Marketing Goals / Outcomes

Build Credibility

Inform Marketplace of our: 1) Presence as an Option

2) Strengths & Advantages

3) Specific Services

Become recognized as a leader in our field

Support Sales, Warm up cold calls People know our company immediately

Name recognition – CFOs take your calls CFOs watch for our PR Release every Quarter

Build pride among Sales team – increased motivation Increased Sales!

Cost-Saving Strategies

Print Strategies Switch to Spot or 2 Color (competitors are already doing this)

Jump down to Island size

Target specific issues (part of larger plan)

Negotiate contracts to move ads among markets/regions as

warranted by our growth

Ease up in summer months

PR Strategies Understand Billing Structure – reduce Pitch list by over half for

industries / Replace with markets

Internal Staff pitches to locals / Consider starting direct

relationships with national pubs

Build entire campaign around each Quarterly Release to get

extra mileage from each one

(Includes: Local pitches, Our Website, E-mail campaign, PDFs

available for Sales meetings)

Execution Strategies

PR Plan Every Salesperson has regular Client Case Study/Quote sign-offs

Identify & Media Train 1-5 Spokespeople: Internal & Consultants

Heavy Planning Required for Quarterly Surveys

Build Quarterly Plan & Train each market to execute it, to ensure

we get the value from our investment

Media Partner and/or Association Partner (negotiate rights for

additional media distribution)

Web Plan Client Quote Section w/ regular updates – make it desirable

Practice Directors: Case Study submission requirement

Consultant Community Login?

Leader Profiles?

Kara advocating internally

Execution Strategies

Ad Plan Internal Resource to reformat for each publication

Saves $300-500 per ad (and quality assurance over free

service)

Event Plan Develop Ready-to-Launch Plan for Forums in each market –

Full Campaign surrounding events. Don’t start till after Q1.

Sign 1 speaker to travel nationwide

Eventually Develop “Speaker’s Bureau” & post online

Prepare Guidelines for Loyalty Events

Negotiate contracts to move ads among markets/regions as

warranted by our growth