Marketing: is it still “just advertising”? The experiences of accounting firms as a guide for other professional service firms

Abstract

Professional service organizations are finding themselves increasingly involved with marketing in order to develop and maintain relationships with their clients. Restricted by professional standards, and hindered by a lack of experience, firms are struggling to understand marketing and implement marketing programs. Nowhere is this struggle more evident that in the accounting profession, where firms are regulated by professional standards and guidelines. Based on a series of one‐on‐one interviews with accounting professionals, American Institute of Certified Public Accountants standards and guidelines, and information from both practitioner and academic literature, this research identifies the extent to which firms are following the prescriptive advice. Discussions of initiatives are provided as guidelines for further implementation of marketing strategies in the accounting profession and other professional service firms that are following in the accountants’ footsteps.

Citation

Feldman Barr, T. and McNeilly, K.M. (2003), "Marketing: is it still “just advertising”? The experiences of accounting firms as a guide for other professional service firms", Journal of Services Marketing, Vol. 17 No. 7, pp. 713-729. https://doi.org/10.1108/08876040310501269