If the kids are back in school and there’s Halloween candy in the stores, budget season can’t be far away.
Our annual list of budget priorities for next year, informed by learnings from our clients and an industry-wide survey, is here to help you make your wish list for next year — and avoid a bad case of the “if onlies” come summer.
Because a successful marketing plan combines long-term planning with quick wins, we’re including both. Alone or in combination, these ideas will help you stand out and stay ahead of the changing demands in professional services marketing.
- Multi-Channel Industry Marketing. According to our 2024 Top of Mind Survey of 100+ professional services buyers, your industry experience is one of the top areas of interest to prospective clients. And buyers want more than broad claims of knowledge; they are looking for proof that you will add value. In particular, they’re interested in your bench depth, in-house experience, specific client engagements and insights.
Meet your audiences wherever they are, using all the channels at your disposal. In addition to pitch materials, robust representative matter descriptions, biographies and service descriptions, we recommend investing in signature thought leadership, white papers or research reports that you can slice and dice to use on your website, in webinars, on social media and as fulfillment for targeted online advertising. See our article on industry marketing for more insight. - Video/Podcast Library. Videos and podcasts play a significant role in amplifying brands and strengthening connections with clients and prospective hires. Invest in high-quality production to create compelling, professional content.
We recommend producing a variety of video and podcast types to appeal to different audience segments:
· Professional profiles: Short, personal videos introducing your team and highlighting their expertise and communications style.
· Firm culture videos: Short videos that highlight different experiences of those who work at your organization. These will help candidates visualize themselves as part of your team.
· Educational videos and podcasts: Informative content on key issues, industry trends, and changes in legislation. This will establish your organization as a thought leader and a go-to resource.
- Digital Upgrades. Nothing dates your business faster than a slow, outdated website. Allocate budget for a digital audit and website overhaul, including UX/UI improvements and regular updates to keep your site fresh and functional.
Conduct a thorough review of your current website, focusing on:
· Updated design: Buyers favor a clean, crisp design that is scannable and user-friendly. Build in movement where you can, using animation or video, for an engaging, modern look.
· Intuitive navigation to enhance the user experience.
· Predictive search capability.
· AI-driven, personalized content recommendations based on user behavior and preferences.
· Data visualization tools that break longer, narrative content into shorter, memorable images.
· Performance optimization: Ensure your website is optimized for usability, ADA and mobile responsiveness. A seamless user experience can increase engagement and conversion rates. - Post-Election Insights. One way or another, a new administration will come into power in January 2025, and your clients will appreciate your thoughtful guidance on how this will impact key issues. A “Year One” checklist or series of articles, focused on a single issue or taking a wider perspective, is a client touchpoint that will set you apart as a valuable, forward-looking adviser.
- Brand Building and Maintenance. Your brand is one of your most critical assets. But as organizations change and grow, brands may need to evolve. And even the strongest brands will degrade over time if their use is not well monitored. Ensure brand longevity by budgeting for any or all of the following:
· Market research to determine if your brand reflects your business growth plan and your customers’ priorities.
· Comprehensive audit to evaluate brand standard compliance and consistency.
· Brand refresh or updated standards if needed to address the previous points. - Content Strategy. Today, content remains king. But an “if you write it, they will come” approach will only take you so far. Effective strategies to build trust AND rank high in search results require a combination of high-quality content and sophisticated SEO-focused tactics. Consider building some or all of the following into your content budget:
· Identifying core areas of focus for content creation.
· Keyword research.
· Content calendar creation and management.
· Meta-tagging and internal linking.
· Cross-platform promotion of high-value content, including through social media, advertising and email campaigns.
· Measurement of searches, visits, engagement and other key success indicators.
· Business writing and brand voice training.
· Outside writers/editors if needed to supplement internal resources.
· Training on effective and ethical use of AI for repetitive or low-value content to reduce internal resource drain.
Want more ideas? Contact Jeorjina Tegel to schedule a discussion about your high-priority strategic marketing investments. Find out what 100+ professional services buyers said about their preference metrics for marketing communications in our 2024 Top of Mind Survey.