Outsourced Marketing So Good, They Came Back for More

 

IN HIS WORDS

“She makes us look good – real good – and she’s everything I need her to be.”

Steve Moalli, Bailey Scarano

CHALLENGE

When marketers need help with their taxes, they go to accountants. When the accountants at Bailey Scarano need help with marketing and growth, they go to Bonnie at bbr companies.

The Branford, Connecticut, accounting firm actually is on their second pass with Bonnie, after trying to “go it on their own” a few years ago. Steve Moalli CPA, leader of Bailey Scarano’s Credit Union Services, said her track record and knowledge of the public accounting profession was why the firm brought her back into the fold in 2018.

“We didn’t know how to do it – or do it effectively,” Moalli said. “We needed more of a presence in the community without spending millions on marketing. When people hear ‘Bailey Scarano,’ we want them to know who we are. We are glad we ramped up when we did since a strong digital presence was highly important with the COVID-19 pandemic limiting how much we could get out to meet with our clients and prospects.”

SOLUTION

Bonnie talked with Steve and the firm’s managing partner to identify what they wanted to address first. They reviewed who they were, where they wanted to go and shared insights into their target markets to get Bonnie going.

“She listened to our needs, then filled in the gaps and has pivoted as we’ve moved through our strategy,” Moalli said, adding that Bonnie helped create the firm’s most recent marketing plan. “It started with the social media and blog content, but that turned into special projects, including creating ads and writing content to help with recruiting and hiring, and creating, developing and managing the distribution for our monthly newsletters and e-alerts.”

It was the firm’s new website, which Bonnie developed and launched in March 2021, that cemented her status with Bailey Scarano. Moalli said he and Bonnie had weekly check-in calls to update on progress and hold each other accountable, and she always met his expectations.

“We don’t have an internal marketing person except me, the marketing partner, and an admin, who helps out with things as needed,” he said, “so Bonnie is key to managing our marketing activities.”

RESULT

Evaluating marketing efforts tends to be a common struggle for accounting firms, but Moalli doesn’t share that sentiment.

“In the few months since the website launched, our analytics look great,” he said. “Bonnie’s work on that, the blog and our social media has kept us top of mind in the community and reinforced our presence and brand awareness.”

Moalli points to Bonnie’s promptness and attention to time-sensitive communication during the COVID-19 pandemic, such as PPP updates, in raising the firm’s profile.

“Her responsiveness and accessibility are excellent, and it’s one of her biggest attributes, especially with the litany of changes we faced,” said Moalli, referencing the rapidly changing legislative relief bills during 2020 and 2021. “She stays on top of the news herself and frequently came to us with ideas for client communications too.”

He also admits that working with five different partners going in five different directions can be difficult. “She listens to what we’re trying to do,” he said, “and when I share the different dynamics, she gets it and does her best to get us going in a collective direction.”