Capstone ConversationsBy Jean CaragherFor CPA TrendlinesThe greatest challenge in marketing CPA firms is understanding the role of technology and how different generations of clients and prospects want to engage, Joe Kovacs, marketing and biz dev director at Councilor, Buchanan & Mitchell, tells Jean Caragher in this episode of Capstone Conversations.Show notes here | Follow Jean Caragher on CPA Trendlines here. | Get her best-selling handbook, The 90-Day Marketing Plan for CPA Firms, here | Catch Jean Caragher’s other show, Gear Up for Growth, on Fridays here. | And browse all the shows in the CPA Trendlines broadcast network here“We need to stay current, not just in knowing the technology, but how consumers are using it and making decisions,” Kovacs says. “Especially since the pandemic, the digital brand experience has become essential. Understanding that digital brand experience is essential. “It’s a never-ending challenge. It’s exciting but also a little terrifying sometimes.”Four more takeaways:The biggest changes in accounting marketing over the past 10 years have been the increasing importance of digital branding, communication, and client engagement through social media and emerging technologies like AI.Key skills for successful accounting marketers include self-regulation, a sense of humor, and building a strong peer network through organizations like AIM.Joe’s top priority is ensuring CBM, a 100-year-old firm, maintains its brand value and is seen as a trusted partner to clients in a consolidating industry.He advises accounting marketers to embrace their professionalism and leadership potential within their firms, even if it means taking initiative without always asking permission.