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Woman in a long sleeved dark green shirt holding a white mug that says "like a boss" in black lettering.

by Kate Harry Shipham, KHS People LLC

 

We are starting a new segment where we feature blogs on hot topics by prominent CPA firm marketing consultants, recruiters and digital branding agencies we’ve partnered with to help grow both teams exponentially. This month, we found KHS People’s blog on the topic of title confusion quite… topical, so we are sharing Kate’s words of wisdom on the Ingenuity site – with permission, of course.

In a previous article, KHS People shared their market research about the causes as to why BD and marketing titles create confusion. 

One way out of this title confusion is to standardize titles and reset on the purpose and experience requirements for each level. This will look different for large and smaller firms, although, it doesn’t necessarily have to be.

Standardization

We hear this word frequently, but let’s hone in on what that would actually look like.

​This below uses a larger firm as an example:

Woman in a long sleeved dark green shirt holding a white mug that says "like a boss" in black lettering.

Makes sense. Keep going…

Now let’s take this one step further. 

​Consider for a moment if there was active management of this career path. This means clear decision points along the way to help the marketer play to their strengths. This benefits the marketer and the firm; more professional satisfaction makes for less turnover in firms. It is this turnover that has rocked the legal marketing industry since 2020. 

An example:

The first decision point could be relatively easy. It would also allow the firm and individual marketer to consciously discuss and decide on the type of Manager both think is appropriate.

The second shift is more significant and will likely mean a cultural shift for many. Having said this, it doesn’t have to mean “the addition of sales”. A far more subtle and finessed shift would be the better option for many. 

It does give both the firm and the marketer a more active and controlled role:

For the firm

  • Clear and defined titles avoid any confusion.
  • Different career paths are offered to help retain their team and align individual skills and strengths with the appropriate course.
  • The firm is innovative with respect to how it goes to market and how it engages and actively helps to manage its marketers.

For the marketer

  • Active management of one’s career creates ownership and a greater purpose.
  • Defined stages with each level resetting their specific purpose (and, arguably, some Specialist and Manager levels regaining credibility because of this newly defined purpose). 
  • Opting in or out of a fresh structure acknowledges how the career path of a marketer has changed. 

Originally published on khspeople.com

Thanks, Kate, for letting us share this amazing article. For more tips on recruiting and retention for law firms, visit KHS People.


Read On: For more recruiting and retention ideas for marketers, see our other blogs for more information.