Working with the survey committee, we helped them identify the number and style of questions for a U.S and Canadian audience of HR professionals, firm partners and marketing and growth leaders. We recommended interviewing past survey participants to learn what insights they wanted out of the next report.
Feedback included more specific salary averages based on role rather than title because titles vary across firms for the same or different roles. Members also wanted analysis based on size of firm and size of the marketing and growth team.
We included questions that explored trends in benefits, the evolving structure of teams and specialists as well as use of outsourced specialists.
After finalizing the survey content and methodology with the committee, we helped AAM design eblasts and social posts to promote survey participation.
We launched the survey for several weeks and continued to monitor and promote participation. As a follow-up, we conducted phone interviews with several professionals to enhance the survey results.
After collecting the raw survey data, our analysts identified trends and themes about compensation, benefits and perks as well as top titles and specialist roles in accounting firms today. We gave the report an intriguing name that tied to our analysis.
We personalized findings for small, mid-sized and large firms, defined by participant team size and relative firm revenue. Although we did not have adequate geographic data to personalize survey findings by region, we discovered that salaries were not greatly differentiated by location, but that leaders were considering varied compensation by location for future hires. This was based on more interest in remote talent. Working with our in-house designer at Ingenuity, our survey analyst and writer developed an executive summary and report that could be purchased and downloaded from the AAM website.
We didn’t just report the statistics of the survey; we included key insights and next steps that firms can implement by size of firm and team.
In 2022, we presented our findings at the Association for Accounting Marketing Summit in Louisville, KY, in a unique way by facilitating a panel of marketing leaders.
In 2024, we presented our findings at the Association for Accounting Marketing Summit in Orlando.
For PR and promotion of the survey, we’ve had interviews with AAM’s podcast team and a successful pitch to Accounting Today, for which our lead consultant and AAM’s executive director were interviewed for a podcast. Another national article was published by INSIDE Public Accounting about survey results. AAM also published results in its own member magazine, Growth Strategies, which we wrote on their behalf to summarize survey highlights.
Overall, we’ve delivered the full package to AAM, from concepting and research to survey promotion, analysis, reporting, design and public relations efforts. It is a true collaboration with the client to deliver fresh ideas for their members. They retain ownership of the survey report, which they can sell to AAM members. In 2024, over 150 reports were sold.
– Rhonda Clark, Executive Director
AAM
© 2026 Ingenuity Marketing Group
