Marketing, BD & CRM Effectiveness Report

Find out which marketing strategies attract and convert clients

Harness the latest research into effective marketing in professional services

In an increasingly competitive landscape, professional services firms must optimise marketing efforts to stand out, attract new clients, and ensure their budgets are spent wisely on activities that matter. Beaton’s 2025 Marketing, BD & CRM Effectiveness Report reveals the latest client feedback data on what works – and what doesn’t – in marketing, business development (BD), and client relationship management (CRM).

This report is based on extensive research capturing first-hand insights from over 700 clients of professional services firms across Australia and New Zealand. Their feedback has been analysed to provide data-driven recommendations, giving firms a clear understanding of what influences client decisions, which marketing strategies resonate, and which efforts fall flat.

 

The report provided us with good data on our industry that we can't get elsewhere. We have put it to good use in our marketing and BD planning.

Kate Dunton, Managing Director - Strategy & Growth at AECOM

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Industry-specific insights

Beaton’s report offers tailored, actionable recommendations segmented by industry with three versions of this report:

  • Accounting and advisory services

  • Built and natural environment consulting services

  • Legal services

Choose the report most relevant to your organisation for precise insights that drive better marketing outcomes.

Key questions answered

  • How can firms improve client retention strategies for loyalty and referrals?

  • Which marketing strategies are most effective for attracting new clients?

  • How can firms evaluate marketing initiatives to align with client needs?

  • What are the most impactful BD and CRM tactics?

  • How can firms measure marketing success and ROI?

  • How can firms strengthen relationships with existing clients and increase engagement?

What you'll learn

  • Proven, data-backed marketing strategies for professional services firms

  • Insights into which activities clients value most (and which they don’t)

  • Recommendations on cutting through with high-impact marketing tactics

  • Objective evidence to guide strategic budget allocation

  • Unrivalled data to help firms analyse their marketing ROI

Who should read this report

This report is essential for marketing, BD, and leadership teams in professional services and B2B industries, helping them prioritise high-ROI strategies, strengthen client relationships, and allocate resources effectively.

  • CMOs, heads of marketing & BD

  • Managing partners & CEOs 

  • Business development & client relationship managers

  • Marketing & BD teams in professional services firms

It's critical to us that our marketing, relationship building and client experience strategies match the current needs and expectations of each client. Beaton's Marketing, BD and CRM Effectiveness report gave us direct, actionable feedback from clients on the approaches that best meet their needs and how we can collaborate with clients to create greater value through our services.

James Rimmer, Director, Marketing & Business Development at Cooper Grace Ward

Why this report matters

Did you know that more than 40% of clients surveyed regularly visit firm websites to search for information relevant to their job? Yet, many firms miss this opportunity to engage potential clients effectively.

Our research also found that proactive proposals and suggestions from firms were highly rated for marketing effectiveness, yet few clients reported receiving them.

These insights highlight a gap between what clients value and how firms market their services. The 2025 Marketing, BD & CRM Effectiveness Report provides clarity on:

  • How to align marketing strategies with client expectations

  • Which BD and CRM efforts yield the highest returns

  • How to differentiate and optimise marketing activities to stand out from competitors

  • Learn effective marketing strategties
  • Get insights into BD, CRM and marketing activity your clients value most
  • Get objective evidence to optimise budget spend
  • Data to conduct BD, CRM and marketing ROI analysis
  • Learn how to cut through marketing clutter

Why this report stands out

Unlike general marketing studies, this report delivers exclusive, industry-specific insights tailored to the unique challenges of professional services firms. It reveals which marketing activities truly resonate with clients, helping firms optimise their BD, CRM, and marketing strategies to attract and retain clients more effectively.

Firms that rely on intuition instead of data risk falling behind. Check that your activities align with client preferences and don’t waste time on ineffective tactics. The insights in this report you to prioritise the most valuable marketing strategies to ensure your firm stays ahead in a crowded marketplace.

Get your copy today

Invest in a data-backed roadmap to refine your firm’s marketing strategy. Purchase Beaton’s 2025 Marketing, BD & CRM Effectiveness Report now and start making smarter, results-driven marketing decisions.

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FAQs

This marketing effectiveness report provides findings from a 2024 survey of over 700 clients of professional services firms across Australia and New Zealand. The first-hand client feedback contained within provides the most up-to-date insights on marketing effectiveness, business development (BD), and client relationship management (CRM) strategies that truly influence decision-making. The report helps businesses measure marketing effectiveness, evaluate marketing initiatives, and improve their marketing ROI analysis to optimise resources.

This report offers a data-driven roadmap to improve marketing effectiveness, making it a valuable resource for anyone looking to refine marketing strategies improve client engagement and boost their marketing effectiveness in a professional, B2B context. We recommend Chief Marketing Officers (CMOs), heads of marketing and BD, managing partners, CEOs, client relationship managers, partners and business development or marketing teams should read this report.

This report can be utilised as an effectiveness evaluation tool, providing the evidence you need to make smarter, strategic marketing decisions. With insights into what clients value most, the insights will help you to optimise marketing efforts by focusing on high-impact activities.

Using the insights from this report, firms can:

  • Measure marketing success and refine their approach based on real client data.
  • Evaluate marketing initiatives and eliminate ineffective tactics.
  • Improve BD and CRM strategies to strengthen client relationships and referrals.
  • Optimise marketing efforts to focus on the activities that generate the highest return.

No, this report is available for purchase by any professional services firm or business looking to improve marketing ROI and evaluate marketing effectiveness.

To secure your copy of the 2025 Marketing, BD & CRM Effectiveness Report, fill in your details in the form above and someone will be in contact to take your payment details.

Measuring marketing success ensures firms invest in the right strategies and avoid wasting resources on ineffective tactics. The report provides an effectiveness evaluation framework to guide firms in refining their approach.

There are three unique versions of this report, each containing industry-specific insights for law firms, accounting and management consulting firms, and built and natural environment firms. Firms in each industry can leverage the segmented data and insights to help them identify the most effective marketing tactics that clients value. The report aims to assist firms to gain real results and more valuable sales from their marketing efforts.

Still have questions? Please contact us and one of our team will be in touch to help.