Why The Fullback Strategy Helps Firms Win
Authored by: Kelsey Blum – Creative Director | Date Published: August 1, 2025
In football, the fullback’s job isn’t to score touchdowns or grab headlines. Their role is to clear the path, create opportunities, and set up their teammates for success. The best accounting firm leaders understand this same principle: true success comes not from individual achievements, but from positioning your entire team to shine.
At Brand House Marketing, we’ve worked with dozens of accounting firms, and we’ve noticed a clear pattern. The firms that grow fastest and retain clients longest aren’t necessarily those with the most talented individuals (sorry, I mean no offense). They’re the ones where leaders actively champion their colleagues, strategically position team members with the right opportunities, and create a culture where everyone is set up to win.
Why Most Firms Get Positioning Wrong
Too many accounting firms operate like a collection of individual performers rather than a coordinated team. Partners hoard relationships, senior managers compete instead of collaborating, and junior staff get thrown into client meetings without proper setup or context. (Trust me, those of us who are Type A really do appreciate some notice.)
This approach leaves opportunities on the table. When you don’t position your people well, you miss chances to:
- Showcase experience in niche areas
- Build stronger client relationships through the right personality matches
- Develop your junior talent into confident leaders
- Leverage your firm’s collective knowledge and experience
The Three Pillars of the Fullback Strategy
1. Know Your Team’s Individual Strengths
Action Step
Create a skills and strengths inventory for your team. Map out who excels at:
- Specific technical areas (R&D credits, estate planning, forensic accounting)
- Industry knowledge (healthcare, real estate, hospitality)
- Client relationship building and communication
- Thought leadership and public speaking
2. Build Credibility Through Introduction
The most successful firm leaders are master connectors. They don’t just bring team members into meetings; they set them up for success with thoughtful context and positioning.
Instead of: “This is Ashley, she’ll be working on your audit.”
Try: “I’d like you to meet Ashley. She led the audit for three similar manufacturing companies last year and identified cost savings averaging $150K per client. She’s going to review your processes with that same keen eye.”
3. Create Opportunities for Visibility
Your team members can’t showcase their knowledge if they’re not in the right rooms. Read that again. As their fullback, actively create opportunities for them to demonstrate their knowledge and build their professional reputation.
This might mean:
- Suggesting a colleague lead a client presentation in their area of experience
- Encouraging them to write an article or speak at an industry event
- Bringing them into high-level conversations where their insights add value
The Business Impact of Getting This Right
When you consistently position your team well, the results compound.
Stronger Client Relationships: Clients work with the person best suited to their needs, leading to better outcomes and higher satisfaction.
Accelerated Team Development: Junior staff gain confidence and skills faster when they’re properly positioned and supported.
Increased Referrals: When team members are set up to succeed, they create memorable experiences that clients want to share with others.
Enhanced Firm Reputation: Your firm becomes known not just for technical competence, but for having the right guidance for every situation.
How Brand House Marketing Helps Firms Master This Strategy
At Brand House Marketing, we understand the challenges of accounting firm marketing because we were founded by and continue to be backed by a CPA firm. Our team has extensive industry experience working within accounting firms, and we’re actively involved in the Association for Accounting Marketing (AAM), the AICPA, the BDO Alliance, and other prominent accounting associations.
Here’s how we help firms implement the fullback strategy:
Positioning & Marketing Strategy
We work with you to develop comprehensive marketing strategies that highlight your team’s diverse experience and position the right individuals in front of the most suitable opportunities
Content Marketing & Thought Leadership
We help create content that showcases your team members’ specialized knowledge—from tax strategy articles to industry-specific insights—establishing them as recognized professionals in their fields.
Digital Marketing & SEO
Through targeted SEO and digital marketing, we make it easy for potential clients to find your team members based on their specific skills and knowledge areas.
Social Media Management
We develop social media strategies that highlight individual team members’ achievements, certifications, and thought leadership, building their professional visibility and credibility.
Website Design & Development
We create websites that effectively showcase your team’s collective background while highlighting individual specializations, making it easy for prospects to understand who they should work with for specific needs.
CRM & Business Development Coaching
We help you implement systems to track relationships and coach your team on effective networking and relationship-building strategies that support the fullback approach.
Making It Happen in Your Firm
Start small but be intentional. In your next client meeting, focus on how you introduce your colleagues. Give them context that sets them up to succeed. Pay attention to which team members thrive in different situations, and start making more intentional choices about who you bring into what opportunities.
Remember, your success as a leader isn’t measured just by your own achievements, but by how well you elevate the people around you. When you adopt the fullback mindset, you’re not just building individual careers; you’re building a stronger, more resilient firm.
The best accounting firms don’t just have star players. They have teams where everyone is positioned to win. That’s the fullback advantage, and it’s what separates growing firms from those that plateau.