40 Under 40 Honoree: Brian Swanson – 30

Education – BA, Northern Illinois Univ.
Hobbies & Interests – Pursuing 3rd Degree Black Belt
in Tae Kwon Do; Training for Chicago Marathon.
Professional Affiliations – Member & Website Committee
Member – Association for Accounting Marketing

What peers, clients and friends say about Brian:
Brian has been helping CPA firms understand and conduct business development
for seven years. He teaches firms how to better use e-mail communications as
a primary marketing tool for their firms. E-mail marketing has been non-existent
for most firms and experimental for others, but he has designed a process that
can ease a firm in the process, while keeping the program at a professional
level.

What technology or business process does Brian see affecting the tax
and accounting profession in the next five years?
“The use of technology to help firms manage their business development
process is still in its infancy. Few firms have embraced the Internet as a marketing
tool outside of a standard website. Beyond ‘canned’ e-newsletters,
firms have not been taking advantage of the immediate response and communications
process of sending custom, frequent and educational e-mails to their client
base and the potential referral partner world.”