Marketing for your accounting firm should be on a different schedule than Uncle Sam
There is nothing worse than being bombarded by new clients during crunch time, is there?
Okay, maybe that's being a bit dramatic. There are actually a lot worse things out there than winning new clients during busy season, like LOSING them. But it is a bit of a headache to ONLY get new client interest when you're trying to deliver quality service to your existing ones. It makes it difficult for planning (something we're wired to always be thinking about), and it can be quite a disruption.
What's worse is during the off season when you start looking at those P&L statements and see nothing but red and a withering pipeline...
So, how do we put an end to this vicious cycle? More trade shows? More conferences? What, exactly?
Maybe more of the same will only result in... well... more of the same... How about something completely new? - Like marketing tactics that feed the pipe 24/7/265 - even on holidays and weekends.
Here are some accounting marketing practices that are sure to create a more engaged database of prospects, and deliver more clients throughout the year, not just when it's hitting the fan.
1. A sales-oriented website
Take a look at your website for a minute, will you? What are the first things that pop into your mind when you see it?
Is it innovative? Does it convey personality? Is it unique in any way? Is it aesthetically pleasing?
Okay, now let's try another exercise... pull the Google analytics report (please tell me you have one). Are your visits increasing every month?
Okay, now let's try one more thing... Pull the report that discusses lead conversions. Do you have any "lead magnets" or collateral that people can download, or reasons of any kind for them to give you their contact information? I'm sure you have a "contact us" form somewhere. Can you pull data on that and tell me how many leads you've generated from your website in the last year and how many of those turned into actual customers?
I'm not looking for hunches or assumptions or "guestimations..." How about some actual numbers that clearly show you how many people visit and how many people convert?
If the answer is too fuzzy or requires a leap of faith, it's time for a new website - one that will pull traffic through an SEO strategy, and convert the best traffic into leads.
Want to learn more about websites that earn? Click HERE
2. Blogging
Blogging will do so much more for your firm than you probably realize. If you focus on topics that are evergreen in nature, as in, articles that help your clients year round, you'll generate interest year round.
This means spending time on subjects that are related to your business, but may be less about taxes and more about things that your customers care about... even in the off season.
It can be tough, because so much of what you do rides on legislation that is always changing, but I know it can be done.
Do it often enough and you'll start seeing Google populating the search queries with your firm over your bigger competitors - even when they have deeper pockets.
Oh, and one more thing... please make your blog posts something your clients can read. Too much jargon will turn them off before they ever turned on.
Get the blogging strategy playbook HERE
3. Social media management
If there is one thing I think accountants do well in the world of digital marketing, it's being social on social media. Where you tend to miss the mark is in using your success in a manner that drives engaged traffic to your website. And I rarely see the firm's company profile doing what it needs to do to back up your efforts.
Social media is one of your best tools for driving the right kind of traffic to your website, but it should be driven at the firm level, not JUST the partners and managers. There should also be a system in place that helps you take that traffic and convert it into something more meaningful.
Having a solid blog that you and your team can distribute is one way.
Having lead conversion paths that consist of more than just "contact us" pages and forms is another. - we'll talk about this in a second... but there's something else you want to make sure you maintain during this social strategy.
Be social - I mean, at the firm level. There is a simple rule to follow: the rule of 10-4-1.
For every 15 of your posts on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Google+, or anything else you use, 10 of those should be you sharing somebody ELSE'S content, 4 of those should be your blogs, and only 1 should be an actual ad or content offer.
Get the Social Media Management Playbook HERE
4. Content downloads
Okay, so I promised that I would help you close the loop in your marketing strategy, so here it is.
Content downloads.
This is when you give away content of value in hopes that your visitors will be willing to part with their contact information in order to receive it. THIS is how you generate leads that you can nurture through emails and later call when it makes sense to do so.
These too should be like your blog posts, and attract interest throughout the year, so keep that in mind as you put together ideas for these pieces.
CONCLUSION:
There is no reason for you to only get more clients when you're inundated with busy season. Implement a digital marketing strategy today, and watch the best leads you've ever had start rolling in 6 months from now, and on and on.
Interested in learning more about how inbound marketing can help your firm get more clients year-round (and yes, this IS inbound marketing)? Schedule a free assessment today!
Want to see the inbound marketing playbook from tooth to tail? Check it out:
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