Most accountants entered the industry to do just that—account. However, in order for your accounting practice to succeed, you must position your firm for growth. Consider the following tips for marketing for CPAs, accountants, and tax professionals:
Become a Trusted Business Advisor
To achieve growth, you need your clients to see you as more than just an accounting firm—they should consider you a trusted business advisor. In order to demonstrate your firm’s value to clients, encourage your team members to consistently share compelling content with their clients. This demonstrates that you truly understand their business and makes them more likely to turn to you for advice in a variety of areas.
Developing a firm-wide reputation as thought leaders and valued business advisors has a two-fold impact on growth. Firstly, you can add services to those you already provide for existing clients. Secondly, a good reputation can help you to draw in additional business.
Develop a Strong Web Presence
Your website is often the first glimpse of your firm that a prospective client gets—so aim to impress. A sleek and content-rich website communicates to viewers both your level of expertise and your tech savviness. Consider including the following features on your homepage:
- Blog – This goes back to tip number one. Sharing interesting original content via your website communicates that your firm is made up of thought leaders.
- Bios – Let prospective clients get to know your team members! Be sure to share a combination of personal and professional facts in each bio in order to communicate both the subject’s experience and their personality.
- Testimonials – Of course you think you’re the best accounting firm, but don’t make readers take your word for it! Including client testimonials on your website is a strong way to communicate your value to prospective clients.
- Search Engine Optimization (SEO) – Employing SEO tactics is a great way to get more visitors to your website. The more hits your website gets, the more clients you are likely to gain.
Consider Outsourcing Your Marketing
Many CPA firms opt to outsource their marketing department for a variety of reasons. Most firms simply don’t have the need for an entire in-house marketing department. Businesses that offer outsourced marketing services for accountants can provide your firm with the benefits of a full-time marketer at a fraction of the cost.
When an accountant drives their own marketing initiatives, they often struggle with consistency, ability, and time management. Employing the services of an outsourced marketing organization will give your firm access to the expert marketing skills that don’t often come naturally to accounting professionals.
Invest in Technology
As an accounting professional, you have certainly heard the constant buzz about technology disrupting your industry, both now and in the future. In order to insure firm growth, rather than resist the change, embrace it. Consider starting with these steps:
- Go paperless – Reducing paper use in your firm has the double benefit of increasing efficiency and lowering operating costs. Digital documents are easier to store, manage, search, and process, and don’t require paper, ink, postage, or physical storage space.
- Use electronic signatures – Many accounting firms waste a significant amount of time waiting for clients to return signed documents or chasing them around for their signature. E-signatures cut out the need for a printer or scanner, making it significantly easier to obtain signed documents quickly.
- Use a Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system – CRM’s are widely employed in a variety of industries in order to increase efficiency and create growth. Using a specifically-focused CRM for accountants can help you to manage relationships, build your brand, collaborate internally, and establish accountability. Check out this comparison of the most popular accounting CRMs on the market.
ABLE is a client relationship management system designed by accountants, for accountants. With as little as 15-30 minutes of use, weekly, ABLE guides accounting professionals through employing a variety of CRM tools for business development.
To find out how ABLE can help position your accounting firm for growth, request a no-obligation demo today!