Marketing For Accountants – Accountants have an interesting time when it comes to marketing their services. Years ago, this was not even considered an issue. Accountants simply needed to post their company in different phone books and more than likely they were going to get called, especially during tax season. Now, they have to deal with major competition, not just from other competitors, but from major chains as well.
People have to be educated on the benefits of working with an individual accountant rather than just some chain group. For starters, most of us do not simply get a single form every year they need to file. People work second jobs, work freelance, have investments and extra sources of income. They need guidance on how to not only file taxes but handle their money and that’s where a real accountant comes in.
Importance Of A Web Presence
The fact is that many people and small businesses will still look for the services of an experienced accountant, especially for tax season. The year starts out with high expectations but soon many realize that they need to get last years paperwork in order because they owe money to the government, and they need to make sure they are on point with what they need to pay. Your services come in because if they do not already have an accountant, they are going online to find one and fast. You do not have to be the first person they call but if you are on page one of Google, you have a much better chance of landing that new client.
How Accountants Get Clients
Establishing a web presence is easier said than done. However, it can be accomplished within a couple of weeks if you know where to look. You have to keep in mind there are two ways for you to market your services. You can either send ads to people, trying to educate them on the subject matter or inform them of your services. The other option is to make sure that you are located where they are looking for people with your skillset. Here’s where you can get started:
- Networking: Believe it or not, networking is a great idea. Business owners talk to other business owners and people talk to their friends about accountants. That means if you have the time to get out and socialize with your clients a bit more, let them know you appreciate referrals.
- LinkedIn: One of the best social media sites for accountants and professionals to advertise their services is on LinkedIn. You can get organic interest by writing articles on important subjects, publishing them on your profile and even sharing them in specific groups. For example, you can write an article on how business owners can save on taxes and share it with a group of small business owners in LinkedIn.
- Google my business: When people do look for someone to provide them a service, usually they head to Google for the information. The my business option is completely free and puts you on the map around anyone looking for your services.
- Website: Adding an online presence cannot be completed without a website. It’s a great tool to add and a great way to get new clients. Websites can rank on Google, be advertised on social media, be another home for your blogs and more.
If you are not sure where to begin, start with the basics and free services out there with Google and social media. Job hunting websites are also great to look for work. You may find a company looking for freelance services if that’s something you’re more interested in. Consider these projects if you are an independent contractor because they may provide steady work.
What You Can Do
There are so many options for you to market your services. Marketing for accountants comes down to understanding how to reach a specific audience with information that informs them they need your services and how they can benefit. Do not expect immediate results, but a long-term plan to produce content and work on your internet presence can make a big difference. Here are some things you can try:
Marketing For Accountants
- Write blogs: One of the best ways to introduce people to your brand and also show them that you’re someone who knows what they are doing is by writing blogs. They are a great way for people to get informed on important topics and how to make improvements in their efforts. There are so many things’ individuals and business owners need to know about their taxes and money management and you can help them.
- Offer people free assistance: While you may not want to do everyone’s taxes for free, consider offering them free information and assistance. This can be with the content you are making as well as hosting seminars or webinars that go over some basics that people need to know.
- Make videos: Another great form of content to draw interest in your brand is video. This option is great because you can cover a wide range of topics, quickly, and share the content throughout the web. Make sure that you make it easy for the viewer to get to your website.
- Post on social: You should never overlook the value and importance of social media and the presence it can give you online. You have the ability to showcase your accounting information, blogs, videos and so much more to millions of people. Even sharing the content on your personal accounts can be beneficial because everyone knows someone who needs an accountant.
You should look at the challenge of marketing for accountants as an opportunity to showcase your talent in a new way. There are millions of people looking for information that you can provide them. While you may not always want to do it for free, it does build trust in your as an expert and whether the person is an actual client or just a click and like on your profile page, they are still benefiting your brand and improving your businesses online presence. Consider that as you start focusing on content generation and what you can do.