Sometimes it is necessary to focus on one particular service the practice provides, rather than implementing a practice-wide approach to marketing.
Examples may be MTD for VAT or the forthcoming MTD for Income Tax, but I’ve also seen practices do specific marketing promotions about their payroll, probate, tax planning or R&D claims services.
Most people know that as accountants you will tend to offer accounts, tax and vat services. So if you want to promote something more specific, here’s what you can do to ensure you maximise your revenue streams.
1) Tell staff
Make sure you’re staff know about everything there is to know about the service. Explain to them what it involves, how it can be of benefit to your clients and who the key contact people are in the practice. Staff meetings are a good format for doing this as it gives people the chance to ask questions and for everyone to hear the answers. Staff should be encouraged to identify opportunities to cross-sell the service to existing clients.
2) Tell clients
Be proactive! Send your clients a leaflet about the service, perhaps enclosing this with a letter or their accounts/tax return information. Alternatively, send an email to them with a link to an article on your website which highlights the benefits of using your firm for this service. Whether it’s a mailing, email or meeting, the important thing is to tell your clients!
3) Tell prospective clients
If you have a database of prospective clients, mail or email them as above. If you don’t have such a list you’re going to have to use a range of tools to help raise awareness of your new service. A well-written article on your website, which includes key search words about your service, will help drive traffic to the specific web pages. Social media can also help to raise awareness of the service, with links back to your website for more details. See the ‘additional marketing tools’ section below for more ideas.
4) Ask for referrals
Don’t forget to ask staff, clients, business contacts, family and suppliers if they know anybody who may be interested in your service. To remind yourself to ‘ask’, add this as an item onto client, staff or general business meeting agendas. Also, add a ‘PS’ on emails or letters mentioning the service and to pass on the information.
5) Keep reminding everyone
Marketing is all about being in the right time at the right place, i.e. when someone’s circumstances change so they now require your service. You will need to keep reminding clients, prospects and contacts and make sure they can find information about your service all the time.
6) Additional marketing tools
We’ve already mentioned a couple of marketing tools to help you promote your service. Below are a few more ideas that you may wish to consider as well:
- Press releases – take the article you have written for the website and rewrite it so it would be of interest to local and regional press (and more importantly their readership) and send to the relevant editors and reporters.
- Google Ad Words – don’t just rely on search engines for people to find you, a paid-for campaign makes sure you always appear at the top of the page.
- Adverts – local press, parish magazines, regional lifestyle magazines etc.
- Case studies and testimonials from people who have used your service and why they would recommend you.
If you would like help in writing articles, mailings, leaflets etc to help you promote your service(s), contact me on 01822 833300 or email vicki@momemtumforprofessionals.co.uk.
