Accountancy marketing does not have to cost you a fortune. However, your biggest ‘spend’ will be your time and commitment to continuing to market and communicate with your clients.
Below, I provide insight into the tried and tested marketing measures that have helped accountants grow their practices. Many of these activities will be familiar to you; the question is, are you doing them?
Whether you find this article a ‘revelation’ or a timely reminder, your marketing strategy should have one or more of the following objectives:
- To engage (or re-engage) with your existing clients.
- To build rapport with prospective clients, you would like to sign up.
- To remind people what you do and how you can help them, be they clients, prospects, business contacts and staff.
Here are my ideas for raising your profile and generating new fees. Other than taking the time to implement, they should be free or very inexpensive ways of marketing.
Referrals
Remember to ask your existing clients if they know of anyone else who could benefit from your products or services. Most clients won’t realise you’re trying to grow your business unless you have that conversation with them. Be proactive in asking for new clients.
Reminders on letters and emails
Add a PS to your email signature (and/or letters), along the lines of “As with many organisations, our business grows through word of mouth referrals. If you know someone who could benefit from our services, do let us know or pass on our details to them”. This is a continuous and subtle reminder that you’re willing to take on additional business.
You can also use the PS option to highlight an event you are organising, a new service, and so on.
Cross-selling
It is always cheaper, quicker, and easier to cross-sell other services to existing clients than to try to sign up new clients. The easiest way to achieve this is to arrange a meeting with them to review their business or personal circumstances and to then listen to what they have to say and any issues which they mention. More often than not, there will be some problems they have which you could solve and which you could charge them for.
However, unless your client is looking to use that service at the time you mention it or they receive a marketing communication from you, they are likely to forget about it. You have to keep reminding them of your different services and how they can benefit your clients.
Social media
The key to social media is to post regularly and engage with others. You may also find it useful to participate in the local town and business forums.
Periodically go down your LinkedIn or other social media connections and drop them a line to ask them how they are, follow up on conversations you’d previously had with them, or send a link to an article that you think might be of interest to them. Marketing is all about being in the right place at the right time. Re-connecting with people in this way can prompt them to think about you and how you could be of assistance either now or in the future.
Blogs
Write articles that you can post on your website and on social media pages. This assists in keeping your website refreshed, but also helps to keep in touch with your connections and raises your profile.
SEO terms
Make sure the key search words that people use to find your website in search engines are actually in use throughout the main headings and as part of the landing page addresses on your website. Ask around the office to find out what key search words the staff would use to find your firm, you’ll be surprised at the different words people use.
Networking
Alongside client referrals, networking is still one of the most popular sources of new leads for accountants. The coming weeks and months will provide an excellent opportunity to raise your profile in local business groups. If you’re not a confident networker, read my blog ‘A new (no pressure) approach to networking’.
Identify and go seek those perfect potential clients
Draw up a list of local businesses that you’d really like to have as clients. Ask your staff, clients or business connections if they know any of the key decision makers that work there and if they could introduce you. It is very easy to overlook the family and friend connections that are right under our noses.
Accountancy marketing – FREE marketing review
For more ideas on marketing on a shoestring budget, sign up for our Free Marketing Review and you can get tailored advice for your firm, free of charge.
Marketing doesn’t have to be an expensive activity. If you’d like help with starting your marketing activities or feel that you need to have a more structured approach to how you attract new clients or retain existing ones, don’t hesitate to contact me on 01822 833300 or email: vicki@momentumforprofessionals.co.uk.
