The main source of new work for most accountants and professional services firms is word of mouth referrals. However, as well as getting a good recommendation from a friend or business associate, most people will want to do their own homework on you, before they make contact. Having a strategy for ongoing profile-raising activities means that potential new clients can ‘check you out’ themselves, before starting a conversation with you.
How easy is it to find your practice?
Review your current marketing and PR activities and identify how easy it is to find your firm and the services you provide. For example:
- Google your firm using different search terms, do you appear on page 1?
- Do social media searches, how easy is it to find you?
- Walk down your street, how visible is your office?
- Review what local business and charity events you or your staff have attended recently – are you getting out and about enough?
Profile raising activities on a budget
You may not have a large marketing budget to play with, but there are several inexpensive things you can do to raise your firm’s profile and to increase your chances of being ‘found’. These include:
- Making sure your website is always up to date with business and firm news plus interesting content about the firm, partners and staff.
- Review your SEO so you appear higher up the Google rankings. Consider the type of words people will use to find you and make sure these are on your website, e.g. “Accountants in Hastings”, “Making Tax Digital for hotels” etc.
- If you’re using social media platforms, make sure these are updated at least weekly with content covering relevant tax and business information, news about the firm (events, staff news, etc.), plus simple tips which readers may find useful.
- Get out more! Don’t expect people to come to you, you have to go out and find them and let them know you exist. Attend local networking events, social and charitable events, sporting events and so on.
- Advertise in parish magazines and local business directories, these are usually a cheap way of promoting the firm throughout the year.
- Speak to local press and magazines to see if they would like you to write articles on topical tax or business issues that their readership would find useful.
- Sponsor local features and attractions such as roundabouts on the main route into your town, flowerbeds and gardens or local community projects.
There’s a myriad of things you can do to keep your firm’s profile high in your local area. If you’d like to have a chat about what your firm could do, email me at vicki@momentumforprofessionals.co.uk and we can arrange a time to discuss your firm’s strategy.
