The essential guide to creating visibility for accounting firms

What are high-growth accounting firms doing to stay on top? How can you compete against other accountants AND accounting software as an industry leader? The answer is effective marketing. 

Before we jump into what effective marketing looks like for accounting firms, let’s level-set on a critical fact: marketing your service and selling your service are two different tasks that require two different skill sets. While marketing and selling your service go hand in hand, firms must put equal effort into both for business growth. Too often, marketing is confused with sales and business development. This confusion leads to marketing being left out of an accounting’s firm business strategy or left only a tiny piece of the pie.

“Make sure your clients know who you are as a firm and how you can meet their needs. Marketing strategy is to solidify your firm’s identity and make sure your clients know that you are here to be their trusted advisor,” said Lara Carter, owner and managing director of Cater and Hatcher Consulting.

Stated plainly, marketing directly impacts a firm’s visibility, and in such a competitive industry, visibility is what sets you apart. Marketing focuses on generating brand awareness and convincing potential clients to reach out to the firm. Marketing attracts opportunities and propels successful business growth.

On the other hand, sales focus on offering a specific service and convincing the prospect to purchase.

When considering new trends and ideas to market your firm, ensure your firm’s visibility is a top priority. The more visible your firm, the more clients you win and stand out from competitors.

“Not all accountants service the same industries or provide the same services. It is important to identify what makes you different from the other accountants or firms and employ a strategy that communicates that idea to your potential audience,” said Carter.

Accounting firms must meet their potential clients where they are located. We are in the digital age, which means everyone is online and heavily influenced by technology. If your marketing agency does not have a digital footprint, how will potential clients find you?

 

Here are two ways to start building your firm’s digital footprint

 

The perfect Website 

Your website is the face of your company and the home of your brand. We like to think of a website as a digital storefront. Your presence (content, usability, graphics) on your website is significant to prospective clients, which will most likely be their first impression of your firm. According to Hinge Marketing, over 80% of your prospects will visit your website to learn about your firm, and the quality of your website is also a top reason that prospective buyers rule out a firm, often before they even reach out.

Your website must set you apart from others as an expert in the accounting field. It would be best to showcase to your current and prospective clients that you are an expert in the accounting field and fill a specific niche. Not only can your website and SEO set you up as an expert, but adding high-quality content and insights can make you the go-to expert.

Accountants can quickly achieve authority through a blog on their website. The blog must speak directly to your target audience (potential and current clients) to show you as knowledgeable and their preferred choice.

Tips to step up your accounting firm’s website:

• include a well written about the firm section and leadership section so potential clients can know who they are meeting
• clearly state the services offered
• contact information should be easily accessible
• keep your website and blog up-to-date; consistency directly reflects on your brand

Here are 5 Questions Your Website Must Answer

 

Perfect the use of Social Media 

Accounting firms must embrace the power of social media. Online channels offer a great way to reach and engage with potential and current clients. Before hopping on just any social application, you must narrow down the ones that fit your business strategy and find the voice to reach your target audience. Here are four things accountants must consider when adding social media or updating their social media strategy:

Brand Strategy: Social media outlets represent your brand and should follow suit with your other digital assets. Your logo, colors, bio, header image, and name handle should be cohesive with your brand.

Voice: Remember, you are trying to showcase yourself as an expert in the accounting industry. Your social media posts must fit the personality of your firm. When writing for a business, a good rule is to keep the tone professional and the content informational as you set yourself apart as a thought leader.

Content: What do your current and potential clients want to see and read? Prospects are looking for educational, informative, and engaging content while existing clients seek content to streamline their business growth. It would help if you found the balance to appease both audiences.

Scheduling: Plan out your post in advance and use the scheduling tools to your advantage. It would help if you never had to stop another task to post or forget to post. There are many tools out there that will do it for you. Consistency is a challenge many face when it comes to social media. Accountants must stay consistent as this is a reflection of their firm’s brand.

Social does not only expand your brand’s visibility and connect with current and potential clients, but accountants can also brand themselves as leaders in the industry. Check out the best ways to use social media here.

 

Need help getting started today? 

If you need assistance in implementing a website or social media into your marketing strategy, reach out to us at SNR Creative. We specialize in helping businesses achieve their fullest potential in marketing.

 

Endnotes:

[1] https://hingemarketing.com/industries/accounting-finance/accounting-marketing-guide

https://blog.hubstaff.com/accounting-firm-marketing/