Whether you’re self-employed or employed, a major part of being an accountant is your clients. Getting them, nurturing them and making sure that you offer the best possible service are key to being a successful accountant. This blog post looks at the different ways you can get new clients as an accountant in practice.
Why do accountants need to do marketing?
When it comes to marketing, multiple approaches at the same time work well. This allows you to come across more clients at once which will drive your business forward. The question is, are you marketing yourself properly? Or are you stuck in a rut when it comes to finding new clients? This is where I can help. I’ve put together a whole range of top tips on how to bring in new clients and market yourself as an accountant the right way.
Marketing activities to find accounting clients
1) Build brand awareness, online and off
We live in a digital world where we see thousands of pieces of content every day. When everything comes at you thick and fast, how are you supposed to keep up and get noticed? You must be consistent with your branded content across all your channels – social media and website included. Make sure that you’re talking about relevant topics around your business and what you do. This will make you stand out. The more authentic you are, the more your clients are likely to approach you for work and keep coming back for more. Use face-to-face marketing opportunities to put your brand in front of potential new clients by offering to speak at business events or take your print marketing to conferences and exhibitions which are now back on after the pandemic.
2) Know your audience
One very important thing to keep in mind as an accountant is your audience. They should be at the centre of everything you do and how you market your business to them is key. The more research you do around this, the better. This will allow you to accurately target your services to them and what platforms they are going to be on. An example is LinkedIn, which is a great professional platform for financial clients. Therefore, your content has to be suitable for that audience.
3) Focus on offering a stand-out customer experience
Customer experience is more than simply customer service. Your customer experience is made up of every interaction that your customer has with your business. From the initial awareness of your brand through to dealing with post-sales complaints handling, the customer must be at the heart of your activities. If you provide a poor customer experience, you’re less likely to be recommended by someone or have them come back to you for your help. You should make sure that you do everything in your power to give the best service possible. This goes beyond a follow-up email to try and sign a lead. You should pay attention to what your clients’ needs are and strive to deliver the results they want. The more you do this, the more they will stick with you and refer you to others.
4) Get involved with the business community
If you only have a few clients, it pays to get involved with business communities, whether in person or online. Sign up for local financial networking, join groups on LinkedIn and attend financial events in your local area. When you join a community like this, you’re instantly put in front of a lot of like-minded people who could become potential clients. Make sure to join a community that you are passionate about however – don’t just join a group for the sake of it.
5) Keep detailed customer records
Keeping detailed client records allows you to plan ahead when it comes to growing the list of clients you work with. If you are a self-employed accountant, you will need to keep a record of everything to understand where your business stands anyway. Make sure this is all kept in a secure place such as a customer relationship management (CRM) database and can easily be accessed should you need to go back and refer to anything. Being a successful accountant requires you to get deep into the mindset of your clients. You need to understand what their lifestyle is like and what their personal and business goals are. Consider storing personal information (GDPR compliant, of course) about your client such as their birthday, business launch anniversary and even their kids and pets names so that you can give them a highly personalised service that makes them feel valued. When your existing clients feel that you care about them, they will be much more likely to help you get new clients for your accountancy services.
6) Celebrate successes
Clients are drawn to accountants that are successful at what they do. Don’t be afraid to shout about your achievements! This increases confidence in your service. You’ll benefit from word-of-mouth referrals when people talk about your expertise and see your successes online or in print. To generate new clients, you can also try to get yourself featured in a financial magazine or other publication that your clients will read. Self-promotion can be a difficult technique to master but is very rewarding when you do it well.
7) Leverage your existing clients
Using your current client list to its maximum advantage is key for attracting even more business and growing your customer base. A lot of accountants don’t do this and it’s puzzling as to why. Go through your current client list and look at who you like to work with. Who leaves you happy and hungry for more work? See if there are any characteristics about them that you can leverage in your marketing strategies. It could be something about their personality or budget. Knowing who you want to work with is more effective than trying to target just anyone. Ask your existing clients to refer you to someone they know who needs a great accountant and don’t forget to get testimonials – written or even better a short video from your happy customers to use in your future marketing.
Digital marketing activities to help you get new clients as an accountant
Most accountants are often looking for new clients. Getting your digital marketing working well will create a steady stream of leads that will turn into new business. Focusing on the following can help bolster your presence online and increase your reach of clients:
8) Get a brilliant LinkedIn profile. This is vital for growing your brand on the world’s largest online business networking platform. Consider an on-brand banner, professionally shot photography and profile video, an eye-catching headline and a clear, compelling About section.
9) Post regularly (at least 2-3 times a week) with helpful and engaging content on Linked. Don’t be afraid to show your personality and speak directly to your preferred client.
10) Use a CRM, such as Capsule to keep track of all your client interactions and follow up with new leads quickly.
11) Host business networking events over Zoom/Teams or in person if you have a group of local clients – provide breakfast and a speaker and ask existing clients to invite another business person to attend.
12) Keep your website up to date and blog regularly to become a go-to authority in your specialist area of finance and accounting. If you find writing tricky, hire a content writer to blog for you.
13) Use case studies to highlight any standout work you have completed with clients.
14) Use client testimonials to increase the credibility of your services and always ask existing clients to complete a LinkedIn recommendation or Google review.
15) Consider paid advertising on platforms such as Facebook, LinkedIn or Google.
16) Step outside of the norm for accountants and use YouTube or TikTok to help you raise brand awareness.
17) Appear as a guest on other business owners’ Facebook or LinkedIn Lives.
18) Start a podcast to share your experience with the world.
19) Write thought leadership pieces for digital business magazines such as Forbes.
20) Create an email marketing database and email your list regularly.
Accountants must have a coherent digital marketing plan in place. Without one, you will find it harder to get new clients. You also need to make sure that your content is consistent across all platforms so your clients don’t receive mixed messages. They will be looking to see how your services add value to their situation.
Other traditional/offline marketing activities
21) Lumpy mail (i.e. sending something in the post) can help you get noticed
22) Attend trade shows locally and nationally
23) Create a printed lead magnet and send it to potential clients
24) Consider local radio advertising to get clients based in your own area
25) Place an ad in local magazines that are distributed to homes in your area
26) Look for opportunities to get featured in local or national newspapers or magazines
27) Sponsor local community events on billboards or estate agent signs
28) Wear branded clothing when you are out and about on business (e.g. a polo shirt or hoody with your logo on)
29) Give potential new clients branded merchandise such as notebooks or pens
30) Hold a client breakfast meeting with existing clients and ask them to invite someone else they know who might be interested in your services
31) Hold a competition to win free or discounted services
32) Create a referral system for existing clients and other collaborators who pass you new clients
33) Create strategic alliances with other professionals who work with your target market such as business coaches, consultants, commercial solicitors and marketing agencies.
34) Run informational seminars or lunch and learn sessions from your office or hire a conference room
35) Write a business book aimed at CEOs and business founders
36) Consider turning your business into a franchise
37) Get your company listed in local business directories
38) Visit the local Chamber of Commerce to do a speaking event
39) Resurrect your paper business card and hand it out to people when you are in the community
40) Write an article for trade magazines that your target audience might purchase or read.
41) Enter business awards to raise your company’s profile
42) Cold calling can yield results (if you are prepared to make a lot of calls)
Get new clients as an accountant with an ex-accountant copywriter on your team
Good marketing is all about good content and good content usually involves words. I can write the content and copy you need to attract the clients you deserve.
If you would like to know more about how to get new clients as an accountant through SEO blogging, social posts and by upgrading your LinkedIn profile and content to attract the people you want to work with, call Michelle on 07789 928530 or email michelle@eshkeri.co.uk
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