Crunching The Numbers: How To Market An Accounting Firm and What To Avoid

The world of marketing differs immensely from industry to industry much like it does with workplace attire. There are just some industries that take themselves a bit more seriously than other. For example, a person in the financial sector wouldn’t be caught without nice attire while those working at an internet marketing company have a much more lax outlook on dressing professionally. Accounting firms are in this more serious sector so certain tactics that work for one type of business might not work for the firm. The following are just a few things that you should do and what to avoid when marketing for an accounting firm.

 

• The Goal of the Website is to Convert!

 

The website’s main goal is to convert and have people enlist the services of the firm. One of the most important aspects is having the contact information available as soon as a person visits the website. Another great tip is to make sure that you have a catchy domain name that makes it easy to find the site. Having the address, phone numbers, and emails at the top of the page eliminates the time a person has to search for this information. Those who have trouble finding this might just go down to the next firm in the search engine results. Another tip is to let the visitor know about the firm and team working at the firm. People don’t want to leave their money with those who are mediocre as great accountants can save people thousands of dollars in just one tax period. Pictures on the website will help humanize the firm and a meet the team page is integral in this process. A person could have the same alma mater as one of the accountants which immediately helps build trust in the team.

 

• Write Your Own Content

 

People constantly have questions about certain areas when it comes to accounting. The blog can be a great place to inform and build a reader relationship with the firm. When tax time comes around the reader is more likely going to go with the firm that informs them rather than a firm that keeps them in the dark. Building this type of readership can also boost customer loyalty as engaging with readers only strengthens a relationship. Firms that outsource their content creation might have trouble keeping the same voice from blog post to blog post. Brand voice is extremely important in creating trust between customers and a firm. If you are going to outsource your content production, outsource from one company or freelancer. This will help keep the brand voice consistent and readers will notice this believe it or not.

 

• Do Not Hire a Marketing Major Without Writing Experience

 

Many marketing “majors” have been more like event planners as this is a way many businesses like to market. Throwing events can be quite effective but not many people want to go to an accounting party. This person should have experience writing in the industry or at least maintaining a website and blog. Something as simple as answering questions on blog posts can be a huge deal so dedicating a single person to this job is important. Crowdsourcing this is possible but this spreads the blame if someone forgets to answer a comment or question. One ignored comment can alienate a current or potential customer very quickly.

 

• Don’t Box Yourself In

 

While those who work in accounting find the industry to be quite interesting, this is not the case with many in the general public. Marketing to the accounting sector is quite different so this will differ whether you are a B2B firm or B2C is the main form of revenue. In the B2B sector it is important to stress the knowledge that you have in industry terms as other accounting firms will understand this. In the B2C sector the firm can have a bit more fun and use language that is a bit more casual. Interactive content is a great way to appeal and visualize data for the normal person. Companies that have taken advantage of interactive content to visualize otherwise dry content have gotten quite a bit of traffic rather than simply posting some kind of case study.

The accounting world has quite a few great marketers but finding the right professional can be difficult. Accounting is different when it comes to marketing than many other industries. Most people only use an accountant once a year when filing their income tax so the return on one conversion can last for a lifetime. Targeting a certain demographic is important as well as not all people will use an accountant but rather will go with an easier route like an online tax filing service. Those who have investments in stocks or real estate are a perfect demographic as they will need to know deductions and tax law to properly deduct the correct amounts. People with experience marketing in the financial sector or even real estate sector will be a perfect fit. Ask for results they have produced before even considering these people as the correct fit for your firm. Market an accounting firm correctly and every season will be the busy season!