Marketing

Is the marketing produced by your accounting firm truly so useful that people would pay for it if you asked them to do so? That’s the success standard outlined in the new e-book, Youtility for Accountants, co-authored by Darren Root, CPA and Jay Baer, and published by Portfolio/Penguin.

Accountants tend to fall in the analytical-left brain-thinker camp. This makes it difficult for some practitioners to make the transition to right brain creative thinking when the time comes to get a marketing program up and running.

Every product line (or service, or industry) begins at introduction, when a handful of early adopters begin to use it. This stage requires a lot of investment with little profitability. If the product survives this stage – and most do not – sales and profits begin to pick up as the product grows in popularity and use. The product becomes self-sustaining as it enters maturity.

Quick ways to boost your marketing efforts even during the chaos of busy season

Accountants, especially during busy season, have significant demands on their time, so it's critical to understand how to balance a desire to develop deeper client relationships and work-related time constraints.

“Being found” by potential clients can be a challenge. How do potential clients find you? The best way is always word of mouth from your colleagues and clients who know the work you do and your areas of expertise. But, word of mouth alone does not get the job done. People need a way to validate your skills and experience and learn a little bit more about you before they pick up the phone.

Each year, the Association for Accounting Marketing holds an awards ceremony at its annual conference, honoring outstanding achievements in the areas of accounting marketing and communications.

It is popular among my learned accounting colleagues to portray the elders of the profession who have not signed on to the concept of a Social Media Strategy as some kinds of latter day Luddites.