Running an accountancy firm is no easy task. That’s particularly true today with an ever-changing business and political landscape.
Between tax deadlines, client meetings, and staying on top of legislation, finding the time to market your services can feel like a stretch. But if you want to grow a sustainable, profitable accounting practice, marketing needs to be part of the picture.
But where should you spend your time and money? PPC or podcasts? Online marketing campaigns or in-person networking events? Blogs, ads, social media… the many possibilities can make your head spin.
Here, we’ll look at five practical and proven marketing strategies that can help accountants to attract their ideal clients – without needing a marketing degree!
What is accountant marketing?
Accountant marketing is all about getting your firm in front of the right people – your target market of business owners and individuals who need your financial expertise. It’s not about flashy advertising or big budget marketing campaigns. Instead, it’s about building trust, offering value, and showing people that you’re the go-to expert for their financial needs.
To make your accountancy firm stand out from the crowd and attract the right people, you need effective marketing tactics. But before you start posting on social media or filming TikTok videos, you must stop and think it through so that you define the right marketing strategy for your financial services business.
Creating an effective marketing strategy
The right marketing tactics will drive sales and build a solid client base for your accounting firm. Along with that, you’ll raise brand awareness amongst your target audience and create high quality lead generation that can become sales conversions.
That’s the theory anyway, but it can be challenging to put into practice. You need to start by creating a marketing plan for your business. Think about where you are now and where you want to be. This will become your long term plan to reach potential clients and become a successful, sustainable accounting business.
Identify your target audience and how your financial services solve their problems or meet a need. Think about where you can reach those people – online and in person. Factor in your marketing budget (you are money people after all!), and resources (in-house or external) to start making strategic decisions on which marketing efforts to invest in to generate new business.
5 winning marketing strategies to boost your accounting firm
You’ve spent the time on market research and strategic planning, now it’s time to put that work into action. In my experience, these are the best marketing strategies for small businesses to adopt – accountancy firms in particular.
1. Strategic business partnerships
Teaming up with other local businesses can open doors to a steady stream of new clients. Think solicitors, bookkeepers, mortgage brokers, property managers or even HR consultants – basically, anyone whose clients might need an accountant.
Reach out to professionals you trust and suggest a coffee. Explore how you can support each other’s clients and help each other. It’s about building a win-win relationship that results in referrals.
From a marketing point of view, you could work together to reach new clients. Perhaps you could host a joint webinar advising on a topic from both of your positions of expertise. You could guest blog on each other’s content channels. There are many different possibilities.
2. Business networking
Good old-fashioned networking still works. Whether it’s breakfast networking groups, business expos, or community events, showing up and getting involved can lead to great opportunities.
Pick one local networking group and give it a proper go. BNI is the biggest around, and I recommend it highly. Turn up regularly so you get known. You’ll build relationships, not just collect business cards, and that’s where the real value lies. People do business with people they know, like and trust. Your approach should be to focus on how you can help people – not sell to them.
Online networking can be effective too. LinkedIn tends to be the most effective social media platform for accounting firms. You can find, and connect with, potential clients online and strike up a conversation.
3. Client referrals
Happy clients are your best marketers. People trust personal, word-of-mouth recommendations more than any advert. That’s especially true when it comes to something as personal as finances.
Ask your existing clients if they know anyone who might benefit from your services. You could even offer a small thank-you gift for successful referrals. Also, encourage your happy customers to leave you a positive review online. Glowing testimonials make brilliant content marketing tools on your social media channels, website and Google Business Page. And they’re free!
4. Local SEO
What role does SEO play in digital marketing for accountants? An important one, that’s what.
When someone types “accountant in Kent” into Google, you want your firm to show up near the top of the search engine rankings. That’s where local SEO (search engine optimisation) comes in.
Be warned, you won’t boost your online presence overnight. Local SEO is a longer term digital marketing strategy that helps you to connect with the right demographics and drive traffic to your website.
What to do:
- Set up and optimise your Google Business Profile.
- Ask clients to leave you reviews.
- Make sure your website includes location-based keywords (eg “accountants in Maidstone” or “business tax advice in Canterbury”)
- Ensure your website it working well technically.
Local SEO’s not about having an online presence everywhere. It’s about showing up where it counts.
5. Email marketing
How can email marketing benefit my accounting firm?
Email marketing’s still one of the most cost-effective ways to stay top-of-mind. You can share tips on how to mitigate tax bills, reminders for key deadlines, budget news and updates, or even just a helpful thought every now and then.
It’s a way to continue your relationship with existing clients and follow up with previous customers. It’s also a great marketing channel for building trust with potential clients. It reminds people that you’re there when they need help. That ongoing contact is brilliant for client retention.
As with all digital marketing, it’s trackable. That means you can measure its effectiveness and adjust your content strategy accordingly. If your email on the implications of the autumn budget wasn’t opened by many recipients, rethink the content for future emails.
Case study
Paul Cain’s accountancy business was ticking along ok. But they were losing clients as quickly as they were gaining new ones. He knew that changes needed to be made, but he wasn’t sure what they should be. Paul felt that business coaching was the right step to take and he turned to me at ActionCOACH.
Together, we developed a clear business growth plan, set specific goals and tracked them in our regular coaching sessions. A game-changer for Cain & Co was introducing a money-back guarantee. This marketing initiative increased client acquisition and lead conversions, as well as enhancing client trust.
“We’ve changed from a business that was almost at a standstill to a business that’s growing every month.”
Paul Cain, Cain & Co Accountancy Services
Watch our video interview with Paul Cain
Discover why business coaching for accountants is a transformative process
Let me keep you accountable for your marketing plan
Before you throw lots of money at random pay-per-click advertising, social media marketing campaigns or flashy billboard ads, please stop and think about the right marketing strategy for your accountancy firm. Business and marketing plans give you roadmaps to follow and strategic targets to reach.
Often, marketing plans get put on the back-burner by small business owners. It’s out of their comfort zone. Sound familiar? Let’s work on it together. I’ll help you to create the plan, and I’ll keep you accountable so that you make it happen. Let’s chat marketing and business planning
