Advertising accounting services can be challenging because the profession demands precision and accuracy. Therefore, having a well-planned and efficient advertising strategy is crucial if you want to attract attention in the accounting industry.
But what do we mean by an “effective” advertising strategy? It’s essential to understand this concept if you want to develop an advertising strategy that works for you. Whether you are a new or established firm in the industry, these top 10 advertising strategies for accounting can help you expand your client base and boost your revenue.
Create A Marketing Plan
Creating an effective marketing plan can be a time-consuming and tedious process, but it’s an essential skill for any accounting firm to have. Without a solid plan in place, it’s difficult to track progress and determine what’s working and what isn’t.
To start, brainstorm a list of goals that you want to achieve and then break them down into actionable steps. For instance, if your objective is to boost brand awareness, some of the strategies you may include in your plan are exhibiting at trade shows, running targeted ad campaigns or publishing thought-leadership articles.
Your marketing plan must exhibit the following:
- SWOT analysis (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats): Find out what you are good at and how you can leverage it to improve sales. What opportunities are present that you can take advantage of now as well as the threats that stop you from achieving your goals?
- Marketing Tactics: Make better use of the business to create an action plan that helps you generate sales and sustain it and differentiate yourself in the market.
- Business targets: Identify your target market or target clients and offer them the products or services that answer their needs.
- Unique selling proposition: Communicate how your product or brand is superior from the rest of the competition.
Once you have all these figured out, it’s time to start thinking about the budget. How much can you realistically afford to spend on marketing each month or quarter?
Make sure to include both fixed costs (like salaries for marketing staff) and variable costs (such as design fees or advertising spending) in your calculations. Once you have a budget in place, you can begin mapping out your plans and timeline for execution.
Last but not least, don’t forget to measure and track your results. Review your metrics regularly and adjust your plans if you must.
Network Better
When it comes to advertising in accounting, one of the best strategies is to network better. This means getting involved with local accounting associations and Chambers of Commerce, as well as joining online accounting communities.
Attending seminars, symposiums, events organised by known brands in the industry such as Hubspot’s Inbound and Salesforce Trailblazer and World Tours where thought leaders gather to discuss pressing issues in the industry.
By getting involved with these types of organisations and events, you’ll be able to meet other accounting and marketing professionals and C-level executives whom you can potentially do business with. You’ll also be able to stay up-to-date on the latest industry news and trends, which will help you create more effective marketing campaigns.
Establish Yourself as an Expert in Your Field
When you are an authority on a certain topic, people are more likely to listen to what you have to say and trust your advice. Being an authority in a specific niche means your opinions are powerful enough to help shape an industry or pivot it into a totally different direction. So what can you do to become an authority on a certain topic of interest?
Here are some ways:
- Write a blog or column for a reputable accounting website
- Speak at accounting conferences and events
- Publish articles in accounting journals and magazines
- Serve on committees or boards for accounting organisations
- Be active on social media, especially LinkedIn. Share content on this platform also do a separate copywriting strategy on Linkedin where you discuss some of the highlights of your day that relate to your industry
Create A Newsletter
Creating a newsletter can help you reach a large audience of potential clients and customers and it can be a great way to stay top-of-mind with your target market. The processes involved in accounting almost never change.
Yes accounting is now made easier with software that makes the check and balance work easier but the basics generally remain the same for decades. The rules or regulations that govern it though do not.
You can make use of tax and financial topics and discuss it in detail with call to actions at the end of the article to encourage your readers to get in touch with you and potentially convert the contact into a deal and eventually, a sale.
Keep the following in mind when creating a newsletter for your accounting business:
- Make sure it is informative and interesting: Your newsletter should be packed with information that your target market will find useful. Include tips, advice, case studies, and anything else that will add value for your readers.
- Keep it concise: No one wants to read a long, drawn-out newsletter. Keep your content focused and to the point so that people will actually read it.
- Use strong visuals: People are visual creatures, so make sure your newsletter is easy on the eyes with plenty of images and graphics. If you’re starting out and have no budget for a really good graphic designer, make use of tools like Canva to create designs that you can incorporate into your newsletter.
- Promote special offers and discounts: Include coupons or promo codes in your newsletter to encourage people to do business with you.
- Get creative with your content delivery: Include studies in videos plus text, mix it up with infographics and other types of multimedia content
Manage Your Marketing Efforts With CRM Software
If you’re like most accounting firms, you’re always looking for new ways to market your business and attract new clients. That’s where CRM software comes in.
By using a CRM system to track your marketing efforts, you can get a clear picture of what’s working and what isn’t. This way, you can focus your time and energy on the marketing strategies that are giving you the best results.
Some of the most popular CRMs to date are Salesforce, Microsoft, Oracle, Adobe, Hubspot, SAP, Zendesk, and more. Get recommendations from friends who have used a CRM before. Do your research and test a number of them using their free trial service allotment try them out before eventually settling to choose one to try for the next 6 months.
After 6 months, evaluate the result of your marketing efforts and see if the tool has helped you generate sales or improve specific aspects of your business.
Provide Free Resources On Your Website
When it comes to advertising your accounting services, one of the best things you can do is provide free resources on your website. This can include helpful blog articles, infographics, templates and more. By providing helpful and informative resources, you can show potential clients that you know your stuff when it comes to accounting.
Not only will this help you attract new clients, but it will also help you build trust with potential clients. And when it comes to advertising in accounting, trust is everything.
Create An Inbound Marketing Funnel
The first step to take when advertising in accounting is to create an inbound marketing funnel. By doing this, you will be able to better target your audience and ensure that your ad spend is going towards qualified leads.
To create an inbound marketing funnel, start by identifying your ideal customer. Once you know who your target customer is, you can create content that speaks directly to their needs. This content should be distributed across a variety of channels, including your website, blog, social media and email list.
As prospects interact with this content, they should be given the opportunity to opt in to receive more information from you. This could include an ebook, webinar or course. By creating an inbound marketing funnel, you’ll be able to better qualify prospects and generate leads that are more likely to convert into customers.
Expand Your Reach With Social Media
In order to expand your reach with social media, consider the following strategies:
- Use social media platforms to connect with potential clients. Make sure your firm has a presence on major social media platforms such as LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter. Use these platforms to share helpful content and connect with potential clients.
- Use targeted advertising on social media. Many social media platforms allow you to target ads to specific groups of people. For example, LinkedIn allows you to target ads by job title, company size, or other factors. Use this feature to make sure your ads are seen by people who are most likely to be interested in your services.
- Collaborate with other businesses on social media. Reach out to other businesses in your industry or local community and collaborate on social media campaigns or giveaways. This is a great way to get your name in front of new potential clients while also building relationships with other businesses.
Offer Free Tools And Resources
In order to attract accounting clients, one of the best strategies is to offer free tools and resources on your website or blog. This helps to show potential clients that you are an expert in your field and that you are willing to share your knowledge. By providing helpful resources, you will be more likely to earn their trust and business.
Some examples of free tools and resources you can offer include:
- Financial calculators
- Budget templates
- Tax return guides
- Educational articles on financial topics
- Links to helpful governmental and tax resources
By offering free tools and resources, you can position yourself as a valuable resource for potential clients. Not only will this help you attract new business but it will also build goodwill with current and future clients.
Utilise Paid Ads
Paid advertising is one of the most effective ways to reach your target audience and promote your accounting services. By placing ads in relevant online and offline channels, you can ensure that your target audience sees your marketing message and is more likely to engage with your brand.
When creating a paid advertising campaign, it’s important to consider your goals and objectives. What do you want to achieve with your campaign? Do you want to generate leads or increase brand awareness? Once you know what you want to achieve, you can create an ad campaign that is aligned with your goals.
To reach your target audience, you need to place your ads in the right channels. For example, if you’re targeting small businesses, consider placing ads on business-related websites or in small business publications. You can also use targeted keywords to reach your target audience through search engine marketing (SEM).
By utilising paid advertising in accounting, you can reach a large number of potential customers and promote your accounting services effectively.
Are you looking to explore the potential of online marketing for your firm ? Click here to gain access to our ROI Calculator and estimate the potential return on investment of our campaigns. Our team of digital marketing experts will also provide valuable marketing strategies to enhance your online presence. Sign up to our Newsletter now to take your firm’s marketing efforts to the next level.
