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Archive for the ‘Marketing’ category

Marketing is Only as Good as Your: CRM

July 5th, 2012

In a previous blog post I talked about the importance of having a good quality list of prospective clients.

Now we need one central location for this list; and our current clients; and our referral sources. This is the Client Relationship Management (CRM) system.

Here you want to collect as much data about your database. Information such as:

Date of birth/ anniversary,
Spouse/ partner/ children’s names
Hobbies
College attended.

The list can go on, but you want to collect information that will enhance the relationship you have with them. From this data you will always have their preferred beverage ready for them when they visit the office, you will be able to send birthday and anniversary cards and you’ll be able to talk to them about their children’s college fund when the time is right.

You will also store the details of previous conversations and meetings, so with one click of your mouse you know exactly what was said, by who and when. It’s also a great way to make sure you can cross selling services at upcoming meetings.

For your marketing efforts a good CRM is critical. Here you will store all known data including referral source and where you met them. You will also use the CRM to automate components of your marketing plan. You will need to create the steps, but once created you can rest assure every prospect will get the same level of follow up each and every time.

There are a number of CRM providers out there. Unfortunately the CRM modules that come with your tax and accounting suite are often not robust enough; and at the other end of the extreme, dedicated CRM packages often have too many bells and whistles that don’t integrate well with your current databases.

Some providers to check out include Office Tools Professional which provides CRM as a part of their integrated practice management software; Act!, Maximizer & Goldmine are well know dedicated CRM software packages; and Salesforce.com and Zoho.com are web-based CRM applications (Zoho.com is FREE!). Outlook is not a CRM, nor is excel. If you’re serious about marketing ( as well as superior client service) then a quality CRM is an important component of your marketing infrastructure.

Please let us know if you would like to discuss CRM in greater detail.

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Posted in Client Management, Marketing

Tags: CRM Marketing

Marketing is only as good as your: LIST

June 6th, 2012

We’re often asked what is the most important element of a marketing program. We believe there can’t be just one, instead there’s a few things that firms need to get right for their marketing to be effective. On the list is: THE LIST.

Too many firms don’t pay proper attention to cultivating a pipeline of prospects. They fall into the trap of buying a list, mailing to them once and when nothing happens they give up never to use that list again. Alternatively each partner hordes business cards and puts them in the bottom drawer never to see the light of day again.

For your marketing to be effective you need a good list. First step is define who you want on the list – you may have a couple of lists. Then you need to build it. You might buy one from a listing company, you might round up all the loose business cards in the office or you might grow your list guerrilla style and using yellowpages.com or manta.com, collect names of your target audience.

Set a goal for the firm. Maybe it’s add 100 names a month and give a prize for the person who adds the most names. Or it might be the job of your dedicated marketing person to spend 20 minutes everyday adding 5 names from web searches.

Your marketing ROI will improve as the quality of your list improves.

Now get to it!

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Posted in Management, Marketing

Tags: lists Marketing

Best Practices for Sustained Growth and Profitability

May 29th, 2012

Best Practices for Sustained Growth and Profitability on Prezi

Click on the arrow to get started. Hit the More button for the autoplay feature. See you there!

Best Practices for Sustained Growth and Profitability on Prezi

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Posted in Announcements, Marketing, Seminars

We all could do with a few more referrals

May 24th, 2012

Great blog post from Jean Caragher of Capstone Marketing that I thought was worth sharing. Accountants typically identify referrals as their greatest source for new business, and here are her 12 tips for more referrals.

1. Identify the attorneys, bankers and other service providers of your current clients. Then, make contact with these referral sources.

2. Evaluate your current referral network. How are you keeping track of your activities? Who is sending you leads? This will help you prioritize who you need to spend time with.

3. Organize small scale networking events or mixers with referral sources you want to do business with. Invite a group of bankers (from the same bank) or attorneys (from the same firm) or both groups to your office or other appropriate venue to learn more about each other’s businesses and the types of desired new clients.

4. Provide networking skills training for your entire professional staff. Then, reinforce the training by accompanying them to networking functions and referral source meetings.

5. Teach your entire professional staff how to build their networks. Their base of contacts includes co-workers, clients, former clients, alumni, competitors, classmates, family, friends, neighbors, sports friends, parents and friends of their children, and church or synagogue contacts.

6. Collect client testimonials to use in your promotional materials, proposals, and website.

7. Remind your clients that you are interested in new business referrals. The best time to ask is after receiving a compliment.

8. Add networking activities to the performance evaluations of your entire professional staff. Reward them for success.

9. Research the organizations in your market that correspond with your client base and where you need to be seen. Then, be seen.

10. Call people in your network to see how they are doing, invite them to lunch, or discuss a current event in your marketplace. Haven’t talked to them in a while? If you’ve worked together before follow up to ask about the results of the project. Ask for their advice. Or, simply say, “Something reminded me of you …”

11. Ask for leads! Be sure that you have a description of the types of business that you’re interested in to help your referral sources.

12. Support your face-to-face networking with a LinkedIn profile. Be sure to coordinate your LinkedIn strategy with your firm’s overall marketing strategy. Be consistent with your firm’s description, etc.

As I was reading the post I was reminded of the great book, Breakthrough Business Development, which suggested instead of using the term “referral” switch to “introduction” or “recommendation” especially with clients. Their research and experience suggested that clients felt pressured when the term referral was used, however they were much more inclined to introduce their CPA to someone. Give it a go and see how it works for you.

I was also reminded of the great interview I did with Jean maybe last year. Below if the first track of Yes! You do need marketing.

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Posted in Marketing, Member Resources

Tags: Audio Series Jean Caragher Marketing referrals

Join us for the Best Practices Conference in 18 Cities

May 3rd, 2012

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Posted in Announcements, Management, Marketing, Seminars

Tags: Best Practices Conference

Take Advice from the Experts: Six Tips for Social Media Success

March 29th, 2012

Got this great email from MarketingProfs about social media and I thought it worthwhile sharing.

Even the very best marketers can use a little advice—and new ideas—every now and then. With that in mind, six of our favorite social media marketers share their secrets to social success:

• Start with the Right Strategy

“Align with the goals of your department. That’s a good starting place. In most cases your department strategy should also align to a larger corporate strategy. We don’t want a communication strategy that is at odds with our service strategy.” (Shannon Paul, Blue Cross Blue Shield)

• Know Your Objectives

“Tie your social media activities to existing objectives, such as increasing online sales, driving web traffic or boosting attendance at your next webinar or offline event. Set a reasonable target, see what happens and use it as a benchmark for future campaigns.” (David B. Thomas, Radian6)

• Deliver Relevant Content

“Deliver the right content, at the right time, in the right channel to the right customer (or partner). Relevant content happens as a result of listening, thought leadership, Google insights, and community sentiment.” (Michael Brito, Edelman Digital)

• Develop Meaningful Relationships

“Use social media as a platform for developing relationships. Show your thought leadership by answering questions on LinkedIn and Quora—it could lead to new contacts and leads.” (Shashi Bellamkonda, Network Solutions)

• Integrate into Your Marketing Mix

“Don’t leave opportunities on the table; explore how you can extend your marketing effort by integrating social elements into your PR, events and customer support activities.” (Jane Price, Marketing Consultant)

• Measure What Matters

“Distill social media measurement down to core metrics that your company is already measuring that have history behind them. When you show what social media is or isn’t delivering there is a conversation that can take place.” (Nichole Kelly, Full Frontal ROI)

If you’re looking for good ideas on how to be an effective marketer, take a look at www.marketingprofs.com and sign up for their newsletter to get great tips and tools.

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Posted in Marketing, Social Media, Social Networking

Tags: tips to be successful with social media

Yes! We’re marketing (Yes! even in tax season)

March 22nd, 2012

I’ve said it before: Tax season is the perfect time for marketing.

Marketing for new clients this time of year is incredibly effective. Why? The deadline is looming which is creating some fear in the buyer’s mind and because marketing is the farthest thing from every other CPA’s mind.

I’m always surprised by a prospective clients reaction when we answer the phone and to talk to them politely. Some candid comments include:

You’re the first CPA I’ve been able to get through to.
You’re the first CPA to call me back.
Wow – You are taking on clients, still.

I’m also surprised by a CPA’s reaction to the idea of marketing now. The 2 most common responses (and my responses) go something like this:

If they’ve left it this late, then they’re probably disorganized and potentially late payers.
- That’s why you must have a client selection criteria AND a billing policy or fixed price agreement in place to screen the riff raff. We’re looking for the busy professionals who are willing to pay to get it done on time.
I’m barely able to get my current clients completed in time let alone new business.
- We can always make room for a well priced return. We agree on fees and payment terms up front. This is also a capacity issue and new technology and the possibility of outsourcing needs to be looked at over the summer.

If you want to grow, you need to market, and this is the perfect time to be marketing. This is the post card we’re about to send out:

If you would like the artwork please email info@2020groupUSA.com and we’ll get the files over to you.

This is the 4th and final piece we’re sending to our list of new home owners in the area. If this is your first marketing piece to your list, don’t expect great results, but I’m sure it’ll quickly pay for itself. Contact Barry Weiner at www.homeown.org for lists of new homeowners in your area. Notice we also through Yelp in there. We have some great reviews on Yelp, so thought we may as well leverage that free resource.

If you have some capacity, get marketing, there’s still time, and you never know who you might just pick up.

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Posted in Marketing, Member Resources

Tags: post cards tax season marketing

Grab your reader’s (or listener’s) attention

February 9th, 2012

I really like the Speak and Write blog.

Granted I used to work with Barry, but their blog offers quick and easy tips to improve your communication skills.

A recent blog post focused on the importance of the first sentence. We only have one chance to make a first impression and unfortunately accountants often opt for the safe (and bland) introduction.

Have a read of Andrew Moore’s post and think about your own writing style. Can you put his tips into action? (Oh and these tips translate when you’re speaking with people or giving a presentation).

I recently had a chance to review your work and what I found shocked me.

Of course, I don’t know you from Adam, but did I get your attention? Are you curious to know what shocked me?

An opening line that draws in your readers is the best way to generate interest in your writing. In journalism, it’s called the lead, and it’s the most important sentence of the story. A lead grabs your readers, plays on their curiosity, and motivates them to read further.

John McPhee, a prominent author and journalist, wrote in a recent edition of The Wall Street Journal that “A lead is a promise. It promises that the piece of writing is going to be like this. If it is not going to be so, don’t use the lead. A lead is good not because it dances, fires cannons or whistles like a train, but because it is absolute to what follows.”

The logic of a lead applies to business and technical writing, too. A manager swamped by data sheets and engineering proposals is likely to be drawn in by the one with the most engaging opening sentence.

Given the importance of its task, the opening sentence can be difficult to craft. If it’s too dry, too clever, or too cute, your reader might move on.

What’s the key to writing an effective opening sentence? The answer is elusive, as different types may work better in different situations, and different writers will tackle the same problem with different approaches. But for starters, here are five tips:

Know your audience – Is your communication for a general audience or a specialized one? A company-wide report will likely start differently compared with one written for the engineering department.

Don’t start naming your children after the first date – A good lead will typically hint at your subject material without giving away the entirety of what you have to say. It’s a way to whet your reader’s appetite with the who, why, and where without giving the reader a reason to skip the rest of your document.

Be brief – Short and punchy is always more effective than a lengthy explanation. You can delve into details deeper in your piece.

Experiment - Try writing several different leads, and then share them with colleagues to get feedback.

Go easy on the puns or wit – You may set the wrong tone for your document or turn off those readers who don’t understand your attempts at humor. The best lead hits the ball straight down the middle.

Below is an example of a lackluster first sentence from an actual product data sheet. (The company name has been changed to protect the guilty!)

“Acme Security’s XX Series provides maximum protection against even the most malicious Internet security threats while reducing the complexity of security management.”

Pretty bland, right? Did you start spacing out halfway through it?

What if we re-wrote it by starting with a bold but believable assertion?

“The Internet is awash in malicious security threats. But Acme Security’s XX Series has tightened the noose around those threats while simplifying security management.”

How about this one from another data sheet?

“The sluggish economy has forced midsized semiconductor and component manufacturers to take a hard look at costs.”

Not bad. It’s short, strong, and clear. If I were a midsized manufacturer of semiconductors, I’d be interested in reading further.

The premise is simple: Time is a limited resource. In a world where your target audience is continually bombarded with emails, reports, and various other documents, readers have only minutes to scan these items as they move across their desk. To engage people for any longer, you have to snap them to attention. And you do this by crafting a well-written opening sentence.

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Posted in Marketing

Tags: attention! presentation skills Speak and write writing skills

Video Catapaults you up the Search Rankings (Oh and Enhances Your Brand)

January 24th, 2012

Read a great newsletter from the folks at BizActions about how using videos can enhance your brand. Video, as a marketing medium, is especially important given the high-tech world in which we live. It also recognizes that people have different ways of learning or being engaged by content. Some people like to read their information, some like to hear it while driving and others enjoy videos. A good marketing and communications plan has all of these elements.

What the newsletter article doesn’t emphasize enough is the role that video, or more specifically your own YouTube channel, can have a dramatic impact on where your firm lies in the search engine rankings. YouTube is the second largest search engine in the world (behind google). That is people go to YouTube and search. Sometimes they search for videos of cats, other times they search for “how-to” videos. And it’s these how-to videos you need to be creating. The other benefit of your own YouTube channel is that you will appear more often in google like searches – pushing out the competition!

But back to the article. The good news is that your videos don’t need to be Spielberg-esque productions, and BizActions offered a couple of ideas to get you started.

1. Script and Content

Develop content that you find interesting. If you are interested in the topic, it will show through loud and clear on the screen. Great videos are often scripted and rehearsed in advance, but spontaneous and impromptu reactions from staff, clients or strangers frequently have the highest online appeal. A solid strategy is to do a combination of both formats. Interviews of company executives are an excellent way to grant your audience “behind the scenes” footage – be the first to break the news about upcoming changes to your viewers. Consider taking the most important piece of an article (in one minute or less) and discussing its implications on screen. Or reviewing the highlights of a current event or pending legislation.

Remember your audience is coming to you to learn. They have searched for ‘tax help,’ so make sure your content teaches them something, not just sells them something.
Do develop a script and rehears it until it sounds natural.

2. Lighting and Direction

Your video should be shot with the best available lighting, sound, focus and steadiness of the camera. Be mindful of controlling background noise when you can, such as turning off a television or radio if it’s not part of your scene. Have fun with the creative aspects – put on your Director’s cap when determining what to capture and how to capture it.

Buy a tripod – a good one shouldn’t cost more than $50.
Maybe also buy a lavaliere microphone for best sound quality. It doesn’t need to be wireless but you’ll notice a dramatic improvement.
Make sure your video reflects who you and your firm are. For example if you’re not a formal suit wearing firm, then please don’t wear a suit in the video.

3. Editing

Brevity is the gold standard. One minute and thirty seconds is the optimal length for web videos, and less than one minute is usually even better. If you have five minutes of high quality content, it will likely be more appealing if published as multiple shorter productions. A series of brief, concise and compelling videos will help your brand more than one long video that won’t be able to maintain viewership and attention. Don’t get too fancy with editing tricks. Your audience will forgive amateurish aspects of your video production, provided that the content is interesting and engaging. Be sure to publish video that makes you smile and makes you proud. What is in your video is more important than how flashy it is.

There is some good editing software out there for the do-it-yourselfers, however this might be where you want to spend some money; perhaps on a training course for someone in the firm.

4. Embrace Serendipity

One thing to remember when developing your own video content is that you just never know how good it may turn out. Sometimes, you get lucky and unintended circumstances contribute to your content having such wide appeal that it gets passed along and shared by many people. Embrace the idea that your videos need not be “perfect” and that you may not fully understand the elements that help a video “go viral”.

My only additional comment would be to ’key word’ it correctly. Think of the terms that people be using to find these answers.

BizActions do have some prepackaged videos you use on your website and in your newsletters. And they also offer additional advice on customized videos. Check them out!