Ready for accounting firm growth but don’t know where to start? We’ve got you covered.
You can take a TON of different directions to improve your accounting firm marketing, but a balanced combination of each is where you will see the most success.
In this article, we’ll dive into five areas to focus on when building out your CPA firm’s marketing strategy.
Balance These Marketing Efforts for Accounting Firms
Target Audience and Niche Selection
Target audience, potential clients, ideal clients; no matter the term you use to describe them, they should be at the root of all of your marketing efforts.
If you haven’t selected a niche yet, think about your ideal client and the strengths of your firm. This will help you find a niche that:
- You enjoy
- Needs your services
Once you’ve done this, every marketing move should be made with them in mind. They are now your target audience.
Branding and Positioning
Building a brand is a never-ending process. It’s about more than a sharp logo and eye-catching colors. It requires ongoing consistency that conveys your accounting firm’s values, expertise, and unique selling points.
Positioning and branding go hand in hand. Where branding is like the personality of your CPA firm, positioning is how you present yourself in the market. The goal for most firms is to position themselves as a trusted, knowledgeable advisor in the financial industry.
To ensure your content fits your brand and positions your firm, ask yourself the following questions:
- Does this content reflect my brand? Style? Tone? Values? Selling points?
- Does this content position me where I want to be in the market? Trustworthy? Knowledgable? Responsive? Helpful?
If you can answer “yes” to these questions, you’re on the right track.
Online Presence
A website with a focus on search engine optimization (SEO) is the best way to present your accounting firm’s services. Your website should speak directly to your target audience and provide valuable content.
We’ll talk more about your content marketing strategy later in the article, but for now, it’s important to note that your website will house essential content, like blog posts and cast studies, that showcase your expertise.
Not only does this content position you as a thought leader in your industry, but it also boosts search engine optimization, making your accounting firm more present online.
Social Media Marketing
Social media marketing is one of the best ways for accounting firms to promote their content. And social media platforms like LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok all present the opportunity to share valuable content and engage with your target audience.
Many successful firms have a social media presence, but few know how to leverage it to attract clients. Some of the best content you can share on social media to attract clients include:
- Client testimonials
- How-to’s
- Q & A’s
- Repurposed content (content from blogs, case studies, webinars, etc.)
- Overview of your accounting services
Marketing with social media allows you to speak directly to your current clients, prospective clients, and other people within the accounting industry to build your firm’s reputation and establish it as to go-to source for accounting services.
For more on social media marketing for accounting firms, check out our guide.
Content Marketing
At the root of every strong content marketing strategy is consistent, high-quality content. Some of this content can include:
- Articles
- Long-form guides
- Case studies
- Podcasts
- Webinars
- Video marketing
Essentially, content marketing is anything you create that educates your audiences and demonstrates your expertise in accounting and finance. While you create content, remember to include relevant keywords and optimize for search engines – this way you are also contributing to your marketing presence.
For more on content marketing for accounting firms, check out our guide.
Bonus: Consider Marketing Your Accounting Services with These Extra Efforts
The five marketing efforts listed above should be at the core of every accounting firm’s marketing strategy. But once you’ve mastered these and have started seeing success, we recommend incorporating the following efforts into your strategy as well.
Networking and Relationship Building
The term “it’s not what you know, it’s who you know” perfectly applies to this concept. Take any opportunities you have to network and build relationships with potential clients, referral partners, and influencers in your field. You can do this by:
- Attending industry events
- Joining professional associations
- Connecting on social media platforms
Online Advertising
Explore online advertising (aka paid advertising, PPC advertising, PPC ads) options like Google Ads and social media ads. These can help reach a broader audience and drive traffic to your website.
However, their costs can add up quickly and unless the ads you are promoting are valuable and influence conversions, they won’t be efficient.
Email Marketing
Email marketing is a learned skill but when done correctly, produces huge rewards. The goal of an email marketing strategy is to nurture leads, provide valuable insights, and keep clients informed about your services and industry updates.
Remember to be quick to the point and always provide a call to action.
Combine Marketing Efforts to Grow Your Accounting Firm
Creating a successful marketing strategy for your accounting firm is not an easy task. There are a variety of elements that need to work together to grow your firm. In most cases, target audience and niche selection, branding and positioning, online presence, social media marketing, and content marketing should be at the core of your marketing strategy.
Networking and relationship building, online advertising, and email marketing are elements, that when added and done correctly, can also bring success to your accounting firm.
If you’re struggling to find the perfect combination of marketing elements for your accounting firm, reach out to our team at Full Stadium Marketing. We are a full-service marketing firm specializing in accounting firm marketing. We’d love to meet with you to learn more about your firm and its growth goals!
