The accounting profession has changed, and the days of relying on referrals are no longer sustainable.
This means that you need to embrace marketing within your firm. But herein lies a problem. Many people employed in your firm (including you) might not have the traits of a successful marketer.
Conversely many people do, they just don’t realise it.
Having spent the past 8 years working closely with many marketing experts I have noticed several qualities that give exceptional success for the individual.
- Passion – The first step to being successful at marketing is to have a passion for your industry. Passion is the driving force when you have to go the extra mile and get creative. Passion gives a compelling reason to keep going in the face of adversity, and not let the blighters get you down (or that Facebook campaign that you just can’t quite master).
- Courage – Taking risks when it goes against your nature is something that many partners in accounting firms find difficult. It is those partners who tap into their courage to try new things, be creative and strive for bigger goals that win. Life throws curve balls and uncertainties. These uncertainties cannot happen in a profit and loss report, but they can with your marketing. Understanding that a new approach is needed, and tapping into courage, will help you win at marketing.
- Vision – A good marketer is a great vision creator. You have to know where it is you want to go and be able to see that end goal as something to work towards. Looking backwards will not work for a marketer. You have to move forward and try new things every day.
- Innovative and Creative – At the moment you don’t yet have a lot to worry about when it comes to competition. In a 5 mile radius of your location there will only be a handful of accounting firms really being innovative with marketing. As this is the case, it is the firms who are being innovative that will attract all the clients. The ability to be innovative and creative will help you stand out and be the go-to firm.
- Understanding clients – One of the key qualities that a good marketer has is the ability to understand their clients. Knowing what a customer truly wants, the value they need from you and the problems they need to overcome will make for good marketing copy and powerful conversations. A good marketer knows their clients better than their clients know themselves.
Having these 5 traits will ensure that your firm absolutely smashes marketing.
So few firms have yet to embrace the opportunity that marketing brings.
If you feel you have passion for your industry, you are courageous and want to make a difference, you have a vision for your firm, you can be innovative and try new things and you understand your clients – then you are set.
Marketing success for your firm is just around the corner if you choose to take action.
But wait – You may wonder why I haven’t included marketing expertise.
The reason it isn’t in here is because marketing is a learnt art.
Whilst marketing comes naturally to some, because of weekly changes to marketing platforms you cannot be expected to be a great marketer before you start marketing.
Learning how to market your firm is the next step. But that’s the easy part if you have the 5 traits above.
P.S. When you’re ready… here are 3 ways we can help you with marketing and growing your accounting practice:
1. Grab free copy of my book
It’s the roadmap to attracting better prospects, signing higher value clients and scaling your accounting firm. – Click Here
2. Take the test.
It will benchmark your firms ability to effortlessly attract, connect with & convert high value clients using the Pioneering Practice Scorecard. – Click here
3. Join the tribe and connect with firms who are growing too.
It’s our new Facebook community where ambitious founders, owners, and partners learn to attract better prospects, sign higher value clients and scale their accounting firm. – Click here
