People are always looking for a magic pill for success. If only such a thing existed! But while there is no big secret or cheat sheet, there is one thing that accountants, bookkeepers and outsourced CFOs can do to get clients:
Have conversations.
This is the difference between the practice owners who find success relatively easily and those who struggle.
Not Facebook ads, not SEO, not daily blogs. All of those things are great tools, but they’re all means to an end. It’s the conversations they start that count.
Vanity Metrics
Years ago, practice owners used to get all their clients through in-person networking but, needless to say, the world has changed – especially in the past 18 months. Now, it’s all about leveraging online platforms to get conversations in the diary.
I see so many practice owners grow disheartened with content marketing when they don’t rake in hundreds of likes and comments, but I can assure you that these metrics are absolutely meaningless.
There’s only one metric that matters: the number of conversations you start.
I don’t pay any mind to the number of likes and comments my content receives, because it does what I need it to do.
However, I’ll be the first to admit that I get the heebie-jeebies if I see that my team and I have less than 5 conversations scheduled in the diary on any given day.
You can get plenty of clients without likes and comments, but you absolutely cannot get them without conversations.
Visibility
You may be wondering where content marketing comes into this. It’s true that content alone doesn’t get you clients, but what it does do is increase your visibility and allow you to start meaningful conversations.
After all, no-one is going to talk to you if they don’t know that you exist.
That’s why you need to create all of your content with the purpose of starting conversations with your ideal clients. It’s why you need to end every blog, video and social media update with a call-to-action encouraging your ideal clients to take the next step and start talking to you.
Investing in SEO is a great way to increase your visibility on Google, but it alone doesn’t get you clients. It’s the same with Facebook ads, live videos and publishing blogs. These are all great strategies to help you start conversations but they’re not magic pills.
80% of success is showing up, so decide how you want to increase your visibility and do it consistently. Don’t shift your focus every five seconds hoping that your next tactic is the secret you’ve been looking for. Remember that every little thing you do with regards to marketing should be done with the purpose of starting conversations.
How to Start More Conversations
Again, there is no one-liner, webinar or killer piece of content that will enable you to have all the conversations you desire.
Let that idea go and focus on getting super clear on who your ideal client is and what you offer them. Then, do a deep dive into their pains, problems, fears and frustrations so that you can create content that positions you as the solution.
When you create content that resonates with your ideal audience, you will be able to invite them into conversations and make them an offer. Prospects will want to talk to you and find out how you can make their headaches go away.
Your marketing strategy should be all about starting conversations. You don’t publish content because you want to be famous, you do it because you want to get clients. Starting conversations should always be at the core of everything you do.
The Power of Conversation
When you crack starting conversations and book 5-10 per week in the diary, you will be well on the way to having the freedom practice you are looking for.
Conversations enable you to stop competing on price. When you have a diary booked with calls, you know you don’t need to be the cheapest because lots of people are already interested in what you have to say. Your confidence soars and your mindset strengthens, which is amazing news in terms of marketing and practice growth.
Although there’s no magic pill when it comes to practice growth, there’s also no denying the power of conversation. When you understand this, your marketing efforts gain direction and meaning, and you can start to show up in the right way. The world may have changed, but the power of conversation remains undeniable.
