Getting people to talk about your business when you run a tax or accounting firm is not easy. 
Sure, if you’ve got a huge marketing budget that allows you to run television ads that promise huge tax savings each year you could make a dent. But what if you’re a small business?
Word of Mouth marketing is an important marketing tactic that can help you get ahead of the competition. The question is, how do you get people talking about a service most people don’t even like thinking about? You’ve got to get creative! Here are some ideas to help get you started.
Run a contest
Inject some fun into your online presence by running a contest on your social media channels. Spend some of that marketing budget on an Amazon Gift card or something else fun to giveaway. You could also partner with another local business to help promote both of your businesses. Make the contest easy to enter and make sure it drives engagement.
Partner with a non-profit
Partner with a non-profit your community rallies behind and come up with a way to do good while promoting your business. This could be offering to donate a portion of the proceeds for services during a certain time period, sponsoring an event, or hosting an event of your own to raise money for a specific cause or charity.
Make sure that you choose a partner wisely, one that will help you promote your efforts and that has reach within the community. You should also make sure to promote this on all social media channels, at your offices through signage, and through local media contacts.
Identify Influencers
Take a peek through your client list. Who are your “celebrity clients” within the local community? Identify these people and reach out for testimonials and cross promotion opportunities. A LinkedIn recommendation could go a long way as could a review on Yelp, Google, or even better, a testimonial on your website.
Find ways to show that you care
Give your customers a reason to rave about you to friends and family by providing excellent customer service and a personal touch. As a tax preparer, you have the opportunity to build strong relationships with your clients. You provide a service that allows you into a very private part of your customer’s life – their finances. Some ways to add a personal touch are:
- Making your waiting area inviting and kid friendly
- Providing extra services like drop off option for clients with limited schedules
- Making the filing process as easy as possible
- Mailing client organizers to clients so they can easily get ready for their tax appointment
Make it easy for customers to leave reviews
Finally, make sure it’s easy for clients to leave reviews about your services on your website and make sure to let customers know that they can review your business on Facebook, Yelp, Google, and LinkedIn.
Word of Mouth marketing is one of the oldest forms of marketing there is. It’s a great way to compete with firms that have bigger budgets than yours. Remember, at the heart of every good strategy is a team that genuinely cares about their clients and can provide excellent cus
Chuck
Charles E. McCabe, CEO – 804-204-1040
Peoples Income Tax, Inc. www.peoplestax.com
The Income Tax School, Inc. www.TheIncomeTaxSchool.com
10120 W. Broad St, Suite A., Glen Allen, VA 23060
Top 100 Most Influential People in Accounting
Accounting Today, September, 2013, 2014 and 2015
tomer service and accurate returns.