IT’S HAPPENING AGAIN – TAX TIME IS HERE!
Of course as accountants, CPAs and financial planners, I don’t have to tell you this.
But here’s an important question: Are you REALLY capitalizing on all those tax payers out there in need of your professional help to file their taxes?
Have you connected with current clients to setup this year’s appointment?
Have you reached out to past clients to reclaim their business?
Have you done anything to win new business from the tens of thousands of prospective clients in the greater Los Angeles who need help filing their taxes?
If not, then NOW IS THE TIME!
And here are a few suggestions to help you reconnect with current and former clients, as well as attract new business…
EXISTING CLIENTS
It’s always best to begin by focusing on existing and previous clients. (The cost to acquire new business is two-thirds greater than generating repeat business.)
You have contact info for current and clients – email and mailing addresses – right?
Of course! So send them an appointment setting reminder cloaked in valuable content.
For example, send an email or direct mail piece entitled: “5 Ways to Get the Highest Refund on Your 2014 Tax Return.” Includes some valuable tax tips and in closing suggest recipients contact you and make an appointment to do their 2014 taxes.
Email Vs. Direct Mail
Just a quick bit of advice on this subject… Email is the easiest and cheapest way to reach out clients and prospects.
But don’t rule out direct mail. While the medium is more expensive, it’s making a BIG comeback, and generating a much greater impact, especially with targeted mailers, than a lot of today’s email marketing. (Current and past clients definably qualify as targeted prospects.)
REFERRALS
When you reach out to current clients, actively solicit referrals.
It can be as simple as: “Hey, if you know someone who needs help filing their taxes, send them my way.” But regardless of your approach, just ask. Can’t hurt, right?
And if you want to take it a step further, offer current clients discounts for each new client they refer.
Tap Your Professional Network
Send out a referral request to other professionals in your network. Do you have connections with attorneys, realtors, financial planners or other professional services providers? Shoot out a quick email or send a letter soliciting referrals. Offer to extend a new client discount to any clients they referral. (And of course, promise to refer clients back their way, too).
BUSINESS REFERRALS
Do you handle tax returns for businesses? Do you service a particular industry? If so, consider cold calling, emailing or direct mailing business prospects in your target industry.
YOUR WEBSITE
Is your website optimized to draw Google search traffic from tax-season focused search prospects?
Consider adding search engine optimized keyword text that references filing income taxes, getting the best tax refund, keeping more of your money in tax filings, dealing with the IRS and other relevant search terms likely to drive traffic from Google to your site.
Also, consider adding a big splashing banner on your home page announcing a tax season special offer. This way when prospects land on your site, they know they’re in the right place and you can help.
ADWORDS
Are you using Google AdWords to attract prospects? If so, don’t position yourself as just one more option among a sea of other CPAs hoping to snag new clients. (Do a quick Google Search for CPAs in Los Angeles and you’ll see what I mean…)
Craft AdWords ads that focus on benefits… the best refund, hanging on to more of your money, keeping the IRS at bay, etc….
If you do the same thing as your competitors, we won’t stand out and your AdWords (and the dollars you’re shelling out) wind up making zero impact.
OPTIMIZING YOUR BUSINESS FOR LOCAL SEARCH
Are you on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, Google + or Yelp?
Each of these social networks has their own particular strengths as marketing tools. But regardless, collectively they contribute to your Digital Footprint, which is HUGELY important if you want local prospects to find your business when searching for the services you provide.
If you haven’t already launched pages on these sites, do so now (and quickly). LinkedIn, Facebook, Google+ and Yelp all have company page options you should definitely take advantage of.
Here are few additional social media marketing tips.
LinkedIn — LinkedIn is the TOP professional services network in the world. You could solicit referrals for new clients from your network in mere moments by sending a quick note via the platform’s built-in messaging service – InMail.
Facebook — Facebook offers Promoted Post Ads, which have proven VERY effective at generating leads and new clients for a variety of professional services providers. A Tax Season Special Offer ad could be an awesome prospecting tool for your business.
Google+ — Content shared via your Google+ page receives search priority from Google. So if you post a brief article about saving on income taxes on your Google+ business page, you gain higher visibility with prospects searching Google for income tax savings advice.