Traditionally accountants have paid scant attention to marketing, relying on word of mouth and, possibly, some local advertising.

But the world has changed. More is being demanded of business owners and business owners are, in turn, demanding more. Many business owners used to be content with an annual visit to their accountants to get the yearend figures completed and sort out their tax bill. This meant clients often viewed all accountants as the same.

Now, with the introduction of Making Tax Digital, businesses need to work on a quarterly basis. They have more frequent contact with their accountants and are forced into paying more attention to the numbers side of their business. It’s still the case that many business owners do not feel comfortable with discussing financial analysis. They have experience, skills and knowledge on the operational side but need help with understanding their accounts.

This presents an opportunity for accountancy firms to stand out from the crowd, to become the trusted adviser, the ‘go to’ person that owners turn to when they have a financial query.

If you are offering these added value services, then make sure everyone knows about it. Word of mouth and local advertising are still important but now accountants can do so much more. The three key areas to think about are Branding, Communication, and Marketing.

Branding

This will attract people to you. Create an identity. Help you stand out from the other accountants.

Communication

You can tell your story, educate your audience and share information that’s relevant to your readers. You are an expert and so can help others.

Marketing

This brings everything together. You are aiming to be consistent, provide quality content and get that content out to the right people in the places where they will see it.

The world has changed. This provides a huge opportunity for both your accountancy firm and your clients. If you would like help with marketing your accountancy firm, please get in touch.