Every accounting firm wants to be a success and to expand, and while that almost certainly entails offering a great service that clients can rely on – while satisfying the objectives of both you as an accounting professional, and the rest of your team – achieving this simply isn’t possible without the investment of time and resources in such things as marketing and networking, for example.
To help you determine what your accounting firm should invest in to achieve the success you deserve, here are a few pointers:
Marketing
Most of the marketing strategies of old are no longer relevant or workable, meaning that you must refresh your efforts in order to attract clients and advertise your services. Ultimately, you should aim to have a presence on a variety of digital platforms, and a functioning website is an absolute must.
Hire someone to help you connect with your appropriate audience on social media platforms such as X and Facebook, for example, and ensure that your website is professionally handled.
Training personnel
In order to attract and retain personnel, CPA firms should focus on a recruitment strategy that can compete with other industries and appeal to a more tech-savvy workforce. With an increased demand for data analysis to meet client requirements, and a reduced need for lower-level accountants thanks to automation, CPAs with experience are increasingly needed. While you may be able to attract such personnel, it might also be worth investing in your existing team; training them so that they can get the most out of advancing technology, and put analytical thinking into practice.
Networking
Marketing your services in the right way, is one of the quickest ways to give your company’s presence a boost, and by attending events both locally and further afield, you can begin networking and building relationships with other professionals. A lot of accounting clients want other services such as financial advisors or lawyers, and vice versa, and by connecting with providers of similar services, you could benefit from a shared source of potential clientele.
Personalizing relationships
Accounting is a highly competitive industry, but personalization can be the difference between a CPA firm that gets lost in the crowd, and one that stands out like a beacon. Involving such things as sending cards for clients birthdays or during the holidays, returning calls and emails promptly and in person, when you take the time to connect on a more personal level with your clients, you’ll make a far better impression on them; one they’re likely to remember and remain loyal to. In essence, you want them to know that they’re more than just a name and number on a database, and that you genuinely care about them and their needs.
Leveraging technology
Everyone’s talking about technology these days, and staying on top of the latest tech trends is paramount for any CPA firm striving to save money, satisfy their clients, and not get left behind by other, more tech-savvy firms. Appropriate leveraging of technology enables CPS firms to restructure their workflows and discover business opportunities that may never have been accessible to them previously. Giving them a clearer picture of their financial controls, risk profile and operating environment, leveraging technology is no longer an option, but a must.
To grow and expand, your CPA firm must offer services that are of a higher value to your customers, and to achieve this, the areas above are all worth investing time and resources in. You may also want to consider outsourcing some of your bookkeeping and accounting workload to help you keep up with demand and maintain the professionalism required of a successful CPA firm.
