August is a great month to evaluate your current client base in your accounting business to determine what your projected revenues will be for 2020. More firms have lost revenue than gained according to some surveys in the profession, so you’re not alone if you’re looking for ways to boost lead generation.
The losses started in March and April for firms in some states and later for others. Those were the businesses that just panicked. Some firms that were visible and available picked up a bunch of new clients from accountants who could not be found or who didn’t answer their phone or emails.
Now, clients are more likely to ask for a downgrade in your services or to put things on hold for a while. On the other hand, some smart clients are looking for cash flow and funding help and will need your assurance, compliance, and advisory services.
Your Client List
Take a look at your recurring clients – those you are doing monthly accounting work for or periodic tax work for. How likely are they to continue with you? Whom might you need to replace?
Project work is tougher. Once you’re done, you’re done, and for that reason, you need a larger number of clients in your sales and marketing pipeline.
What Revenue Volume Do You Want for 2020?
It’s pretty simple, especially if you already know how to do a budget. How many new clients do you need to get to where you want to be at the end of 2020? If it’s more than zero, you need to market.
Marketing When There Is No Face-to-Face
With so many marketing events cancelled this year, your digital presence – your website, newsletter, and social media accounts – should rise to the top of your marketing priorities. And of those three, your website is the most important investment.
If it’s been awhile since you’ve upgraded it, I can’t think of a better time. Anyone who cuts back now on marketing will be hurt, and anyone who invests in more marketing will have more exposure than ever before.
To get the most out of your website, I have three key tips for you:
- Make sure it is modern-looking and up-to-date. It should be mobile-friendly, secure with https, and in “style,” e.g. not looking like it was built in the 1990s.
- Make sure your site conveys expertise, authority, and trust. This means personalizing your site for your credentials, education, experience, client reviews, and other reputation-building items.
- Make sure people can find you. Your site needs to be search-engine-optimized (SEO) so that when prospects enter what you do, your site will appear in search results.
That’s just the start, but it’s a good start. If you’d like to know more about the third item, SEO, join in my webinar "How to Get More Business From Your Website" on August 12 at 2:00 p.m. Eastern Time, produced by Insightful Accountant. You can register here.