3 Accounting Insights from the Atlanta Area Experts
Realizing your best channel...
When is the last time you took a moment to think about where your current clients came from?
If you did an analysis on your client acquisition channels, what would the numbers tell you?
What percentage came from google ads (if you do that kinda thing)?
What percentage came from organic search or SEO?
What percentage came from the yellow pages? (boy, those were the days!)
What percentage came from good ol' fashioned word of mouth referrals?
Of course there are other channels, but which one sticks out the most to you?
If it's anything but word of mouth then congratulations - you have cracked the code to developing trust without any personal recommendations.
McKinsey tells us that over 50% of ALL purchasing decisions are influenced by word of mouth recommendations.
As Atlanta grows within this digital environment that number is likely to get much bigger.
There are certain services people buy based on what the people they know say about the people providing those services.
Great accounting is one of them...
Some valuable insight...
We looked into this further to get a sense of the impact that word of mouth marketing and referrals has on other accountants and reaching prospective clients.
Here is what some of the most highly rated Accountants in the Atlanta area had to say in our Q&A:
Nicole Williams
Company Name: Frazier & Deeter, LLC
LinkedIn URL: Nicole Williams
How does word of mouth play a role for you as an accountant?
Nicole: "Word of mouth plays an extremely important role as a CPA and advisor. At the end of the day, I want clients to feel like our relationship is more than just "completing tax forms" - because it is! We're there to advise on a variety of business and personal topics. When I receive a word of mouth referral, it warms my heart because it lets me know that my client values our relationship and that they consider me a trusted advisor."
What do you wish people knew more about when choosing an accountant?
Nicole: "I wish people knew of all the topics that CPAs and accountants can assist with. Tax compliance is just one of the many services that a tax CPA offers. Your CPA should be someone that you feel comfortable asking an assorted of questions to, someone who makes time for you and takes the time to understand your plans and goals."
How do you typically find new clients to work with?
Nicole: "I typically find my clients through referrals - word of mouth from clients, financial advisors, or just "bumping" into someone on LinkedIn!"
Angela Roberts
Company Name: Main Accounting Services LLC
Website: mainaccounting.com
LinkedIn URL: Main Accounting Services on LinkedIn
How does word of mouth play a role for you as an accountant?
Angela: "Word of mouth (referrals) is essential to our business growth. We find that our clients love us and tend to refer us to their friends and colleagues on a regular basis."
What do you wish people knew more about when choosing an accountant?
Angela: "There are many different types of accountants. Some are CPAs or EAs and prepare tax returns while others may offer customized advisory and bookkeeping services. We recommend analyzing your current needs and then outsource to an expert in your industry. For example, we support and niche in the law firm industry. We help small law firms get their accounting workflow established, recommend and implement back office software, do all of the bookkeeping (including trust accounting), and offer customized reporting to help law firm owners understand the financial condition of their business. There are specific areas in each industry that may require expertise and pairing with someone who knows your industry can be extremely helpful."
How do you typically find new clients to work with?
Angela: "We typically find our new clients through client referrals. We do an outstanding job of supporting our clients, they appreciate what we do and tell their friends and colleagues to reach out to us for a free consultation."
Dave Wittman
Company Name: DRW CPA & Associates
How does word of mouth play a role for you as an accountant?
Dave: "Personal referrals is my go-to way to get clients for my tax business. Whenever you're dealing with money, nothing word of mouth referrals because you really need that trust."
What do you wish people knew more about when choosing an accountant?
Dave: "I wish people knew which types of accountants to go to for certain use cases. If you need business accounting, go to a CPA that deals primarily with business accounting. And if you need personal tax help, go to a CPA that specializes in personal income. Experience is key, but specialized experience is even better."
How do you typically find new clients to work with?
Dave: "We ask our current clients! Learning how to ask for referrals has been one of my most successful life lessons."
Conclusion:
Word of mouth as a tool to bring in new clients in the accounting industry can make or break your business. Leverage the trust you've already built up and apply it.
It's necessary, and it works!
Want more tips on referral marketing?
