117 No-Brainer Ways to Attract New Clients. By Rick Telberg cpatrendlines.com

Transcription

1 117 No-Brainer Ways to Attract New Clients By Rick Telberg 1

2 Do Something, Anything, NOW! I call these no-brainers because, although they require some thought and effort, there s nothing revolutionary about any of them. In fact, each of these tips is something I ve personally seen work successfully in real-life. These are the activities that are making small practices into large ones, and low-earning accountants into high-earning money machines. But you can t just read this. You need to do something. When I delivered this presentation to almost 1,000 accountants online, 58% said they would take at least one idea and begin working on it immediately. And another 32% said they d study the material, refine it and put their own idea to work next week. Maybe the other 10% were more honest: They said they d probably never get around to doing anything new. But you can t afford to ignore the 90% of the accountants who heard this presentation and pledged to do something competitive. Some of them may be coming after your clients. You can t just stand there. You need to do something. Hopefully, this presentation will help. Sincerely, Rick Telberg PS: Check out the last slide for a free download and a $50 discount coupon. 2

3 General Ideas 1. Never let a day pass without engaging in at least one biz-dev activity. 2. Determine a percentage of gross income to spend annually on marketing. 3. Set specific marketing goals every year; review and adjust quarterly. Maintain a tickler file of ideas for later use. 4. Carry business cards with you (all day, every day). 5. Create a personal nametag or pin with your company name and logo on it and wear it at high visibility meetings. 3

4 Target Market 6. Stay alert to trends that might impact your target market, product, or promotion strategy. 7. Read market research studies about your profession, industry, product, target market groups, etc. 8. Collect competitors ads and literature; study them for information about strategy, product features, benefits, etc. 9. Ask clients why they hired you and solicit suggestions for improvement. 10. Ask former clients why they left you. 11. Identify a new market. 12. Join LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook. 4

5 Product Development 13. Try a new service, technique, or product. 14. Offer a simpler/cheaper/smaller version of an (or existing) service. 15. Offer a fancier/more expensive/faster/bigger version of your (or existing) product or service. 16. Update your services. 5

6 Education, Resources, and Information 17. Establish a marketing and public relations advisory and referral team composed of your colleagues and/or neighboring business owners. 18. Share ideas and referrals and discuss community issues. 19. Meet quarterly for breakfast. 20. Get employees involved. (Monitor activity, not results) 21. Train your staff, clients, and colleagues to promote referrals. 6

7 Education, Resources, and Information 22. Hold a monthly marketing meeting with employees or associates to discuss strategy and status and solicit marketing ideas. 23. Join an association your clients or prospects belong to. 24. Get a marketing intern / student to take you on as a client; it will give the intern experience and you some free marketing help. 25. Maintain a consultant card file for finding designers, writers, and other marketing professionals. 26. Hire a marketing consultant to brainstorm with. 27. Listen to colleagues about what s working for them. 7

8 Pricing and Payment 28. Analyze your fee structure; look for areas requiring modifications or adjustments. 29. Establish a credit card payment option for clients. 30. Give regular clients a discount. 31. Offer discounts to members of certain clubs/ professional groups/organizations in exchange for promotions in their publications. 32. Give quick pay or cash discounts. 8

9 Marketing Communications 33. Update your website. Do it quarterly. 34. Publish an e- newsletter for customers and prospects (it doesn t have to be fancy or expensive). 35. Try snail mail promotions. 36. Develop a brochure of services. 37. Include a postage-paid card or survey with your deliverables. 38. Remember, business cards aren t working for you if they re in the box. Pass them out! 39. Give prospects two business cards and brochures one to keep and one to pass along. 9

10 Marketing Communications 40. Produce separate business cards/sales literature for each of your target market segments (e.g. government and commercial and/or business and consumer). 41. Create a poster or calendar to give away to customers and prospects. 42. Print a slogan and/or one-sentence description of your business on letterhead, fax cover sheets, and invoices. 10

11 Marketing Communications 43. Create a signature file to be used for all your messages. It should contain contact details, including your Web site address and key information about your firm. 44. Include testimonials from customers in your literature. 45. Test a new mailing list. If it produces results, add it to your current direct mail lists or consider replacing a list that s not performing up to expectations. 46. Offer free info or special offers in your direct response campaigns. 11

12 Media Relations 47. Update your media list often so that press releases are sent to the right media outlet and person. 48. Write a column for the local newspaper, local business journal, or trade publication. 49. Publish an article and circulate reprints. 50. Send timely and newsworthy press releases as often as needed. 12

13 Media Relations 51. Publicize your 500th client of the year (or other notable milestone). 52. Create an annual award and publicize it. 53. Get public relations and media training or read up on it. 54. Appear on a radio or TV talk show. 55. Create your own YouTube TV program on your industry or your specialty. 13

14 Media Relations 56. Market the show to your local cable station or public broadcasting station as a regular program. 57. See if you can air your show on an open access cable channel. 58. Write a letter to the editor of your local newspaper or trade magazine. 59. Take an editor to lunch. 14

15 Media Relations 60. Get a publicity photo taken and enclose with press releases. 61. Consistently review newspapers and magazines for possible PR opportunities. 62. Submit tip articles to newsletters and newspapers. 63. Conduct industry research and develop a press release or article to announce an important discovery in your field. 64. Create a press kit and keep its contents current. 15

16 Client Service and Relations 65. Ask your clients to come back again. 66. Return phone calls promptly. 67. Ask clients what you can do the help them. 68. Take clients out to a ball game, show, or another special event just send them two tickets with a note. 69. Hold a seminar at your office for clients and prospects. 16

17 Client Service and Relations 70. Send handwritten thank you notes. 71. Send birthday cards and appropriate seasonal greetings interesting articles to clients and prospects with a note. 73. Send a book of interest or other appropriate business gift to a client with a handwritten note. 74. Redecorate your office or location where you meet with your clients. 17

18 Networking and Word of Mouth 75. Join a Chamber of Commerce or other organization. 76. Join or organize a breakfast club with other professionals (not in your field) to discuss business and network referrals. 77. Mail a brochure to members of organizations to which you belong. 78. Serve on a city board or commission. 79. Host a holiday party. 80. Hold an open house. 81. Send letters to attendees after you attend a conference. 18

19 Advertising 82. Advertise during busy season. 83. Get a memorable phone number, such as WIDGETS. 84. Obtain a memorable URL and address and include them on all marketing materials. 85. Promote your business jointly with other professionals via cooperative direct mail. 19

20 Advertising 86. Write an ad in another language to reach the non- English-speaking market. Place the ad in a publication that market reads, such as a Hispanic newspaper. 87. Distribute advertising specialty products such as pens, mouse pads, or mugs. 88. Mail bumps photos, samples, and other innovative items to your prospect list. (A bump is simply anything that makes the mailing envelope bulge and makes the recipient curious about what s in the envelope!) 89. Create a direct mail list of hot prospects. 20

21 Advertising 90. Consider non-traditional tactics such as bus backs, billboards, and popular Web sites. 91. Consider placing ads in your newspaper s classified section. 92. Consider a vanity automobile tag with your company name. 93. Code your ads and keep records of results. 94. Improve your building signage and directional signs inside and out. 95. Invest in making your office signage visible at night. 96. Create a new or improved company logo or recolor the traditional logo. 97. Sponsor and promote a contest or sweepstakes. 21

22 Special Events and Outreach 98. Get a booth at a fair/trade show attended by your target market. 99. Sponsor or host a special event or open house at your business location in cooperation with a local non-profit organization, such as a women s business center. Describe how the organization helped you Give a speech or volunteer for a career day at a high school Teach a class or seminar at a local college or adult education center Sponsor an Adopt-a-Road area in your community to keep roads litter-free. People that pass by the area will see your name on the sign announcing your sponsorship. 22

23 Special Events and Outreach 103.Volunteer your time to a charity or non-profit organization. 104.Donate your product or service to a charity auction. 105.Appear on a panel at a professional seminar. 106.Write a How To pamphlet or article for publishing. 107.Produce and distribute an educational e-book. 108.Publish a book. 23

24 Sales Ideas 109.Start every day with two cold calls. 110.Read newspapers, business journals, and trade publications for new business openings, personnel appointments, and promotion announcements made by companies. 111.Send your business literature to appropriate individuals and firms. 112.Give your sales literature to your lawyer, accountant, printer, banker, temp agency, office supply salesperson, advertising agency, etc. (Expand your sales force for free!) 24

25 Sales Ideas 113.Follow up on your direct mailings, messages, and broadcast faxes with a friendly telephone call. 114.Use broadcast messages to notify your customers of product service updates. 115.Extend your hours of operation. 116.Remind clients of the services you provide that they aren t currently buying. 117.Call and/or send mail to former clients to try and reactivate them. 25

26 Thank You Rick Telberg 1: Free Gift /clients3 2: $50 discount GoProCPA.com, save $50 off annual subscription with a5xd 26