10 Creative Ways to Market Your Firm Going into Next Tax Season

If you want to attract more clients and bring in more business going into next tax season, you’ll want to focus on your marketing efforts. To stand out from the competition, accounting and tax firms must be more creative than ever to reach potential clients. When you incorporate creative ways to market your firm, you’ll open the door to lots of new opportunities.

Before you look at ways to creatively market your firm, you must master your firm's social media presence. Not only is marketing on social media easy on your budget, the sky is the limit when it comes to creativity. Establishing a solid brand for your firm on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, YouTube, and other platforms is key to getting potential clients interested in the services you have to offer. As you come up with more creative ways to market your firm, be sure to share it all on social media, especially before the upcoming tax season.

Here are 10 creative ways to market yourself or your firm going into next tax season:

1. Diversify your services

Locking your firm into providing just one or two services won’t help you outshine your competition. When you diversify, you’ll be marketing your firm as a place where your client receives value-added services. Many tax and accounting firms branch out and provide expert-level services like virtual CFO, payroll processing, wealth advising, general business planning, and more. Add your new specialties into your marketing plan to let potential clients know what your firm can do for them just in time for the new tax season.

2. Personally connect with past clients

Every accounting and tax firm has clients who move on for one reason or another, but you should always try to keep in contact. When your firm adds new services, hosts an event, or wins an award, always include past clients in a personal email or letter. You’ll never know when a past client is ready to come back ahead of the next tax season or if they might refer your firm to others.

3. Hold a contest

Who doesn’t love the chance to win free stuff? Contests are a surefire way to get the attention of current and potential clients. The most effective marketing contests involve more than just submitting a name for a drawing, however. Get creative and let participants have some fun. Ask people to build an “accountant” snowman and post pictures or organize a virtual scavenger hunt with an amazing prize. Highly desirable prizes like a flat-screen TV or family season pass to an amusement park are sure to generate interest.

4. Send a tax season newsletter

As you head into tax season, consider sending out a newsletter to all the members on your mailing list. It’s an excellent way to get your firm into the minds of your clients as they start to think about their finances. A newsletter should be mostly educational, with very little promotional material. Keep it focused on topics like what’s new with the firm, any new products or services, and informational content.

5. Update blog content

For search engines to find your website, you need to have fresh, relevant content. New and valuable blog content helps websites rank higher on search engines, driving more traffic to your site. Get creative with blog content and include details on awards received, your company’s achievements, changes in the industry, basic accounting and tax information geared toward clients, and even highlight new hires. Invite guest posters from the community or ask clients to write about a positive experience they had with your firm.

6. Be charitable

Providing charitable services is good for everyone, and it is an excellent way to showcase your firm’s commitment to the community. Many charitable organizations desperately need financial assistance, and your firm can step in. Examples include donating time to a non-profit, helping people living in shelters or housing assistance file their taxes, serving on a board or committee, or tutoring university students in accounting or finance. Non-accounting related charitable efforts are also a wonderful way to give back.

7. Host free classes and seminars

One of the best ways to get you and your firm in the minds of potential clients in your community is to host free classes, seminars, and lectures. At these venues, you have a selected audience that is eager to learn more about their biggest concerns about accounting and finances, whether for themselves or their business. Attendees will view you and your firm as the place to go for answers to their accounting matters.

8. Volunteer for public speaking events

Your community likely has plenty of opportunities for public speaking, and you can tailor your speech on many relevant topics. Check with local high school or community college accounting programs, local or state professional accounting groups, local business gatherings, chamber of commerce events, and more. Accept speaking gigs on related topics, even those that don’t center solely on accounting or finance. When you speak about matters important to you and your community, you’ll build trust with your audience that could work out well when they need accounting services.

9. Giveaways

Promotional products are useful items like pens, calendars, mouse pads, bags, shirts, and water bottles that feature your accounting or tax firm’s logo, name, and contact information. While it may seem like investing in some accounting promotional products won’t make an impact, studies show that 85% of people did business with the advertiser after receiving a promotional product. Further, using a promotional product boosted the effectiveness of other marketing efforts by 44%.

10. Promote client reviews

Another way to connect with your firm’s target audience in a friendly way is to include some of your clients in your marketing efforts. Positive client reviews are an excellent way to showcase your firm and positively impact your brand. Success stories, stellar reviews, and positive comments from your current clients can promote shared values and develop loyalty.

Want even more tips for marketing your firm before tax season? Download our free ebook Marketing Essentials for Tax Pros.