Accountancy Marketing

You May wonder why I'm focusing on New Year's resolutions in February. Or maybe, if you are trying to recover after January deadline makes sense for you.

And as with most things in life, timing is the key to marketing accounting and marketing to accountants. From experience I know many companies and partners to start thinking about your marketing and next year, when January is behind them.

Although there is no crystal ball, I have not heard too many economic forecasts predict an improved outlook in 2012. Of course, the effects of the recession vary enormously in different parts of Great Britain and Ireland. Some practitioners who specialize in certain industries are protected from the worst, while others were decimated.

Over the past 18 months, the partners have told me many times fee income, which has grown reasonably compared to the previous year, with no marketing, began to decline. So now, for the first time they are getting in touch asking for help.

What to do when the phone stops ringing?

Before you think about targeting potential customers must decide the following:

1) Who are your ideal clients? Do not try to be all things to all people. To identify the best customers you have and target your efforts in companies with similar profiles.

2) What is so special about your company's business? In what areas are stronger than your competitors? If you can not differentiate your business from its rivals, do not expect potential customers to be able to.

When there is no real difference in the service, the deciding factor will always be a fee. Would you like to compete in a crowded market, where the lowest fee wins?

3) work out the lifetime value and profitability of the average client. Once you know the revenue and profit than the average customer decide how much you are prepared to pay, the marketing costs for every £ 1 of the first year fees you generate.

4) the most successful and fastest-growing companies are the ones offering the greatest service and lowest fees. Their growth comes from effective marketing.

Their partners do not pay lip service to a new job were given to it. Their businesses are structured in a way that allows them to spend most of their time goal and winning new business. They are curious and pro-active in learning what works for them.

Once the basics are in place to forget marketing and concentrate on winning new business. This means that lead generation is actually selling your accounting services. Do not blow your budget on a nice brochure or sponsorship.

Put on activities that enables you to predict and measure the return on investment. First of all, if you are looking for better results - new business revenues - from investments in 2012 not to repeat what you did in 2011.

Patrick McLoughlin is the founder of Accounting for Growth (A4G), a marketing agency that specializes in helping accounting practices grow through attracting their ideal clients. All A4G Accounting marketing campaign to work on revenue goals. A results-based marketing services for UK accountants.