We’ve all heard of marketing, but do we know exactly what it is and how to do it? For accountants, some would like to erase the word from their memory bank. Most accountants are not “marketers” and why would they be or learn how? That isn’t what they went to school for and most would like to stick to the “old-fashion” way of building their client base by referrals.
After attending the Accounting Today Growth and Profitability Summit in Orlando, Florida a few weeks ago, I came back to the Maine cold with a burning desire to help make our firm, PFBF CPAs, become one of “The Best.” How do we get our firm to become a “rock band” and not a “garage band?” How do we get the right people on the bus? How do we make PFBF CPAs, stand out from our competitors?
The answer: Marketing.
One would think after being in business for 30 years, most people in the state of Maine would know the name PFBF CPAs. They might not get the letters in all the right order, but they know the company and what service we provide. Wrong. It takes a lot more than providing timely financial services. It takes a village of marketing efforts and teamwork. This is crucial for any personal services firm.
Today, the marketing world has blasted into online marketing, which consists of blogs, websites, web analytics, online videos, webinars, and much more. In order to break away from our “confined” local market and dig into a national stage, we must market 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. How? Online marketing is a good start.
Melissa Sawyer, Marketing Manager
