You survived September’s quarterlies, and this month’s extensions. As you begin to endure the flurry of compilations, audits, and review, don’t let your marketing lapse! The last quarter is the perfect time for CPAs to grow new business, for two main reasons:
1. In the next few weeks, you will naturally be speaking to your clients.
2. Financial review is end-of-year zeitgeist.
Everybody is thinking about your expertise — they want to hear from you. CLICK TO READ five marketing opportunities to seize the day, in bold. There are less than 10 weeks left in 2009…
First, number 1: When I donated to President Obama’s campaign, I didn’t receive any collaterals (e.g., bumper stickers, t-shirts, pins, etc.) to showcase either my donation or adoration. I suppose I was as vocal without this minor expense; regardless, the Obama campaign did miss out on an opportunity with millions of others: silent, passive viral marketing. Perhaps I was a small oversight (commensurate with the donation?).
President Obama’s governance scorecard is debatable… he’s only 50 days in. His policies, including the Stimulus Package and the Budget, are also debatable… I’ll leave that up to the pundits and politicians. More than administration, Obama is making a major marketing mistake.
Obama’s Marketing Mistake #2 is more serious:(more…)
On Friday, one of my clients, Bruce Maasbach arranged a seminar for his circle of real estate agents. While much of the time should have been dedicated to a tactical, Web 2.0, Marketing Action Plan… my inspirational preamble was more valuable. First a mindset change, or a paradigm shift, has to take place for a Real Estate Agent to do business from 2009 on. Hear what I mean:
Three 10-minute parts will automatically be on the right-hand of the video above when I upload to my blip.tv account.
With the poor lighting and zoom, the video quite frankly sucks. But my audio silhouette - with hand gestures - gets my points across!
VIDEO 1: I go through how the market has changed over the past 10 years. VIDEO 2: I explain how ludicrous the real estate industry has been, and a brave new vision for them. VIDEO 3: I talk about how real estate professionals can begin creating a new business model.
Originally, I had brought my projector, my laptop, with a PowerPoint… but there was no table for the equipment, screen (or white wall), and I’m sure WiFi would’ve been “too secure.” I’m a speaker, not a presenter, so I didn’t care. LESSON TO BE LEARNED: I did bring hand-outs, which are low-tech and guaranteed to work.
What do you think about the new Business Model Vision I proposed for real estate agents/brokers?
On December 16, I was invited back for a 3rd time to address the Preferred Providers Network of the National Network of Accountants. My topic included a worksheet that would help the room of CPAs, attorneys, and financial advisors to “Trigger More Referrals, with a catchy 1-liner.” You can practice along, with the worksheet attached, and the video below. Better yet, add your 1-liner below in the comments. (The video seminar brightens up after about 15 seconds.)
I introduced our Community Hexagon™ to the room. Many had been to a previous seminar (Target your Market to the 4°), which went over the Community Dartboard™. They are similar concepts - in that they outline the 6 facets of a “community,” a like-minded demographic that shares lifestyle aspects that encourages culture & identity. It’s not so esoteric: Dog lovers and trial attorneys are sub-cultures, that is, they share all 6 facets of the Community Hexagon™.
Likewise, we can take the more-general community of pet owners and the community of professionals and go to the “4th degree” in the Community Dartboard™. By doing so, we would be able to check-off all 6 criteria on the Community Checklist™ with which the worksheet begins. How far can you go on the downloadable Worksheet? Does your target market meet all 6 facets that would make it a Word-of-mouth buzz-friendly group?
David J. Bilinsky is the Practice Management Advisor and staff lawyer for the Law Society of British Columbia. He is a Fellow of the College of Law Practice Management and the Editor-in-Chief of Law Practice Magazine (American Bar Association). He also authors his own blawg at thoughtfullaw.com:
What’s the biggest objection given to you by prospective clients?
What’s the biggest misconception or stigma about your service, product, or profession?
What’s wrong with the dominant professional (famous celebrity) in your field?
They’re thinking about it whenever you sit on the other side of the table. Even if you don’t bring it up, it’s looming in the back of their mind. You don’t have worry about it.
You can turn objections into your best personal brand marketing tool! Listen to the podcast and discover how I helped 2 professionals dance with the 800 lb. guerilla in the room!
Tell us about the biggest objection, misconception, or myth folks around talking about … behind your back. Show us how you flip it to your favor.
HINT: This is an example of how to use Buzz Stream #6, as featured in the audio-book INSTANT BUZZ.
I took this pic around the corner from me. Surely your neighborhood is no different…
One of the simplest ways to attract buzz about your services or products is to promote around a specific holiday, season, date, or cycle.
Think about your niche prospect/client target market Community: What special dates, events, holidays, or seasons are special to them? Every community “celebrates” (or dreads) certain times of the year — and everybody in that Community knows about it. If it’s not clear to you, target your market some more, or do some more homework.
It’s B2B season again… back-to-business. Now that the kids are out of your hair… Let’s market your personal brand!
Within CoGrow, I’ve specialized my practice to help self-employed experts develop and leverage their personal brands. And we have to do it within your compliance obligations… as your reputation precedes you, qualified prospects will choose you.
For those of us who work within the specific needs of those self-employed, or run small practices, our market is growing. This is from Anita Campbell’s smallbiztrends.com:
The U.S. Census has new statistics out — and they show that the numbers of single-person businesses are booming. There are now over 20 million such businesses, based on the most recently available data as of 2005.
To be exact, the United States has 20,392,068 single-person businesses. In the space of three years, 2.7 million more people became the owner of a “business of one.” Here’s the chart (you knew there’d be a chart, right?):
For the past three years the number of single-person businesses has grown each year between 4% and 5%. That means the single-person businesses grow faster than the rate of growth of the U.S. population as a whole (which grows at about 1% a year according to the U.S. Census).
These single-person businesses account for 78% of ALL U.S. businesses. You know those millions of small businesses that everyone is always talking about? Well, the majority of them fall into this category of single-person business.
These single-person businesses bring in over $951 billion (US) in annual receipts or sales to the U.S. economy. That averages to roughly $46,600 in annual sales per business. Obviously, since it’s an average, some businesses will be larger and some smaller. Still, you can see that many are pretty small businesses. Whatever their individual size, collectively these business owners are a force because of the sheer numbers of them.
I just came out with new two new audio-books, SALES MOMENTUM: Meet more prospects who’ll close themselves & WEB MARKETING 2.0: Market yourself like Craigslist, YouTube, & eBay.
My next audio-book will elaborate on my attached 5-minute podcast, MARKETING TIME MANAGEMENT. I describe how to develop the 3 marketing habits (also described in SALES MOMENTUM).
Last night I spoke in front of the Nassau/Suffolk Limo Association; it’s not my typical crowd. But Matt Silver, VP of the group & awesome networker, invited me to speak about Marketing. Maybe I had something to offer.
I invited one of my clients, a cosmetic dentist, to come on by, with targeted postcards in hand. I presented my 6 Conditions for Community Momentum as featured in my new audio-book Sales Momentum (to be released next week - woohoo).
While I was describing the 2nd Condition, I mentioned my blog post about Commerce Bank. I then asked the crowd of Limo/Black Car Owners, “Why would a Dentist want to develop Relationships with you guys???”
Nobody had a clue. So I asked the doc to give the answer. Folks were still bewildered… so I prompted the audience to think out-of-the-box:
‘Tis the season… Proms? Weddings? Engagements? Graduations?
Aren’t limo owners & cosmetic dentists complementary businesses? Sure, the specific cross-promotion details still need to be worked out privately, creatively, and politely… but out-of-the-box relationships were sparked.
Are you targeting the same broad, generic, mass population as everybody else? With the questions I ask you in Sales Momentum, you’ll see how your Personal Brand can attract more and more qualified prospects in less and less time.
—- I just wrote an e-mail to a client giving some advice………………………..
Your website, and e-newsletter, are examples of the kind of attention you can gain from having well-designed impressions. Your business card must earn respect by the conservative, traditional, and old fashioned - it’s expected from a lawyer; you know that.
Going against a strong expectation is a contradiction that may bring on the wrong sort of attention: I’m calling it “the Sanjaya effect.” However, on that note, with the right personality… you too can pull it off. How much do you want to leverage your personality?
I often browse the bookstores searching for books that are not yet on the radar screens. Most of the time it takes authors hundreds of pages to get to just 1 of the sentences in my book “101 Business Thumb-Rules: Idea Journal.” (It’s often a prize at my seminars. And it’s a gift when you order 3 copies of my audio-bookINSTANT BUZZ.)
The other day I happened upon a cool looking book (dramatic cover)… AND the words within worked with me. It’s called Words That Work: It’s Not What You Say, It’s What People Hear. Frank Luntz, the author, is a market researcher and political campaign advisor. He has helped win victories for many right-wing campaigns. I don’t hold that against him… if they win in today’s climate, that means Dr. Luntz really knows something worthwhile!
Through anecdotes, Dr. Frank Luntz showcases 10 Rules to precisely use “Words That Work.” I highly recommend that book, you can buy it right from Amazon. I’m paraphrasing the 10 thumb-rules here; it’s worth it to buy the book and read why (and how) these rules work:
CURRENCY:
In the appendix of Words That Work, Dr. Frank Luntz goes on to cite “21 words for the 21st Century.” These are the words that are the most trendy and current. You’ll hear ‘em in product & political marketing… and you should use ‘em to your advantage (with the 10 rules above). Dr. Luntz doesn’t go into much detail about WHY these are the words in the appendix, but Words That Work is worth the buy. Here are the 21st Century currency words (in no relative order):
Can you see how these “21st century” currency words follow the ten rules above? What do you think about the book, Words That Work? Which ads have you seen that follow these rules & words? How have you put ‘em to use?
Post your comments. Promote your personal brand!
Feel free to Share this post…
VIDEO 1: I go through how the market has changed over the past 10 years.
One of the simplest ways to attract buzz about your services or products is to promote around a specific holiday, season, date, or cycle.
. Frank Luntz, the author, is a market researcher and political campaign advisor. He has helped win victories for many right-wing campaigns. I don’t hold that against him… if they win in today’s climate, that means Dr. Luntz really knows something worthwhile!
