Karen’s Marketing Tips Archives

How can I start attracting ideal clients for my accounting firm with a small marketing budget?

If you’ve recently started your accounting firm, you likely want to win some clients before

What do I do if a client relationship goes cold?

We’ve talked about what to do when communication goes cold after you send a proposal.

Is it best to write content in-house, or hire an outsourced content writer?

We all know now that writing content is important. What you want to know is

Rushing? Look up. Look out.

Everything rushes by so fast. The train. The cars. The meetings. The emails. The slack

Sometimes you need to just get started.

Sometimes you need to just get started. And sometimes you need to just stop. Last

Glimpse into the “three stage” level of brand work

Last week I had Col, our head of Branding, round and we talked about our

The elements of a great onboarding process for your accounting firm…

Creating a great onboarding process is not about saving time and being efficient. Those are

Karen’s – and everyone’s – Marketing Tips

I’ve been writing “Karen’s Marketing Tips” for over eight years – they began even before

Are “Resources” essential for an accountant’s website?

“I would be interested in an opinion on resources – are they essential for an

Are you putting more pressure on your marketing ROI than you are on yourself?

Getting ROI from marketing is absolutely a priority for accountants – and rightly so. As

How do you prioritise client questions?

Creating custom content for your accounting firm is as simple as answering the questions your

I’ve just launched my new website. How do I share my new site with the world?

You’ve been through a long process, and at last it’s done! Hurrah! You have a

Great books to read over the holiday break

It’s the Christmas holidays. You’ve had your turkey dinner (or whatever alternative you went for

For accounting firms our size, roughly what is their budget for marketing?

For accounting firms our size, roughly what is our budget for marketing?

Setting a marketing budget when you haven’t had one (or much of one at all)

How many registrations and leads can I expect from an online event or webinar?

Delivering an online event is significantly different from a live event. I’ve provided webinars for

We’re planning a small event. How do we drum up interest, get registrations, get leads?

You want to run an event, but you aren’t delivering the next Xerocon. There’s no

We are thinking of offering a referral programme to our clients. Seen this work anywhere else?

Several accountants have asked me about referral programmes lately. One client in Canada said, “We

9 People who serve accountants well

There are so many people who work with accountants. Consultants, coaches, apps, communities…the options to

Advice for Xerocon London 2018: Use your phone

For all the accountants going to Xerocon London this November, if you want to get

Why you need to send your marketing person to that conference

Those who are marketing managers for accountancy firms can have a tough job. In

I (sort of) want to get started with video. What do I do? How do I start?

You know you need to be doing video, but as an accountant you’re feeling a

We’ve won an award! How do we shout about it without showing off?

So your accounting firm has only gone and won an award! You know there is

My content is dry material. How do I spice it up?

When you write accountancy firm content about the problems and issues your clients face, some

What kind of marketing actually works?

I don’t make guarantees very often when it comes to marketing, but

Everyone else is writing content and is visible online: how does my accountancy firm stand out?

Accountants have actually picked up on this content marketing thing. More and more accountancy firms

I‘m not sure I can find an industry to niche in. Are there any other options?

This is one of the most common questions I’m asked when speaking about niche. When

Marketing gold dust: how to write content that is incredibly appealing to your prospects

Writing content for any of your marketing feels really difficult. Wording for your website. Social

“We’re not actually different from other accountants”

So many accountants say “we’re different”. Many of them actually state it categorically on their

Is marketing only about attracting new clients? Or does it include onboarding and other processes?

I was talking to an accountant on Facebook recently, and we were arranging a call

How much do I give away? The Paddy and Manny story

A few weeks ago I was meeting with clients in Ireland, and we were talking

The step by step plan to get your team involved in marketing

Okay, you’ve started to address your team’s marketing concerns. You had one conversation or team

Your team’s marketing concerns are valid

It is unlikely that your team will get really excited about helping market your accounting

Good things are worth waiting for (and that includes prospects)

Great clients are worth waiting for. Great prospects are worth fighting for. But how long

Do you have a mentor for those big-picture issues?

This question is for you. Normally I’m answering your questions (following the ‘they ask you

Do I want clients to come to my firm for accounts, or ‘advisory’?

This concept of separating “advisory services” from “accounting services” is one I’m not a fan

How to run a “they ask you answer” workshop in your accountancy firm

I’m so proud of all the accountants lately who are not only reading “They Ask

Why it’s not terrible that your clients don’t know all the services you offer

When one of your clients says, “Oh, I didn’t know you did that!”, what’s your

It’s not just me: 9 messages from other content marketers, for accountants

You’ve heard me going on about content marketing for years. “I know, I know…Karen says

If I already have the website template, can you fill in the copywriting?

Every accountancy firm needs a custom website. Whether you throw it together yourself using Rocketspark,

Do you think conversational language is okay for blogs?

As an accountant, writing blogs can be a high-pressure situation. You want to make sure

I know my marketing funnel will start to dry up. I’ll start marketing then.

Is this you? “My challenge is that most of my business has come from referrals.

I want to record videos for my accounting firm, but I never seem to get around to it

It’s a lie that we don’t have time. We absolutely have time – for what

How can online and offline marketing be integrated to meet changing customer needs?

Online and offline…that’s the perfect combination. It’s absolutely right to focus on all the online

What accounting firms are truly my competition? How do I compare against them?

Showcasing your differences as an accountancy firm so you win the business you want to

I’m paying for Google AdWords every month. Is it worth it?

For a while now you’ve been paying for Google AdWords for your accountancy firm, and

Xero only? QBO and Xero? Which one is best for my accountancy firm to use?

Ah, the big debate. The two big players. The decision for online accounting software often

The last thing I need in the world is another training course on marketing

What makes for a good website home page?

Your website home page is essentially a miniature version of your entire website. Imagine someone

What are your thoughts on CRM and marketing automation software for accountants?

When it comes to CRM, there is no system out there which is perfect for

Is Shutterstock worth it? I’d love our stuff to be more visual but don’t have camera skills

One of the best ways to improve the readability of your content is to enhance

“One simple connection between marketing and accounting and all of a sudden I have some team buy-in!”

I got this email recently from the marketing manager at an accountancy firm, and it

Where to start revamping our accounting firm’s website???

The more you learn about content marketing, the more aware you become that your website

Creating new content every week is a lot! This is time not spent earning money!

One of your content marketing goals as an accountant is to generate 2-3 new pieces

Do you design a logo or website if we can articulate exactly what we want?

The best content for your website and marketing comes from you. From your head, from

Why ‘introductory videos’ are generally useless, and what to use instead

You’re going to do video. At last. Your accounting firm is going to get with

“We don’t particularly like Facebook for accountancy firm marketing”

In my conversations with accountants about their marketing, Facebook almost always comes up. We talk

They Ask, You Answer: Read this book.

It’s rare that I find a business book I literally can’t put down, but “They

The need for rest time to be built into your brand or website project

When an accountancy firm kicks off a brand or website project, speed is often the

Does my firm need a separate entity for our cloud accounting offering?

Several years ago, there was a spate of advice given to accountants – particularly some

18 Interesting People to Follow in 2018

I’ll keep it short this week, as most of you are returning to work after

How to use social media for recruiting purposes

If recruiting and hiring are an issue for your accountancy firm, paying agency fees may

How to keep the marketing momentum going over Christmas

Ahhh, the Christmas season. The time of office parties and late-night shopping and mince pies…and

Are you a “good Xero accountant”?

When a prospect is looking for a good Xero accountant, do you fit the bill?

I’m getting a bit worried about my event. Registrations are low. How can I get more people to attend?

Delivering an event for your accountancy firm is an exciting and nerve-wracking venture. Your thoughts

How to structure your blog post so people will actually read it

People don’t really read things. They skim. So the way you structure your blog post

How do I convince my boss on the power of Instagram and Facebook?

How can I convince my boss that content and social actually work?

If you’re the marketing manager of an accountancy firm, one of your biggest struggles is

The numbers on how long it will take to get your content noticed

20 You: “Yes, Karen, I get this whole content marketing malarkey. I realise I’ve got

How Xero puts on such an excellent event (and how your accounting firm can too)

For accountants, attending an event like Xerocon is a highlight of the year. Many firms

Are you being a good accountant… to yourself?

“You’ve got to start by being a bit selfish,” Paul Barnes of My Accountancy Place

How to use Xerocon to make your marketing – and your accounting firm – better

For those who are going to Xerocon London in a few weeks’ time (or if

How many team members do I bring to Xerocon London?

You’ll notice I’m presuming that as an accountant in the UK, you’re going to attend

How do I make the most of being shortlisted for an award?

So you’ve done it! You’ve been shortlisted, and you have high hopes of actually winning

What direction do I give a photographer for photos for our website?

When it comes to imagery for your new (or existing) website, actual photographs and real

Why website content is different from other content

I’m a big fan of accountants writing their own content. I want you to learn

how to get accountants to write blogs and be more active online

How can I get the partners and other accountants to write blogs and be more active online?

Without a doubt, the single most powerful form of content that your accountancy firm can

How do I follow up a proposal when I’ve heard literally nothing at all?

Sending out a proposal is exciting. You got the enquiry, you’ve had the meeting, and

How to write a winning award entry for your firm

How to write a winning awards entry for your accounting firm

I’ve recently finished reviewing the entries for the ‘New Firm of the Year’ for the

use video to convert prospects to clients

How do videos convert people into clients?

So you’re ready to really get into video for your accountancy firm. You realise it’s

How accountants can better prepare for a conference or exhibition

You will get far more from being part of a conference or exhibition when you

Facebook live: My mistakes and learnings

Last week we ran our first scheduled Facebook live session. We set the time, sent

Unique social media tips for accountants

For over seven years I’ve been writing Karen’s Marketing Tips, week in and week out,

Your website needs to attract potential employees as well as clients

You want to build a new website that will attract the right kind of client.

I don’t need more strategy; I just need marketing to get done.

Strategy. It’s not quite a buzzword, but it’s one we get a bit weary of.

What’s a decent marketing budget for my accountancy firm?

Recently I was contacted by an accountant who was considering investing in outsourced marketing for

Developing your tone of voice in 7 easy steps

Have you figured out what your tone of voice is for your accountancy firm yet?

Are your prospects just cheap, or are they uninformed?

Nobody likes going through an entire proposal process with a prospective client only to have

Why our team uses Slack instead of email for team communication

As a company with 100% of our team working remotely, we use Slack for all

Why join yet another online programme (and how plain text emails still work)

On Tuesday of this week, I sat there looking at our list of members for

What video equipment will help me generate better video for my accounting firm?

Video. You know you need to be doing it. But you’re not. Why not? It

How to make sure the marketing manager at your accountancy firm brings in the business you want

It’s tempting for accountants to hire a marketing person (either in-house or outsourced) and presume

Is it a good idea to hire a marketing intern or assistant for my accountancy firm?

In a word, yes. First, the more marketing support your accountancy firm can get the

Build a content progression model to get a drip feed of new leads

Overheard in the pub: “Hey, you seem like a nice person. Want to get married?”

What if your marketing works TOO well?

Getting new leads is the goal. Right? Well….sort of. I’m always fascinated when I talk

10 Pricing options for your accountancy firm website

Is it a good idea to put prices on your accountancy firm website? The answer,

Make it harder (not easier) for prospects to become clients

The level of competition currently affecting accountants means that it’s tempting to take any and

#Generosity pillar

“Give to gain.” I’ve heard this phrase used many times in business as a means

What does the icon in the new PF brand actually mean?

It’s amazing how much work goes into something very simple. You may have noticed there’s

The difference between a logo, a brand and branding

The concept of “brand” is tied directly into the principles of content marketing. When your

What we’ve learned by going through the rebranding process ourselves

Your brand is central to everything your accountancy firm does in marketing, and it is

Involving your accountancy firm team with your content marketing

Accountancy firm marketing success is directly tied to the understanding your entire team have about

Your clients don’t care about the numbers.

One of the best ways accountants can deliver better marketing is by getting inside the