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This post aims to give you a blueprint marketing plan to implement into your firm that will generate tax clients consistently and predictably for years to come (or until you hit capacity). What you’ll learn:
- Two ways to acquire traffic to your website
- Best practices for converting traffic to leads
- Using email marketing to increase the probability of conversion into a client
Note: Many articles on this topic give advice such as “create a website” and “reach out to your friends and family”. For this post, we have skipped general best practices and gone straight to a proven system that will move the needle you can implement at scale.
Two Ways to Acquire Traffic to Your Website
To begin creating a system of generating tax clients, people first need to know about you when researching for a tax firm. It does you no good to go after people who are not in the market for tax services initially, as low-hanging fruit is available.
The two methods we recommend to acquire traffic are Google Ads and SEO (search engine optimization). These are highly scaleable and target those searching for your services. They already want what you sell, and all we have to do is put your website in front of them.
Google Ads
Google Ads are a form of paid advertising in which your firm selects a group of keywords such as “tax firm Charlotte, NC” and pays Google to be featured at the top of the search listings and/or at the top of the Google My Business listings (think where the map shows up).
SEO (Search Engine Optimization)
The inverse of Google ads is search engine optimization. Instead of paying Google for a top-of-page ranking, the ranking is earned by publishing the highest quality, most relevant piece of content that exists for the targeted keywords. Once again, in the “tax accountant Charlotte NC” example, the organic keywords feature the most relevant content Google has identified for that keyword.
Google Ads Versus SEO
Google Ads SEO 3-Year Average ROI Potential ~310% ~687% Time to Break Even 1-2 Months 5-7 Months Investment Required $2,000 - $10,000 $3,000 - $7,000 Expertise Required Medium High The Main Difference Google Ads will generate clients at a lower ROI in the short term. SEO will generate clients at a higher ROI in the long term.
Interested in SEO? Check out our Guide to SEO for Accounting Firms
Best Practices for Converting Traffic Into Leads
Once traffic has arrived on your website, there are a few best practices to ensure that traffic converts into a lead. A lead, in this case, is someone who gives you their contact information and inquires for more information on your services.
Ensure the website is Technically Sound
The first step is to ensure your website has taken steps for security, speed, mobile optimization, and a variety of other aspects. Here is a checklist of items to be cognizant of on your website:
Item Description Website Design Audit The design of the website should be audited to ensure user-friendliness and availability of useful information. SSL Certification All websites should be secure to improve search engine trust. Mobile Optimization The website should visually appeal to users on a mobile device with careful attention to relevant information fitting above the fold. Website Architecture Menus and navigation should be structured to be easily navigated for visitors to satisfy their queries. URL Structure A user should be able to identify the content located on a page based on the URL structure. Error Handling All 404 errors and broken links should be fixed. Website Speed Optimization If a website is too slow, traffic will drop off before they view the website. Optimize the loading speed of the website with methods such as image compression.
Create a Lead Magnet
A lead magnet is a piece of information available for download in exchange for their email address or other piece of contact information. The lead magnet should be relevant to a person in the market for tax services. For example, you could make a list of unknown deductions for businesses because that would be a relevant piece of content for someone in the market for corporate tax services.
Update your Content
Make sure the content on your website is not written to fill space, but each sentence conveys an important idea of why someone should hire your firm. Your site should convey you as a thought leader in your industry, such that if someone visits they would not want to hire someone else.
Using Email Marketing to Increase the Probability of Conversion into a Client
On average, a potential client will need seven touch points, or interactions with your marketing message, in order to convert to a customer. The most efficient and cheapest way to maximize these interactions is email marketing. Once you have collected their contact information, you can periodically email them useful information relating to your services.
Periodically, and depending on the size of your list, people will receive an email from you at the opportune time for them to become a client.
If you would like assistance implementing this into your accounting firm, don’t hesitate to contact us on our Contact Us page.