{"id":22415,"date":"2021-02-23T08:00:44","date_gmt":"2021-02-23T14:00:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/taxprocenter.proconnect.intuit.com\/?p=22415"},"modified":"2021-02-17T13:26:44","modified_gmt":"2021-02-17T19:26:44","slug":"how-to-market-your-firm-in-less-than-one-hour-a-week","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/accountants.intuit.com\/taxprocenter\/practice-management\/how-to-market-your-firm-in-less-than-one-hour-a-week\/","title":{"rendered":"How to market your firm in less than one hour a week"},"content":{"rendered":"

As a busy business owner, you know you need to market your tax and accounting practice, but finding the time isn\u2019t easy. On top of that, it\u2019s tough to know where to begin. If you follow all of the advice out there, you\u2019d spend your time marketing<\/a> your firm and very little on actual client work.<\/p>\n

The reality is that while marketing is important, it doesn\u2019t need to be a headache. In just one hour per week, you can strategically and consistently market your business without letting social media<\/a> rabbit holes take over your life.<\/p>\n

Why this time is different<\/strong><\/p>\n

Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, email marketing, blogs … you’ve tried it all. With your busy schedule, it just wasn\u2019t worth the effort for the little engagement and traction you were getting. However, as an accountant, you’re focused on the numbers, so when you don’t see instant and direct results, you hit pause.\u00a0The truth is that marketing is a little more nuanced than the black and white numbers you’re used to. It’s about visibility, consistency, and engagement.<\/p>\n

Now is a great time to reflect on what didn\u2019t work. What were your expectations? What didn\u2019t give you results? How did you deliver your message? This time will be different. This time, you\u2019ll know what doesn\u2019t work, and I’m going to tell you what does<\/em> work. There\u2019s one secret that many people miss when it comes to their social media \u2013 one that is a crucial factor in engagement. The secret sauce for successful marketing is consistency<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Consistency is everything<\/strong><\/p>\n

You can have the most fantastic content that anyone has ever seen, but none of that will matter if your posting isn\u2019t consistent. The key to keeping an audience engaged (and master that pesky algorithm) is by posting regularly. Forget about quantity \u2013 it\u2019s about quality and consistency.\u00a0Instead of focusing your energy on posting as much content as possible, focus on making it the best quality possible. Posting regularly and consistently builds trust with your audience.<\/p>\n

How to market effectively in an hour per week<\/strong><\/p>\n

Now that you understand the importance of consistency, it\u2019s time to build a game plan! Block out some time each week to focus on your marketing by using the following tips. You\u2019ll be a pro before you know it.<\/p>\n

Schedule social media posts.\u00a0<\/strong>Spend an hour each month scheduling social media posts. You don\u2019t need more than a few per week, as long as your scheduling is consistent. Use a scheduling app, such as Hootsuite<\/a> or Planoly<\/a>, so that you can set it and forget it.<\/p>\n

Social media posts can be as easy as sharing tips and important deadlines<\/a>. You can create simple images on Canva<\/a>\u00a0or use stock photos. Spend a few minutes searching for tax and accounting hashtags, and gather a list that you can rotate. Using the same combination of hashtags each time can prevent you from being visible in the algorithm.<\/p>\n

Send regular email updates.\u00a0<\/strong>Spending an hour each month writing just one email can help nurture your email list. It keeps you top of mind with your audience, builds credibility, and can lead to more website<\/a> engagement. Email<\/a> is an incredibly effective marketing tool, and generally has a higher conversion rate than social media.<\/p>\n

Email marketing doesn’t have to be complicated. Although newsletters aren’t frequently read, single emails with simple updates often are. Take key deadlines, for example. Key deadlines can be a great way to keep your clients in the loop and stay in front of them. Make sure you include a call to action in each one \u2013 that\u2019s the key to success! Email marketing software, such as MailerLite<\/a>, can help you reach your email list in just a few clicks.<\/p>\n

Optimize your profiles.\u00a0<\/strong>An easy way to increase your marketing presence is through social media and ProAdvisor<\/a>\u00ae profile optimization. The good news is that you can do it in an hour or less, and you\u2019ll only have to do it once a year or if there are any big business changes. Here are a few ways to optimize your profile:<\/p>\n