6 ways accountants can improve their relationships with clients

Marketing your way to better client relationships

As an accountant, you’re in an excellent position to help your clients build better businesses. But are you offering your services in a way that makes them feel truly supported? After all, it’s not just about the numbers. By improving your relationships with clients, you’ll set yourself up to become an irreplaceable component of their success. 

Part of that equation is to share good information and updates, but finding the right balance can be tricky. You want your clients to feel informed and confident, but not bombarded. So how can you deliver the right information at the right time? Here are six places to start. 

1. Build rapport

Many people find finances overwhelming, and speaking with an accountant daunting. So, drop the formality. You can be personable while still being professional. By taking the time to put your clients at ease, you’ll create the foundation of trusted, long-lasting relationships. Regular face-to-face meetings provide a sense of connection that’s hard to replicate via email or a video call when you need to talk through key points. The personal touch will go a long way to strengthen your relationships. 

2. Build your brand

Create a trusted reputation and lasting relationships by providing so much value to clients that they start to associate your name with business success. Aside from great accounting, you can offer exclusive industry insights, expert advice and insider tips. The BOMA content library makes it easy to do that. Select an insightful article and then customise it to add your perspective. This lets you provide genuinely useful thought leadership without having to write something from scratch.  

3. Know your customer

Once you get to know your clients and where they are in their business journey, you’ll be able to segment them into specific groups. Your marketing and support efforts will be much more effective – each group can engage with unique advice and information. For instance, one group may need more data-driven analysis, while another is hungry for basic business tips. 

BOMA’s built-in analytics give you a clear picture of each segment’s response, making it much easier to tailor content to suit.

4. Set-and-forget updates and reminders

Industry updates are essential for your clients but time-consuming to create, especially if you want to be consistent. Most of the communications you’ll need – such as updates on changes to tax legislation or regulatory changes – are already written and waiting to be used in the BOMA content library. Just add your touch and send. For more transactional reminders – about GST periods or the end of the financial year, for example – you can set and forget, offering exceptional service to clients without adding admin to your day.

5. Share business advisory content

Nurture your clients with timely advice, mentoring and thought leadership. If that sounds like a lot of extra work, you’ll be blown away by how easy BOMA makes it. BOMA’s library includes over hundreds of well-written articles from industry experts. You can choose what will add value to each client and then put your take on it. Whether it’s general business, financial advice, compliance, tax, management, technology, HR or training, you’ll give your clients an extra boost to grow their businesses.

6. Understand communication channels

When communicating with your clients, should you stay traditional or keep up with all the new technology options? It’s about knowing which channel is right for which information. Here are three ways to contact clients, with benefits and recommended uses for each:

  • Email (EDM): Emails are professional, scalable, targeted and cost-effective. In back-and-forth communication, they’re great for maintaining clear and friendly language. When sending emails as marketing materials, it’s important to include a clear ‘call to action’. 
  • Social media: Posting updates, interesting insights and tips to your social media accounts means you’ll stay top of mind. It will also work to boost your awareness and find new clients. 
  • SMS: AKA text messages. Clients may try to reach you via their mobile phones simply because it’s convenient. But an SMS can fit into a cohesive, professional marketing strategy. Save it for times when a simple response is required.

The friendly approach to finance 

Generic content won’t improve relationships but specialised information that truly helps your clients will. You know better than anyone what your clients need to grow their businesses – and technology like BOMA can make it easier than ever to help them. BOMA connects with your digital channels and lets you create your content when it’s convenient for you. While face-time with clients is irreplaceable, there are other ways you can support them and, in doing so, strengthen your relationships: getting to know your clients, set-and-forget business reminders, sharing timely business advice and, of course, quality content.  

 

To get started on this list, sign up for a free trial with BOMA today.