If you’re good at your job, new clients will come naturally. But with millions of potential clients out there, if you’re relying on word-of-mouth alone, you’ll hit a ceiling. At that point, you’ll need to start taking advantage of all the marketing opportunities available to you. It’s the law of attraction – the more energy you put into your marketing, the more clients will come. Here are our top five ways to expand your loyal following in the digital age:

1. Client praise goes a loooong way

Did you know referrals have lifetime values twice as high as a non-referral client? Word of mouth will always be a huge win for your firm. Not only do good clients attract good clients, but you go into each new relationship with a pre-established level of trust. To make this train go faster, why not make it easy for clients to refer your service? Whenever you send them an email, add a referral request above your signature. A tool like BOMA will make it easy to be consistent. By customising BOMA’s valuable content, you can send subtle requests to your community each week, incentivising them with a discounted session or gift if they follow through. 

2. Create a website as good as you are

Your website has the power to make or break your credibility with new customers. No matter how good your referral system, 70-80% of people will do their research before they call. So it pays to check – is your website showcasing you effectively? Can you optimise to impress potential clients, have them stick around for a while and ultimately find your contact details and call you? Here’s a good checklist to make sure your website is working as hard as you are:

• Updated webpages. Make sure your contact information is up to date, the layout is intuitive and the content is relevant.  

• Professional photography. There’s nothing more off-putting than seeing blurry or stock photography on a company webpage. Invest in some quality photos – it’s an important way to give the impression that you run a professional shop.

• Compelling copy. It’s not just about having content – people engage more with your information if it’s well-written and speaks directly to their pain points. 

• Testimonials. People will trust your clients much more than they trust a hard sell. Get in the habit of asking your clients for feedback so you can add their testimonials to your website. 

• Client logos. Show off the companies you work with to boost your street cred. If potential clients see a brand they know, they’ll feel more inclined to trust you.  

• Use calls-to-action. Every page should have a great call-to-action, encouraging the audience to get in touch. “Subscribe to our newsletter for insider accounting tips” and “Call now for a free consultation” will work wonders. 

3. Unlock a new level of reach with socials 

Social media will expand your reach while revealing new analytics to help grow your business. Before you choose between Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn and TikTok, you’ll first need to do a deep dive into your audience. Get to know your target clients, what they like, which socials they use and their main problems. Then you’ll know how to create content that engages them. Here’s a great to-do list when planning your social media strategy. 

Identify your audience. Build a persona based on your real clients. 

Decide on the content. What will your target audience find interesting and useful?

Create a schedule. Social media work best when you’re consistent. Planning a content calendar helps you do that.  

Automate posts. Set and forget using in-built scheduling or third-party software. 

Analyse the data. Look at the performance of each post to learn more about your audience.

4. Use email campaigns to align with your target audience

There’s something to be said for good old-fashioned email, especially when it comes to professional services like accounting. Email remains the favourite form of communication used by businesses, making it a great platform to engage with prospective clients. Fortunately, BOMA makes it easy to implement an email strategy that firmly establishes you as the expert. With a massive library of relevant, up-to-date industry content, you can add your unique tone of voice without having to write content from scratch. 

5. Make helpful video content and gain a following

Establishing a reputation as an expert on accounting problems will work to your advantage. Of any online marketing channel, video wins in effectiveness and reach. For example, 92% of videos watched on a mobile are shared with other users, and clients are 181% more likely to call if they’ve first watched a video explaining your services. With all the great tech out there, even absolute beginners can create professional videos that are valuable sources of information for the audience. All you have to do is speak to a common accounting problem and how to solve it the right way. The audience will appreciate your generosity with your expertise and will likely share with friends when they need similar help. Read more about the power of video content and how to create and use it, here.   

Get out of your comfort zone

If you want to attract more clients to your firm, you’ll have to do things you’ve never done. From video content to emails, building a loyal digital following is the most effective way to reach a wider audience. If you’re open to prioritising it, you’ll have a great advantage over your competitors. But remember, remaining top of mind is a never-ending process. Want to get started? Try BOMA for free today.