Your firm has made great strides adopting innovative technologies, promising
big improvements on efficiency, client service and profitability. But are you
positioning these advancements as a competitive advantage with your clients?
This session will discuss tools and strategies for marketing your firm as a Digital
CPA firm, and how to measure success and deliver a consistent message.
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Samantha Mansfield
Sr. Manager, Program
Development
• 14 years of experience in tax and
accounting technology industry
• Consultant on workflow and web
implementations
• Designed and built educational
events for practice development
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Agenda
What is a digital CPA?
Crafting the message
Tools to use
Measuring success
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It’s an evolution...
Transactional
Using technology to
support transaction
processing
Workflow
Build digital
workflow and
standardization in
processing
Digital CPA
The operating model
of the TRUSTED
BUSINESS ADVISOR
It’s not just about technology!
What is your strategy?
“Digital Trusted
Business Advisor”
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Technical Skill
•Risk Management
•Financial Analysis
•Awareness of
Emerging Technology
•Client on Boarding
•Designing
Automated
Workflow
•Legislation Standards
•Software Training
Skills
•Real-time
Collaboration
Business Skill
•Engagement
Management
•Building client
relationships
•Internal Process
Management
• Value pricing
• Mobile Access
• Staffing
• Communication
• Client Process and
Systems Analysis
•Project Management
•Marketing Services
•Virtual CFO/ Controller
Leadership Skill
•Managing a Virtual
Office
•Decision Making
•Establishing Firm
Brand
•Driving Performance
•Change
Management
•Vertical/Niche
Strategy
•Facilitation Skills
•Communicating
Vision
Knowledge
Areas:
Competencies:
Characteristics
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What is your “Why”?
1. “The Why” - Your vision
2. “The How” –
Characteristics and internal
processes
3. “The What” – Your
deliverable and serviceSource: Simon Sinek
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Who is this?
“To be Earth’s most customer-centric company, where
customers can find and discover anything they might
want to buy online, and endeavors to offer its
customers the lowest possible prices,”
10. What is your Why?
Why are you striving to be a digital CPA?
• Beyond profit
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Defining your Client Profile
Size of the businesses
Multi Currency
Business Model:
Franchises
Professional Services
Not-for-Profits
Government
Manufacturing
Attributes
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Elevator Statement
Should answer:
• Who you are and what you do
• WIFM (What’s in it for me?)
- Benefit listener will derive
- Problem you can solve
- Need you can fill
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“Maybe we need to accept the fact that the sharp
demarcation between work and home is a thing of the
past, and that the new normal is a life that integrates
home and work more seamlessly.”
- Ron Ashkenas
“Forget Work-Life Balance: It’s Time for Work-Life
Blend”
www.forbes.com
Work – Life Blend
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Why Professional Services Buyers Sought
Visible Experts
Source: Hinge – Finding Experts: Why & How Clients Seek Visible Experts
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Example Elevator Statement
Who you are and what you provide?
• CPA’s that serve as trusted business advisors to our clients.
Benefit?
• More timely and informed decision making knowledge
Problem?
• Don’t have the expertise on staff
Need?
• Access when and where I want it
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For Consistency
1. Communicate your Why
2. Clarify your target client
3. Articulate your value proposition
4. Formalize your elevator statement
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"I find that a great part of the information I have was
acquired by looking up something and finding
something else on the way.“
- Franklin P. Adams,
American columnist
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Source: Hinge – Finding Experts: Why & How Clients Seek Visible Experts
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Traditional
• Letters
• Phone Book
• Chamber of Commerce
• Ads
• Word of Mouth
• Email, Website
Digital CPA
• Website
• Shorter, focused emails
• Ads
• Social Media
- LinkedIn
- Twitter
- YouTube
- Blogging
- Facebook
- Pinterest
- Google+
- Instagram
- SlideShare
Evolution of Tools
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73% of online adults use social
networking site of some kind
42% use multiple social
networking sites
Highest engagement: Facebook
and Instagram
Older User adoption
Twitter 55-64 year age bracket
fastest growing demographic with
79% growth rate since 2012
Facebook 45-54 year age bracket
46%
Social Media Stats
Source: Last bullet Global Web Index Study and Pew Research Center
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YouTube channel
LinkedIn profile and groups
Facebook page
Twitter
Visual Social Media
Instagram
Pinterest
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Language and Channel
Use the jargon for your targeted clients
• Example
Share information not all marketing language
• Earns trust
• Demonstrates your expertise
Identify which channels your target clients will use
Don’t lose the personal touch
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Firm Policies
Social media policy
• A template available through PCPS
Schedule for…
• Timing of postings & delivery
• Content
• Keep it reasonable, but frequent
• Assign a business owner
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What we are Measuring
Followers
Repostings
Comments to blogs and posting
Listen to what others are saying about you
Website traffic
• This is not clients and prospects only source of information
about you, so website traffic is not the only measurement
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Measurement Tools
Klout (free)
• Shows influencers
• Monitor your Klout score as well
HootSuite (free and enterprise versions)
• Report and collaborate on campaigns through various social
media channels
• Helps identify your audience
Hear what others are saying:
• Backtweets.com (free)
• TweetDeck (free)
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To Do List
Finalize the “Why”- Vision
Designing your client profile
Review your marketing language
Pick your value phrases for what you are delivering
Select your channels to focus in on
Create a schedule for posting
Start delivering information
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AICPA Resources
Social Media Users Guide
• http://www.aicpa.org/Career/Marketing/Pages/SocialMediaMark
eting.aspx
PCPS Social Media Policy and Guidelines
37. Available Resources
“Roadmap to Profitability…” Workshops
Planning Summit in Maryland
Geoffrey Moore Whitepaper
Case Studies on Firms
Webinars
Client Onboarding Training
Technology Awareness
Webinars
Learn more at:
Ask the audience:
Who in the audience is responsible for the marketing in the firm?
How long have you been a Digital CPA?
What do you want to get out of this class (before I start the intro)
We just talked about the level of service, but are there specific characteristics for a Digital CPA that makes you have particular value to clients and staff? At CPA2Biz we broke it down into 3 knowledge areas. You will have specific technical skills, business skills and leadership skills. You may think that isn’t any different than what any successful practitioner has so what is specific to the Digital CPA here?
Click for competencies to appear: These will be areas you are strong in and be able to foster for your client in this digital world. (talk through some of them. Get the group discussing how it is different when focused on trusted advisor and being digital)
We just discussed the Golden Circle in reverse – started w/ what is it – the services you provide. Then went into How you are a Digital CPA w/ the characteristics and internal systems and processes you would have in place. That allowed us to make sure we are all thinking about the same concept and idea. But to work on an effective message to your clients the Why is what you want to focus your communications on.
Who heard Simon Sinek in the keynote. (ask them to discuss a bit).
Show the Sinek and Erik video to elaborate on “start w/ why”
After video this is the core of your messaging and why your client cares. What you do in your office and even the tools you offer don’t matter if it doesn’t match up to what they value and what they believe. This is what you want to make sure is well articulated and formulated before working on your marketing messaging.
Show this mission and ask who they think this is? Click to reveal Amazon. Click to underline what is basically their vision. Can you see how they drive to this? Simple and what drives them.
“Lets take a close look at a business vision.”
“I am sure that many of you have ordered or worked with Amazon.com and think about the experiences that you have had with Amazon. Does your experience support their vision”
There is so much you have heard while here and hopefully what we have started discussing here is getting you thinking. Take a moment to jot down your initial thoughts on your why and what you want to communicate w/ colleagues and clients about being a Digital CPA. This is giving you a jump start when you get back to the office instead of another item on the to do list.
We just started the crafting of the message by starting w/ why. Now we are going to dig deeper. To be effective it needs to be consistent, filled w/ value to the listener and effectively communicated through the right channels.
When crafting any message you have to start with keeping your audience in mind. We are not looking to promote your services to the mass market. Part of being that Trusted Advisor is a level of expertise you offer and that will be a for a specified client.
Go through each bullet one at a time.
Why is this important?
Consistency for your staff
Hone your knowledge and staff
Create that checklist and every firm member should know exactly the type of client that fits within the model
Standardized approach with clients
Now we know who we are addressing and your Why and Simon talked about the importance of that. That should be incorporated into introductory communications like an elevator statement.
The Digital CPA is about sharing knowledge not just data. Data does not always give the true picture if you don’t have the knowledge on how to extrapolate it. This is where the Trusted advisor plays a role. You are sharing insights, consulting w/ the client, using technology to convey the message…. (grab more words from the slide).
http://www.shutterstock.com/pic-161825882/stock-vector-a-word-cloud-of-knowledge-management-related-items.html?src=L2O-KzwBE2-npykQcnP-HQ-1-7
http://www.shutterstock.com/pic-133154003/stock-photo-work-and-life-balance.html?src=Te6bcE9rn66BF9jmclTVmA-1-9
http://www.shutterstock.com/pic-129096290/stock-photo-woman-using-tablet-outdoors-sit-in-a-bar-shallow-depth-of-field.html?src=4uglqVjfj0SN-2PeA0kEuQ-1-12
http://www.shutterstock.com/pic-70529326/stock-photo-simplify-word-in-vintage-wooden-letterpress-printing-blocks-stained-by-color-inks-isolated-on.html?src=77qkCm8mmptvkziwbBu8kw-1-13
http://www.shutterstock.com/pic-190076810/stock-vector-mobile-data-security-smart-phone-real-time-protection.html?src=82_VfVvPb2s7j9uIyrGNLg-1-2
Each of you will define your own value points, so we are covering some of the keys that will be applicable to all Digital CPA’s.
Top 500 firm mentioned they have seen clients respond and perk when “remote access” “realtime access”
http://www.forbes.com/sites/ronashkenas/2012/10/19/forget-work-life-balance-its-time-for-work-life-blend/
With mobile technology people are striving for Work – life blend. This way people have flexible schedules to work, but still get their work done. Being a Digital CPA you can help them accomplish this.
Americans working from home soared 41% in last decade.”
Source: “Work from Home 41% in 10 years” www.money.cnn.com
Cnn source: http://money.cnn.com/2012/10/04/news/economy/work-from-home/ - Availability of high speed internet and services like Skype making working virtually effective. Also, w/ the economy more people are starting at home businesses. State Gov. workers working at home jumped 133% in 10 years; private compaies grew 67% in same time period.
As for the Knowledge Management here is a survey of over 1000 buyers of Professional Services and the number 1 reason they looked for a visible expert was b/c they did not have an expert in house. With all the rapid changes in regulations and technology available and making the process better lends to this need. Hinge did the research specifically on the Visible Expert b/c they saw how important in was in Professional Service decision making in prior research. Hinge, the company that did this research, also found that Accounting and Finance services were the number one types of services purchased.
Hinge Research Institute
(The Hinge Research Institute is the part of Hinge that is dedicated to monitoring, analyzing and
reporting on high-growth professional services firms and their clients. We have identified firms that
grow 9X faster and are 50% more profitable, yet spend less than average to get new business.
Our goal at the Hinge Research Institute is to show you how they do it.
We publish revealing and informative studies on high-growth firms and the people that do
business with them. We invite you to check out our full library of research reports, books and other
publications here: www.hingemarketing.com/library)
Taking all of these items into account and your personal why what will your elevator statement be?
Let’s look at how we may answer these questions that a Digital CPA can offer.
(Give additional examples of benefits, problems, needs – ask the audience for input. Problem: fraud potential. Benefit: peace of mind)
Your website should answer this too. (show FusePhase)
Do we communicate these things internally or externally? We are going to do both! They will not be communicated the same way, but need to share the information w/ both.
Link to image: http://www.shutterstock.com/pic-46581946/stock-vector-chat-and-messaging-icons-set.html?src=GxhATGFWeJR1n5Z6blrTJw-1-5
You can’t have a disconnect from the value you are putting out there and the tools you are using to deliver that message. It will seem contradictory and prospects will have a tough time believing it or you will attract the clients that won’t be open to the digital processes that make up your How, as Simon Sinek would describe it.
Tools today are not just about getting in front of your audience, but having your audience find you. When it comes to Professional Services studies are showing that finding people w/ expertise is one of the key factors in their decision, and they way they find those experts has evolved. That is what we want to talk about w/ the tools.
And, How are you putting your voice and knowledge in the community where people can find you?
Discussion on traditional tools, some still applicable, but modified.
Online is becoming more and more important. How many times has this happened to you? Especially w/ mobile devices how much more do you look up information and the other things you learn along the way. You have a way to really share information w/ cleints.
Digital CPA’s offer a level of expertise. You can see here
Just as people expected you to be in the Phonebook that same expectation exists for a website and some social media channels
Slide Share: presentations on areas of expertise. Search engines pull up based on info through your slides. Can be shared. Get exposure.
-Older user :Global Web Index Study
-Everything else Pew Research
Matching the language, jargon and the channel will impact effectiveness.
Share information not all marketing: Hood shared about firm that Tweeted on being a Dental focus and was interviewed by Wall Street Journal from this and ended up on front page
A digital firm is now going to have a policies and parameters in place you wouldn’t have had before.
Assign a business owner: so it isn’t lost in all the due dates and is executed.
Reposting are ways of word of mouth recommendations.
How many are thinking of this for measuring marketing success?
Link to image: http://www.shutterstock.com/pic-72615079/stock-photo-high-resolution-black-chalkboard-image-with-search-engine-optimization-tags-illustration-about.html?src=GxhATGFWeJR1n5Z6blrTJw-1-17
A wiki (i/ˈwɪki/ WIK-ee) is a web application which allows people to add, modify, or delete content in collaboration with others. In a typical wiki, text is written using a simplified markup language or a rich-text editor.[1][2] While a wiki is a type of content management system, it differs from a blog or most other such systems in that the content is created without any defined owner or leader, and wikis have little implicit structure, allowing structure to emerge according to the needs of the users.[2]
Picking the right tools for measurement you need to 1st be clear on your objective w/ the marketing. (really cover this) For Professional Services research has indicated you want to convey expertise, build trust, get people recommending you and be an influencer – these things help build your brand as well.
Article w/ many tools: http://socialmediatoday.com/pamdyer/1458746/50-top-tools-social-media-monitoring-analytics-and-management-2013
Backtweets – search by URL and can see what people are saying about you.
TweetDeck (Free) | Very similar to HootSuite, only without all the bells and whistles, this client enables you to tweet and track mentions, people, and keywords.
The purpose of this class is making sure the value you provide as being a Digital CPA is conveyed with the marketing message, strategy and tools you use. In 75 min we can’t go through every option available, but hopefully this helped you establish your strategy by getting the message consistent, communicating it clearly to everyone, selecting the appropriate methods to reach your target audience. Then use tools to measure your effectiveness.
Communicate each item to staff!! Critical!!
Here is a checklist to keep the ball rolling.
Here are some resources to give you more information.
Digital CPA hashtag and all account manager Twitter handles, cpa2biz handle