Where  Social  Media  and    Tradi0onal  Marke0ng  Intersect    

Modern  Marke0ng  for  CPAs  

By  Michelle  Golden  

Today.    

•  WHAT  •  What  is  this?  •  What  has  changed?  

•  WHY  •  Why  do  this  stuff?  •  Why  does  it  maDer?  

•  HOW  •  How  do  we  begin  prac0cal  applica0on?  •  How  do  we  manage  concerns?  

WHAT  ARE            SOCIAL  MEDIA?  

A  con(nually  changing  set  of  tools    and  their  users(!)  that  facilitate  informa(on  sharing  and  rela(onships.  Online.  

Image:  ironrodart  (flickr)  

Image:  thomaschung  (flickr)  

Effec0ve  online  presence  means:  

•  You’re  findable  •  Illustrates  your  uniqueness  &  character  •  Supports  your  claims  of  exper0se  

•  Demonstrates  you’re  a  thinker  &  up-­‐to-­‐date  

•  Conveys  you’re  accessible  •  From  stodgy  back  to  “grassroots”  marke0ng  

What’s  content  marke0ng?  

Image:  iang  (flickr)  

Social  Media    

1.  Engagement  

2.  Self-­‐publishing  

•  Can  just  engage  •  Can  just  publish  •  But  publishing  w/out  engaging  is  merely  passive  marke0ng  

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Pick  Your  Purpose  

1.  Business  development  •  Build/strengthen  business  rela0onships  •  Interact,  share  •  Credibility  •  Build  team,  recrui0ng  

2.  Customer  service/reputa0on  enhancement  •  Create  proac0ve  fan  base  •  Monitor  •  Make  problems  right  

3.  Just  to  learn  (passive,  but  OK  place  to  start)  

WHAT’S  CHANGED?  

Personal  >  Corporate  >  Personal  

1977   1999  

Purpose?  

Purpose?  

WHAT  HASN’T  CHANGED?  

Visibility  +  Credibility  =  KEY  

NOT  A  NEW  FORMULA,        THIS  IS  CLASSIC  MARKETING  

Current  Clients  

COIs  

New  Biz  

Credibility  

Skill/Svc  Dev  

Expecta(on  Management  Conversa(ons/Listening  Debriefs  (BARs/AARs)  Delega(on  Face  Time  Industry/Org  Par(cipa(on  Succession/Transi(on  Service  Grid  

Conversa(ons/Listening  Clarify  Messages  (educate)  Face  Time/Follow-­‐up  Reciprocity/Reward  (track)  Target  

Innova(on  (new  solu0ons/  products,  dev  processes,  improve  effec0veness)  

Con(nuing  Ed  (new,  advanced)  

Apply  Industry  Knowledge  (id  KPIs/sector,  studies,  surveys)  

Worthiness  of  Trust    (behavior,  impression,  respectable  ext/int)  

Competence    (write,  speak,  lead)  

Capability  Evidence    (case  studies,  tes0monials,  representa0ve  clients,)  

Involvement    (visible  in  core  markets)   ID/Study/Refine  

Conversa(ons/Listening  Face  Time/Follow-­‐up  Demonstrate  Relevance,  Credibility,  Trustworthiness  

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Personal  Marke0ng  Plans  

Current  Clients  

COIs  

New  Biz  

Credibility  

Skill/Svc  Dev  

Expecta(on  Management  Conversa(ons/Listening  Debriefs  (BARs/AARs)  Delega(on  Face  Time  Industry/Org  Par(cipa(on  Succession/Transi(on  Service  Grid  

Conversa(ons/Listening  Clarify  Messages  (educate)  Face  Time/Follow-­‐up  Reciprocity/Reward  (track)  Target  

Innova(on  (new  solu0ons/  products,  dev  processes,  improve  effec0veness)  

Con(nuing  Ed  (new,  advanced)  

Apply  Industry  Knowledge  (id  KPIs/sector,  studies,  surveys)  

Worthiness  of  Trust    (behavior,  impression,  respectable  ext/int)  

Competence    (write,  speak,  lead)  

Capability  Evidence    (case  studies,  tes0monials,  representa0ve  clients,)  

Involvement    (visible  in  core  markets)   ID/Study/Refine  

Conversa(ons/Listening  Face  Time/Follow-­‐up  Demonstrate  Relevance,  Credibility,  Trustworthiness  

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Personal  Marke0ng  Plans  

LEADS  

INVOLVEMENT  

Levels  of  Marke0ng  

Passive  

Present  

Engaged    

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WHY  DEAL  WITH                    SOCIAL  MEDIA?  

 WHY  DOES  IT  MATTER?    

Image:  fuzzyscalyman  (flickr)  

Integrated  marke0ng.  

Overlay.    New  Sales    Per  Month  

                             2003                  2004              2005                2006                2007                2008              2009    

Begin  SEO  

Teach  team  about  SM  

Launch  new  website  

Integrate  website  into    all  marke0ng  

Begin  Twee0ng  

Launch  Facebook  Page  

HOW  DO  YOU  IMPLEMENT?  

image:  niclindh  (flickr)  

Or  Alltop.  

Google  Reader.  

Get  Found.  

•  LinkedIn  profile  (solid)  •  Google  profile  (claim)  

•  Bio  on  your  website?  •  TwiDer?    •  Facebook?  

When  they  find  you,  what  do  people  see?  

©  2010  Golden  Prac0ces  Inc  

Image:  lydiaboote  (flickr)  

Why  posi0on  a  specialty?  

1.  Stand  apart    more  appealing  +  easier  to  find  +  compelling  to    buy  from  =  higher  close  rate    

2.  Develop  ‘GO-­‐TO’  status  step  to  front  of  line  for  quality  referrals  &  publicity  opportuni(es  

3.  People  pay  more  for  specialists  

4.  ADract  recruits  to  a  solid  clientele  5.  Create  a  more  valuable  prac0ce  

©  2010  Golden  Prac0ces  Inc   29

Build  YOUR  house  

File  Sharing  Sites  -­‐  Slideshare  Subscrip0ons:  goldenm  

File  Sharing  Sites:  YouTube  Subscrip0ons:  cpatrendlines  

Which  tool  for  what?  

hDp://www.slideshare.net/goldenm/comparing-­‐social-­‐media-­‐tools  

LI  for  research  &  mee0ng  prep.  

•  Search  prospects  &  referral  sources  •  Load  up  and  look  up!  •  Ask  mutual  contact  for  recommenda0on  or  introduc0on  

•  Spot  employees  with  #  contacts  (sign  helpful)  

•  Study  compe00on  •  Do  they  link  to  your  customers?  

•  Where  do  they  hang?  

•  Research  customers  

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Who’s  Cut  Out    for  Blogging?  

©  2011  Golden  Prac0ces  Inc   36  

hDp://www.slideshare.net/goldenm/anatomy-­‐blog  hDp://www.slideshare.net/goldenm/new-­‐blog-­‐process-­‐chart  

Blog  Fodder  

•  Outbound  emails  •  Search:  TwiDer,  YouTube,  Slideshare,  other  •  Skim  Feeds  (Google  Reader,  Stumble  Upon,  TwiDer  –  Flipboard)  

•  Feature  guests:  clients,  referral  sources,  prospects  (ScoD  H),  academics,  industry  gurus,  media  commentators  &  journalists,  other  bloggers  or  would-­‐be  bloggers  w/no  plavorm  yet  

Presen0ng  yourself.  

•  People  are  ALWAYS  beDer  than  logos  •  E.g.  TwiDer:  other  than  for  marke0ng  or  cust  svc  rep,  all  CPAs  s/tweet  under  their  own  name  

•  Humanize  yourselves  because  it’s  “grassroots”  

photo  

cpa  

Friends  &  followers.  

•  Peers,  colleagues  •  Industry  experts,  associa0on  reps  •  Local  and  na0onal  media  

•  Thought  leaders  •  Customers  

•  Strangers  who  ask  

Dos  and  Don’ts.  

•  Be  conversa0onal  &  friendly  •  Be  authen0c  &  truthful—even  fallible!  (creates  trust)  

•  Add  value,  don’t  just  make  noise  

•  Promote  (men0on,  praise)  others,  don’t  talk  much  about  you  or  your  firm  (spam)  

•  Remember  your  purpose—probably  connec0on  and  impression  

40  ©  2010  Golden  Prac0ces  Inc   40

Policy  components  

•  Liability disclaimers*

•  General communications/behavior*

•  Internet & email policies*

•  Specific social media tool policies

When  SM  works.  

•  Grassroots  marke0ng  builds  rela0onships  •  Expect  lead  results  only  when  engaged  •  Be  a  reliable,  credible  source  •  People  do  more  business  w/people    they  know,  like  &  trust  

•  Have  content  strategies  to  keep  it  alive!  

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michelle@goldenprac0ces.com  goldenprac0cesinc.com  goldenprac0ces.com  (blog)  @michellegolden  (twiDer)  

More  Info:  slideshare.net/goldenm