What Accountants Need to Know about Email Marketing

Nothing excites a consumer more than a promotional email.

Okay, that’s a blatant lie. They are the digital equivalent of junk mail. But they are still effective, marketers still swear by them and, in this guide, we’ll show you why this often derided form of marketing is essential for accountants and how you can build an email marketing list.

Does Email Marketing Work for Accountants?

Whether you’re a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) building a personal brand or the head of a firm, email marketing is an effective way to promote your services to new clients and retarget existing ones.

• You don’t need to worry about paying per click or engagement.
• There are no printing or postage costs.
• It will increase brand awareness.
• You can reach targeted individuals.
• Newsletters help to build trust and keep your brand fresh in the client’s mind.

How to Promote Your Services Using Email Marketing

Put yourself in a client’s shoes for a moment.

Would you open an email with a bland subject line that was just trying to sell you something?

No, of course not.

By the same token, would you trust a firm/individual who spammed you with constant promotional messages, even if you have never purchased their services?

Almost certainly not.

When creating an email marketing campaign, these things should be fresh in your mind, and you must:

• Create catchy subject lines that encourage clients to open the emails.
• Keep your content brief and link to services and other helpful resources.
• Don’t try to sell in every email. Educate and inform to win their trust and sell only in occasional emails.
• Don’t spam them. Keep the emails brief and infrequent.

Finally, don’t make the fatal mistake that many inexperienced marketers make, which is to assume that the client always cares and will always read everything that’s written.

That’s simply not the case.

You need to make them care, and that means grabbing their attention, holding their interest, and expressing the most pertinent points early (before they lose interest).

6 Ways to Build an Email Marketing List as an Accountant

You know how to create effective emails, and that just leaves one question—how do you build newsletter lists in the first place?

1.      Add Existing Clients to Your List

When someone signs up for your services, invite them to join your list.

Tell them that they’ll receive important updates about your company, your services, and the industry on the whole.

Ask them to join, rather than adding them without their permission, but make it clear that joining will benefit them.

Sure, they’re already a customer, and in the professional services industry, they could remain a customer for years without your involvement. But there’s always something to sell and something to offer. You also want to keep their contact details in the event that they take their money elsewhere, and you need to win them back.

2.      Use Double Opt-In

Double opt-in methods mean clients have to follow a couple of verification steps before being added to your list.

Such requirements became a nuisance for email marketers when they were first introduced, as they greatly reduced total sign ups.

They can work in your favor, though. If someone goes to the trouble of opting in and then confirming their subscription, it means they have taken the time to join your list. This, in turn, means they actually want to be there.

The result is that most of the people on your list will be happy to read about your announcements and updates and will be more keen to purchase your services. You’re not simply shouting into the void and hoping someone relevant will hear you. You have a captive audience.

3.      Offer Discounts or Free Consultations

A consultation seems like a big step just to get a lead for your newsletter, but there’s more to it than that.

Set up an opt-in form so that people have to join your newsletter before they check your schedule and book a consultation. Keep those consultations brief, do them on your schedule and not the client’s, and offer your services at the end.

If they’re not interested, you will still have their contact details and can target them with discounts, seasonal offers, accounting packages, and more. If they accept, you now have a new client and a willing newsletter member.

4.      Give Them a Free eBook

Write a small eBook helping clients who work in your specific industry, such as information to help small businesses with tax issues or investing tips for entrepreneurs.

You’re the expert, so you can produce the sort of content they want to read. If you’re not much of a writer, don’t worry, as you can consult a ghostwriter first—check sites like Upwork to find writers in your price range—or simply hire an editor/rewriter to go over your first draft.

You can then offer the book as a freebie to anyone who joins your newsletter. If you don’t get much traffic to your website, create a landing page advertising a free book, include some helpful information and snippets, and add a few call-to-action links requesting their emails.

You can then use social media marketing or Google Ads to send relevant traffic to that landing page.

5.      Run Accountancy Webinars

If writing isn’t a good fit for your skills, conduct a webinar instead. You can announce it weeks in advance and get attendees in exchange for newsletter subscriptions, or just go live and instruct anyone who wants more information to join your newsletter.

It has never been easier to reach a targeted audience, but you have to be prepared to offer true value. No one wants to watch a video that tries to sell them something, but if you devote that time to providing helpful information and tips, they’ll trust you and will heed what you have to say.

6.      Use Blogs and Social Media Posts

Build authority and respect using blog posts and LinkedIn posts.

Again, the goal is not just to announce that you’re here to sell something but to offer helpful advice. If you can impress them, you won’t need to sell to them, as they’ll seek out your services themselves.

Remember to place a newsletter opt-in at the end of every post, letting them know that they will receive more information if they add their email address to the list.

Summary: Email Marketing for Accountants

The most difficult part of email marketing is building a list of relevant subscribers, but by offering your customers something intriguing, such as an eBook or webinar, they will gladly sign up.

Once you have their contact details and permissions, you can start creating useful informative content to win their trust, and then occasionally remind them of the services you provide.

Get these things right, and email marketing can be a very effective tool for acquiring new clients.