Seizing Opportunity Like a Rapping Founding Father

When hip hop music first became popular, very few people would have thought that the music could be a great way to tell the story of America’s Founding Fathers. Yet, the wildly popular Broadway musical “Hamilton,” which won 11 Tony Awards, merges the historical narrative of the nation's first Secretary of the Treasury with hip hop music and lyrics, and proves that it’s possible to successfully create something fresh by offering a new take on a familiar subject.

Alexander Hamilton, the man whose life inspired the musical, started his career as an accounting clerk in the West Indies, then went to colonial America, where he would eventually lay the groundwork for the United States financial system. The musical came to life because Lin-Manuel Miranda, its creator and the man who originated the role of Hamilton, saw an opportunity and seized it by utilizing his musical talents to tell a 240-year-old story and delight unsuspecting audiences.

What does that have to do with CPAs? A lot, actually. Every day, CPAs use their knowledge and talents to meet a wide spectrum of client needs, often in ways that weren’t initially envisioned 50 or 20 or even five years ago. If you’d like to set the stage for new options in your career or practice, here are several opportunities that mesh well with CPAs’ core competencies and experience.   

6 Planning Ideas for CPAs Who Have Aging Clients

You might have noticed the “graying” of your clients and thought “how can I, as a CPA and trusted adviser, provide services that meet their changing needs? What are the practice considerations surrounding those services?”

Recently, we served on a panel at the AICPA Conference on Tax Strategies for the High-Income Individual that focused specifically on these issues. Consider some of the following ideas gleaned from the session and how you may be able to incorporate them into your practice:

1. Services: Cognitive challenges often affect executive functioning, such as the ability to handle day-to-day finances. Services you might offer include automating finances such as bill paying, monitoring investments, and reviewing banking records to identify elder financial abuse. With clients more commonly living into their 90s and beyond, budgeting and the recurring financial responsibilities of an individual or family take on a very different nature.

CPA Brand Research: The Good, the Challenge and the Opportunity

When most people think about a strong brand, Disney or Apple come to mind.  But when we at the AICPA think of a strong brand, we think of the CPA.  And we are pleased again to report that independent research confirms that CPA stands stronger than ever.

We are always pleased to hear from business decision-makers and investors that CPAs remain the most highly regarded and trusted business professionals, and we look forward to sharing that news with you.

The 2015 independent research commissioned by the AICPA again reveals a long list of affirming statistics about the value that the CPA brings to clients and the value the CPA credential offers the profession. The study also provides insight into global forces at play that both challenge the profession and point to areas of opportunity.

First, the good news: CPAs continue to inspire confidence across our key constituencies. Results of our focus groups, in-depth interviews and four nationally distributed online surveys, conducted by Applied Research & Consulting, show:

Appearances are Not Deceiving: Powering CPAs as Premier Tax Service Providers

The way to gain a good reputation is to endeavor to be what you desire to appear.

--Socrates

When I started college at the University of Maryland, I went in as a pre-med major, intending to be a pediatrician.  I wanted something meaningful, and I wanted to make a living, but all the sciences did me in. Luckily for me, my sister had just married a CPA and I spoke to him about becoming an accounting major. The rest is history. I thought, “Maybe it’s not the most glamorous job in the world,” but I had a very positive impression of CPAs and my brother-in-law reinforced that positive impression when I spoke to him.

Fast forward to my role at the AICPA, where a key mission is to position CPAs as the premier providers of tax services. This is not just about appearances – it’s about realities. It is why the AICPA Tax Section is the home for CPA tax professionals seeking the edge they need to achieve success – premier status, if you will – through the tax practice resources and the ethical guidance we provide. We believe “premier’ is defined by the high quality services and uncommon ethical conduct CPAs provide; and the AICPA has to do its part in helping CPAs achieve the reality.

But the appearances part is important too. It’s critical. I know that CPAs are the premier tax service providers, but I want the rest of the world to know it too. And so for a number of years, the AICPA has supported a public-facing communications campaign to position CPAs as the premier service provider. Two years ago, that campaign morphed into a social media push to engage consumers to tell their #CPAPOWERED life moment stories of financial success or goals met thanks to their CPA. Last year, the #CPAPOWERED campaign focused on establishing CPAs as essential to small business success and a strong economy. The campaign helped business owners and entrepreneurs understand how much the advice of a CPA can help them start, grow and thrive.

Part of that campaign showcased CPA expertise and tips through the “CPA Secrets to a Better Business” video series. This year, the push when the consuming public has taxes on its mind began on March 4 and will run during busy season. We will again be using the Tax Tip video series on YouTube and Facebook.

What Do Super Bowl Commercials and CPA Marketing Have in Common?

I don’t know about you, but my favorite part of the Super Bowl isn’t the first kickoff or the half-time show, it’s the commercials. They are known as being some of the best, and definitely the most expensive, in the industry. In fact, thirty second spots for Super Bowl 50 have sold for as much as $5 million apiece. Companies spend months developing commercials that will capture the audience’s attention during the game and be remembered long after the last touchdown. Brand recognition is key. However, what good is it if the viewer has a good laugh but can’t remember the product being promoted? This year’s ads are rumored to feature the likes of Christopher Walken, Alec Baldwin and Amy Schumer. Given that the Super Bowl is the most watched television event each year, it is no wonder that companies like Amazon, Budweiser and Doritos return with commercials time and time again.

The Super Bowl advertising phenomenon got me thinking about CPA marketing. Although CPA firms do not often have $5 million to spend on a thirty second commercial, there are several techniques firms can implement to raise awareness of the services they provide. In order to learn more about CPA marketing efforts, I spoke with two experts: Kari Schott from Inovautus Consulting and Brian Swanson from FlashPoint Marketing. Below are some tips on how to enhance your firm’s branding and marketing.

Personalized messaging is key. Some of the best Super Bowl commercials leave the viewer feeling as if they are being spoken to directly. Research has found that communicating 1:1 is more effective than communicating 1 to many. For CPAs, this might mean creating ads that speak to a specific audience, such as those placed in an industry association publication, and having personalized messages designed exclusively for that audience.

5 Forward-thinking Client Solutions for CPAs

As with any service-oriented profession, it is considered a best practice for accountants to stay in touch with clients and provide solutions to their most pressing problems. CPAs can do this in a number of forward-thinking ways, even when their assistance doesn’t necessarily fall within the realm of services the firm provides.

For example, last summer, my firm, Gelman, Rosenberg & Freedman staged a learning and networking event in partnership with the president of a not-for-profit industry group that was driving significant change within not-for-profit business operations. The area of change did not have anything to do with the audit or accounting services our professionals provide to hundreds of nonprofits annually. Rather, the purpose was to help not-for-profits face an emerging industry issue--one for which we had the right connections to allow for an informative and helpful session.

Not surprisingly, more than twice the usual number of clients and friends attended the event, including several from prominent not-for-profits we had never met before. Our audit and accounting events always bring a respectable number of participants, but this event delivered more because our approach meant caring less about whether the topic was a fit for our firm and more about whether it simply provided helpful information about a pressing industry need.

An (Instagram) Picture is Worth a Thousand Words: Tips for CPAs

In the world of social media, new applications come and go every day. With all the different sites and apps out there, it can be hard to figure out which ones to use and how to use them. Instagram has taken the social world by storm and created a footprint that rivals big names like Facebook and Twitter.

When Instagram launched in 2010, it was unclear how successful it was going to be. In December of 2014, Instagram announced that its worldwide user base passed 300 million accounts, putting it ahead of Twitter and proving that it isn’t going anywhere anytime soon. It’s especially popular with Millennials, with 53% of people aged 18 – 29 using it every day.

5 Key Social Media Trends for CPAs in 2015

This year’s social media trends forecasts are buzzing over innovations such as the integration of ecommerce with Facebook and Twitter, wearable technology and sophisticated analytics that report return on investment. While it will be interesting to see the development in these areas, there are additional trends that can significantly impact your firm’s success on social media. Here are five trends to consider as you go about implementing your firm’s social media strategy for 2015.

The New Realities of Referral Marketing for CPAs

CPAs and other financial services firms largely rely on referrals to grow their client base and stay in business. This business model has worked for a countless number of years. However, the way clients make decisions has changed, which affects your rate of referral. Under the new model, a referral is only the first step. Used the right way, technologies like websites, email and social media can energize your current client base to make referrals and increase the conversion rate of referral prospects.

There is no longer one linear funnel for client referrals, but rather a series of influencing points that lead to channels where the prospect is most comfortable making contact. Today, a referred prospect is likely to make initial contact in a number of ways:

• Through your website. They will visit your website to understand why your firm is different and whether your value proposition aligns with the prospect’s expectations.
• Social media. A prospect will turn to social media to get a sense of your firm’s focus and culture. They may also turn to review websites that allow users to leave feedback, such as Yelp.
• Email newsletter. Prospects might sign up for your e-newsletter to get a preview of what it is like to be your client.

10 Ways to Personalize Your CPA Firm’s Marketing Efforts

Personalized marketing is at work all around us. We see it every day, from personalized key chains and other souvenirs sold at tourist destinations to featured recommendations on Amazon.com, companies are tailoring products to make them more targeted and personalized.

This summer Coca-Cola launched its “Share a Coke” marketing campaign aimed at teens and Millennials. In an effort to personally connect with consumers, Coca-Cola replaced its iconic script logo with 250 of the most popular names of young people. Personalized labels could be found on 20 oz. bottles of Coke, Diet Coke and Coke Zero all summer long. Coca-Cola also encouraged customers to share their experiences on social media and many Coke enthusiasts responded by posting pictures with soda bottles bearing their names. In fact, during the first half of the campaign consumers shared more than 125,000 posts via social media networks. The Wall Street Journal reported that Coca-Cola soda sales in the U.S. increased by more than two percent following the launch of the campaign.

Why was the Share a Coke campaign so successful? Studies show that people prefer receiving customized messages rather than generic ones. Individualized communication signals that the consumer is unique and important. Like Coca-Cola, CPAs can take steps to personalize their marketing efforts.

5 Steps to Creating a Social Media Strategy

October is here - the leaves are changing color, there’s a chill in the air and we’re drawing close to the end of another year. At your CPA firm, you’re likely getting ready for performance reviews, preparing for busy season and working on strategic planning for 2015 and beyond. As you put together your marketing plan, be sure to spend some time formulating a social media strategy. This will help determine how often you blog, what social channels you use and whether you invest in social media advertising – all of which will impact how you allocate resources for the coming year. Creating a social media strategy doesn’t have to be a long and arduous process. You can get started by asking these five questions:

Top 5 Website Best Practices for More Leads

According to Google, 81 percent of searches for products and services now happen online. By the end of 2015, the majority of web searches will be via a mobile device. Your CPA firm’s website needs to be easily found in search results to ensure you are able to capitalize on this game-changing trend.

Refreshing your marketing to maintain its effectiveness despite the change in how potential clients find your services is not as difficult as you might think. The right approach is to focus on the areas that offer the biggest return and commit to an ongoing improvement program. Your core digital asset is your website. It will deliver the first impression to cold prospects and can reinforce referred prospects’ positive view of your firm. The goal in both cases is to give the visiting prospect a reason to take the next step and contact your firm—lead conversion.

Here are five steps you can take to increase the number of lead conversions from web visitors:

7 Keys to a Successful Blog

We’re halfway through the year and while there are many areas you can focus on to further develop your CPA practice, now is a great time to think about how you’re marketing your firm. It’s natural to think that effective marketing requires a commitment of extensive resources, but that isn’t necessarily true. A corporate blog is a marketing vehicle that can be managed by your existing staff.

A blog offers many opportunities: it allows you to demonstrate the expertise of you and your staff; it lets you showcase your values as a firm and convey your firm’s personality so you can attract the “right” clients; it allows you to answer frequently- asked questions and introduce potential clients to your staff. Another big advantage of blogging is that it can help your firm rank higher in search engine results.

A Tale of Two Cities: The Power of Hashtags

Last month, two big events happened in my professional world: DigitalNow, a conference for association professionals, in Nashville and AICPA governing Council’s spring 2014 meeting in Scottsdale, Ariz.  I wanted to actively participate in both events, but how could I be in two places at the same time? Introducing…the hashtag.

What is a hashtag?

A hashtag is an online search term, most widely used on Twitter, which allows users to follow activity around certain topics. 

Live Coverage: AICPA Practitioners Symposium #PSTECH

The 2014 AICPA Practitioners Symposium and Tech+ Conference runs June 9 to 11 in Las Vegas and is the premier conference for CPAs. If you were unable to attend or just want to see what else is happening at the conference, you can explore the social media feeds below or follow the hashtag #PSTECH on Twitter. (Email subscribers can view the live stream on our website.)

 

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Your Professional Image - What 10 Minutes on LinkedIn can Do

I review LinkedIn profiles almost every day. By now, I have seen at least 2,000, and I just cringe when I see things that could or will hinder someone’s professional image.  I am not in a position to advise people individually, so this blog is the next best thing.

Keep in mind that LinkedIn goes beyond looking good for recruiters.  Even if you are not interested in a new job, your online image still needs attention. If anyone Googles you - a potential client or employer, your company’s VP, a former supervisor, a reporter or even a prospective date - your LinkedIn profile could easily be the first thing that shows up. You want your best foot forward all the time.

AICPA 2014 Spring Governing Council #AICPAGC14

The AICPA governing Council’s spring 2014 meeting is taking place this week, May 18 to 20. Focused on the profession’s future, the governing Council will discuss topics such as future learning opportunities and continued audit quality. AICPA leaders from each of the 50 states and U.S. territories are attending the meeting. You can follow along with Council action with the hashtag #AICPAGC14 or view the stream below. (Email subscribers can view the stream on our website.)

Protecting Your Good Name Online

It is probably understood, but here it is anyway: You should not post photos of yourself doing questionable activities to social media. This is just common sense when it comes to managing your online reputation, right? Yet, you would be surprised how many people forget their professional etiquette when posting. Sure, it is fun to share your weekend escapades with all your friends, but do not ignore the business aspects of your online presence as well.

Thanks to the Internet, you most likely developed an online reputation without even knowing it. Now it’s up to you to protect your good name—or do a little damage control. As Warren Buffett once said, “It takes 20 years to build a reputation and five minutes to ruin it.”

Social Media Fear? To Quote the Eagles: “Get Over It”

(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

I saw the Eagles play the PNC Arena in Raleigh a few weeks ago. You know… Hotel California. Desperado. Witchy Woman.

It was a rocking show from a band—and a brand—that has been going at it for more than 40 years. I’m a huge fan and I wanted all my friends to know I was there.

Which is why I was pretty disappointed to see signs at the security gate, banning phones, texting, photos and videos inside the arena. I thought it was a joke, but… no. The Eagles were dead serious and the arena staff was fully empowered to enforce the rules. Several times, I saw ushers scolding concertgoers, keeping them from posting selfies from this historic event.

Come on, guys! Take it easy!

Second Screen Gold: #Sochi2014

Social media has the power to connect people across the globe who are interested in a common topic. Over the past few weeks, millions of users flocked to social media to share insights about the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi. 

As with other high-profile televised events, using social media gave viewers the opportunity to create a very interesting ‘second screen’ experience during the Olympic Games.  According to Mashable, the term ‘second screen’ refers to “…the use of an additional monitor (e.g. tablet, smartphone) while watching television. It allows the audience to interact with what they’re consuming whether it’s a TV show, video game or movie.”

Avoid These Holiday Social Media Scams

According to USA Today, the holiday season is a big time for online scams, and this year the focus will be on phones and social media. While most of us can spot spam in our email inbox, social networking scams are becoming more common and aren’t quite as easy to detect. Research shows one in 10 users have fallen for a social media scam. And to be honest with you, I am one of those who have been duped. It seemed so simple: share an image on Instagram, add a hashtag and BAM…free Ray Bans. Needless to say, I never received the sunglasses.  Luckily, I quickly came to my senses and changed my password.

It’s easy to get caught up in a bogus offer, but remember if it seems too easy to be true…it likely is!

We Give Thanks for These Apps, Blogs and Social Media Tools

It’s the season of thankfulness. And adding to the list of family, health and happiness, I’d like to share some of the blogs, apps and social media channels that we really appreciate.  Friends and coworkers helped me compile a list of technology tips and tricks that make work and life a little easier.

Mobile Apps

Dan Nestle, senior communications manager at the AICPA, likes "Flipboard and Zite for news gathering."

Chris Ekimoff, CPA, CFE has two favorites: a travel app, TripIt, and, "of course, Thanksgiving wouldn’t be Thanksgiving without ESPN’s Fantasy Football app."

How CPAs Can Leverage Social Media

Today I am live blogging from the 2013 Digital CPA Conference and the social media session, "How the Digital CPA Leverages Social Media," with Tom Hood, CPA, CITP, Executive Director & CEO, MACPA. Tom shares his experiences as one of the top social media leaders in the CPA profession since he started with his blog in 2006. He updates us with real stories of CPAs and adds the latest research on social media. He also highlights more resources to get you started, including e-learning, and on-site training available from the Business Learning Institute. (Email subscribers can see the live blog on our website.)

Help! I Have a Bad Review on Yelp

This week I had the pleasure of discussing social media with CPAs at a CPAConnect meeting in Nashville, TN. At the end of our session, a gentleman approached me with a very interesting question: “What do you do when you get a negative review on Yelp?”

Yelp is a website with local search, social networking and discounted deal content. The site includes business listings, directory information, and user generated reviews. Yelp is increasingly popular for people seeking services, including CPAs. Not sure if anyone has reviewed you or your firm? Do a simple search on the site to find out.

EXTRA! EXTRA! Meet the Brains Behind @AICPANews

Twitter has increasingly become the go-to place for industry news. Recently I sat down with James Schiavone, AICPA media relations manager and the brains behind the @AICPANews Twitter account, to discuss what he has learned from managing this thriving social media channel.

Q) The @AICPANews account was stated in March of 2009. More than 3,500 tweets and 17,000 followers later, what have you learned?

SlideShare: An Introduction for CPAs

SlideShare is a slide deck hosting service that is gaining a lot of ground (and traffic) in the Web 2.0 space. Sometimes referred to as “the YouTube for slideshows,” SlideShare is a valuable source of information on just about everything.

Using SlideShare to find something.

If you are a visual person like I am, you may learn information much easier when it is presented in the format of simple slides with images than you would by reading an article or whitepaper. From XBRL to using social media for business, SlideShare has a vast array of content valuable to CPAs.

How do you find the content? Simply go to SlideShare and enter your search term.

You can also follow users or presenters to see any content he or she uploads regardless of topic.

Social Media: Time Sink or Productivity Booster?

During a recent live chat about social media on the AICPA Facebook page, we asked participants, “Do you think social media is a time sink?” 50 percent said, “No,” and the other 50 weren’t so sure.

In the News: Tax Breaks on Home Sales

Just yesterday, The National Association of Realtors announced that its Pending Home Sales Index, based on contracts signed last month, increased 6.7 percent to 112.3, the highest level since December 2006.

With many people considering placing their home on the market, a timely Wall Street Journal article examined the taxes and tax breaks available when selling a home. According to Melissa Labant, director of taxation at the AICPA, these rules can be complicated and people often misunderstand or don’t take full advantage of the benefits available.

7 Tips to Help Others Find Your Videos on YouTube

There are tens of thousands of hours of video being uploaded into YouTube every day. Don’t let the hard work you put into producing a video for your firm or practice get lost in cyberspace.  Implement a few basic optimizations to make it easier for users to find your videos as they browse and search.

1. Use keywords in your filename
Rename your video’s filename to match the topic of the video. For instance, if your video is about small business accounting, rename your video file from “video.mp4” to “small-business-accounting.mp4.”

Create and Manage a Thriving Social Media Presence

Meet the brains behind the Journal of Accountancy social media program

It’s been a milestone month for the Journal of Accountancy on social media! Not only did the Journal of Accountancy Twitter account (@AICPA_JofA) add its 20,000th follower and 8,000th tweet, their Facebook page reached 16,000 likes and social media has driven 110,000 visits to their website. Wow! That’s what I call ‘thriving.’

Today I feel like Toto in the Wizard of Oz; I’m pulling back the curtain to reveal the brains behind the Journal of Accountancy social media program. Only it’s not a man with a funny mustache running the show….

Meet Megan Pinkston, senior editor and social media extraordinaire. She’s sitting down with us to share her secrets to success.

An Introduction to Pinterest

Pinterest, how do I love thee? Let me count the ways.

Have you had a chance to try out Pinterest yet? You should! If you are a visual person, this image-driven platform may really hit home for you like it does for me.

 

What is Pinterest?

Pinterest is a fast-growing niche social networking site that has generated a lot of buzz and media coverage. With over 15 million users, Pinterest is the fifth most visited social media site in the US, and generates more referral traffic to other websites than Google+, YouTube and LinkedIn combined.

What I Learned from 10,000 Tweets

Earlier this month CPA Letter Daily’s Twitter account (@CPALetter_Daily) reached the milestone of 10,000 tweets. And with more than 15,000 followers, we’re one of the most popular AICPA Twitter accounts. Despite these milestones, I don’t know the secrets of Twitter any more than you do, but there are a few things I learned along the way to 10,000 that may help you with your Twitter opportunities. Here are seven easy-to-follow tips:

Social Media Time-Savers for Busy Season

The work is piling up and you may be thinking, “There is NO time for this social media stuff, right?!” Wrong. There are a few simple ways to streamline the process and keep your social accounts active when busy season really gets ramped up.

Copycat: Let social do the work for you

Sure, it can take some time to scour the internet for useful information, articles and links to share with your social networks. How about letting your social networks do the heavy lifting for you? Follow and connect with your favorite thought leaders, associations and publications, and then share what they are sharing. This allows you to be a curator, passing along interesting and valuable information from the sources you trust. Check out these AICPA social properties and see if any of the content would be useful or interesting for your network.

 

Use Social Media, Don’t Let It Use You

The AICPA’s Forensic and Valuation Service Conference, held Nov. 11 through 13, involved several sessions that were taught the “un-conference way.” These sessions were unconventional in their approach and involved peer-to-peer interactive learning. One un-conference session I attended was Tom Hood’s “Getting an ROI from Social Media via ROA (Return on Attention).” Tom is the CEO of the Maryland Association of CPAs and is considered a top thought leader in accounting.

From the moment we entered the room, we were thrown headfirst into the world of social media, as Tom encouraged us to sign into the gosoapbox event. Tom kicked off the session with a survey of attendees’ social media habits. In our group, 11% did not use social media at all and 71% viewed social media as a time sink, a valid concern for professionals who already have very demanding schedules. 

Twitter Delivers the Full Picture of a CPA Conference

Perhaps I sound like a broken record...

But believe me, if you attend conferences and aren't on Twitter, you are missing out. Case in point: the Digital CPA Conference last week. I got to the hotel in Washington D.C. (ahem...I mean Maryland. Right, Tom Hood?), logged in to my computer and discovered Twitter was already all aflutter with #DigitalCPA activity. If you know me, you know this made me very happy!

Follow a conference hashtag for the inside scoop.

By following and participating on a conference hashtag, you get to see the full picture of what's happening. People are sharing their favorite quotes, new ideas, what they are learning and my favorite... pictures.

3 Ways to Improve Your CPA Firm’s Website

CPAs excel at providing exceptional service once our clients are in the door – but actually getting them in the door is another story.

With the advent of social media and the ever-important search engine rankings, CPAs may find the world of marketing more challenging.

Your company website is your #1 marketing tool.

Think about it – when you need something, what do you do?

You Google it (or at least most people do).

If you click on a website in the search listings and you don’t like what you see or are confused – you bounce. You leave the site, which is what many of your potential customers are doing if your site isn’t up to par.

Let’s say that a potential client lands on your website.

What do they see? Do they know what to “do” once they land?

CPAs: Broadcast Yourself with YouTube

Picture this: It was April of 2012 and my baby boy was due to arrive any day. The nursery was ready. My bag was packed. There was only one thing left to take care of: the car seat. I had heard horror stories of how hard they are to install, so I had been procrastinating. Time was running out, so I opened the box and unfurled the instructions... I stared blankly at a piece of paper that had been folded one billion times, with directions printed in every language known to man. Since I am a well-grounded professional adult, I will not admit here to tears, but let’s just say I was overwhelmed. You see, I just wanted someone to show me how to do it. And those stick figure illustrations with confusing arrows just weren’t cutting it.

Enter YouTube.

With one simple search of the make and model of my car seat, I had dozens of friendly faces showing me exactly what to do. There, not so hard after all.

Wrap Up of AICPA Fall 2012 Governing Council Meeting - Day 1

The first day of the fall meeting of the AICPA governing Council kicked off on Sunday. Follow the "read more" link for a look at the day through the eyes of social media. (If you're viewing this post through our email subscription, depending on your email client, you may need to click through to read the story.)

How to Leverage Google Places for Your CPA Firm

Last time I talked about how to use local search to get your CPA firm better prominence in search engine result pages. I want to take a deeper dive into one of the more useful local search engine optimization tactics: Google Places.

Since Google is the leader in search engine usage (66.4% market share), its best to start your local SEO and marketing tactics with Google Places. Your listing in Google Places will not only provide a quick spot for your potential clients to find you online, but will directly affect your search engine result page ranking and how your firm’s listing appears. So let’s walk through the process to setup a Google Places page for your CPA firm.

Optimizing Your CPA Firm for Local Search

More than 167 million people will shop online this year. Social commerce sales are expected to total $9.2 billion by the end of this year and could climb to $14.25 billion in 2013 and $30 billion in 2015. Consumers are not just shopping for the latest gadget; they’re buying everything from groceries to professional services, including those offered by your CPA firm.

4 Social Media Etiquette Tips for CPAs

If you have had your business for any length of time, you know the importance of using the Internet for promotion. Even if you work for a financial firm, you may be called upon to participate in the online promotion of initiatives for the corporation. One of the easiest ways to do this is by using social media sites like Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. These sites offer ways to widen your customer base, network with other professionals and communicate easily on forums that people already use on a wide scale anyway.

Many people have separate social media accounts for personal and professional use, and making the distinction between the two is key to establishing a professional online reputation. Understanding the rules that apply to personal and professional realms is vital to making the most of social media outlets in both respects.

Here are a few suggestions on etiquette when it comes to social media ventures.

Beyond the EDGE: Twitter Enhances CPA Conference Experience

Last week, I attended the AICPA E.D.G.E. conference in Orlando, Fla., and was excited to see some conference attendees all-a-flutter over Twitter. In fact, several speakers and attendees were chatting and getting to know each other on Twitter before the conference even started.

When I arrived in the exhibit hall, the first person I met, one of the conference speakers, said, “Hey. I recognize you from Twitter. It’s so nice to meet you in person.”  Next, I met an exhibitor who said the same thing; he had immediately recognized me from my profile picture. Since I had already had interactions with both of them online, we had an immediate rapport when meeting offline. Strengthening online relationships by connecting in person is just one of many ways using Twitter can enhance a conference experience.

4 Simple Ways to Boost Your Online Presence

It’s important for any CPA firm to have a strong presence online. According to Local Search Usage Study: Bridging the Caps, From Search to Sales, 70% of consumers go online first for local business information. Are potential clients finding your firm? Not only do you want to be easy to find in cyberspace, but you also want to present yourself as an expert and trusted financial advisor. A simple website is a start, but is not enough to give you an edge in today’s competitive environment. In order to find new clients, and keep the ones you already have, focus your efforts on ways to boost your online presence. I have found that even small efforts go a long way toward a more prolific online presence.

Here are four steps to raise your online credibility and widen your client base in the process.

Going on Vacation? Your Social Media Activity Doesn’t Have To

Keep your social media channels afloat; schedule content while you are away from the office.

You’ve set your out-of-office message, changed your voicemail greeting and, in your mind, you may already be on the beach listening to waves crash against the sand. Back to reality…there’s one more thing to take care of before you go!

Continuing your activity will help you stay engaged with those fans and followers while you are away.

Some Garlic Sauce for Your LinkedIn

Lima beans, broccoli, and mushrooms are among Americans’ most hated foods according to a recent survey.  I’m right there with them.  But I have found that mushrooms and broccoli are not so bad when smothered in garlic sauce or maybe topped with crabmeat. 

What does any of this have to do with social media? Many people think of social media as something they know they should do, like eating broccoli or Brussels sprouts, but it’s still difficult to swallow.  Perhaps you started a profile and joined a couple of groups at some point but you haven’t been active in months. Or years.  

Just like eating vegetables is a must to stay healthy, an online presence is a must for a healthy career, especially if you are considering changing jobs or want to expand your professional or client base.  “If you’re not on it [LinkedIn], you’re not in the game,” says Mark Lee, a tax director and author of blogs and professional journal articles about social media.

So here is my version of garlic sauce to tempt those of you who are leery of getting involved or have dropped out. 

Creating Social Capital for Not-for-Profit Support

Ask any non-for-profit development director and they will tell you there are two ways to fundraise: 

• Ask 1000 people for $10
• Ask 10 people for $1000

Which is the easier task? In terms of time and resources spent, certainly option B is the easier option. But in terms of broader reach and influence over a large audience, option A is a formidable contender because of something called social capital. Social capital is a concept that points to the power of networks to build a powerful entity, such as support for a cause, political candidate or even a corporate brand.

CPAs: Changes to Facebook Pages on March 30

Many of you have seen the update to the new Facebook Timeline format on your personal profile. Now, Facebook is rolling out those changes to business pages, as well. The updates take effect on March 30, so the time to start planning is now! Here are some ways the new layout will impact your business’s Facebook Page.

Why Social Media Participation Can Be Good for CPAs

CPAs may justifiably be wary of sharing personal and professional information on social media sites such as Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.  After all, many CPAs spend their days verifying facts in the form of numbers – and adding “notes” in financial statements when there is any question of the veracity of those facts.  How then could these same CPAs be comfortable tweeting about the newest changes in the LIFO accounting procedures or writing a blog post on whether book authors should deduct their home office on their income tax returns?

Welcome to the brand new world of online relationship building, where being willing to “put yourself out there” on social media can help you connect with current and prospective clients.

Use Video to Showcase Your Firm’s Personality

Lights. Camera. Snooze.

Video is a great medium for firms to educate and inform staff, clients and potential employees. But sometimes the content can be a little mundane. Why not take those formal interviews and how-to series to the next level?

Pull back the curtain and let people know what you are really like. 

Put a face to your firm. What are your employees passionate about? Is volunteerism important to you? Showcase your staff or fellow CPAs giving back to the community, like the Virginia Society of CPAs and the Illinois CPA Society did in their CPA Day of Service videos.

 

Blogging: How to Conquer Writer’s Block

Or is it "blogger’s block?" Hmm…I digress.

Has this happened to you?
As I sat at my computer pondering a topic for my blog post, my mind was both blank and full at the same time. There are so many topics to choose from, how can I narrow it down to just one? That’s when it hit me like a bolt of lightning…how about a post about writer’s block? Funny how that works.

I hear it often from AICPA members…they know that blogging is a valuable resource, but they aren’t sure where to start. “What do I write about?” “How will I come up with enough content to write a blog consistently?” Here are a few ideas to help you keep the ideas flowing:

Scan your inbox. Chances are people come to you for answers to questions. Scan your inbox and see if there are any common questions you could answer in a blog post.

Read, read, read. Books, news, Tweets, other blogs and trade publications can be a great source for blog post topics. Share an article and give your impression of what you read (be sure to link back and cite the original source).