You’re an accountant, not a marketer. While you have all the skills in the world to help your clients grow their business or save money on taxes, it often feels harder to sell your services on top of everything that’s already on your plate.
But what if I told you that you can grow a firm without marketing?
If you’re thinking, “Katie, there’s no way to avoid marketing,” I’ll explain everything for you below.
No upselling. No “hidden” tactics disguised as marketing. Just eight actionable steps to grow your firm and fill your pipeline with new leads.
Rather listen to my latest video instead of reading this post? Here it is.
Small details matter. Your leads want you to follow up with personal details that show you’re human and really care about their experience.
Let me share an example with you.
I remember when I was 13, going to a dental cleaning, and the hygienist asked, “Hey, how did your horse show go?”
Six months prior, I was talking to her about my upcoming horse show that I was preparing for during the summer.
Her remembering these small details blew me away. Even though I know now that she likely made a note in her Customer Relationship Management (CRM), it made a lasting impression on me.
You can be like my dental hygienist by showing people you care and creating a connection with them that goes beyond surface level.
For an accountant, remember the “small things” when talking to:
It doesn’t even need to be business-related. Ask Brian about his golf tournament or Sarah about her puppy.
Show people that you care. Add these small details to your own CRM and review your notes before your next meeting.
Small details are what help you land new clients and grow strategic partnerships with others.
Handwritten notes are so powerful, and this is something I learned firsthand in my own business.
6 years ago, I had the pleasure of speaking to Damon Burton, owner of SEO National. After our call, he sent me something I wasn’t expecting.
Not a text. Not a canned response email. Damon sent me a letter in the mail with a nice note and a copy of his book.
Even the stamp on the letter was so unique that it’s something I’ll never forget.
Do you need to write a book? Of course not. What I want you to do instead is write a handwritten letter to:
Very few people take the time to write a handwritten letter, and it’s one way to grow a firm without marketing that will stick in the person’s mind forever.
If you take the small extra effort to write a letter rather than sending an email that says, “Hey, it was great to meet you.” People will remember your effort.
It sounds simple, right? Talk to people. I want you to begin doing this today. Talk to someone when you’re:
Start conversations with the people around you.
I’ll share a personal example of this. Towards the end of 2025, my husband and I started going to a new church, and there were just so many people that we had never met before.
The first week, I set a goal to talk to a new person every time we went to church. Within a handful of weeks, I made amazing connections with people, even though I know most of them will never be my clients.
But these new friends of mine have enriched my life in many ways.
One has become a mentor of mine, another is now a prospect (that was never a plan initially), and many others are friends.
Relationships, whether they become a prospect or not, are more valuable than most people ever consider.
How many times have you said that you’re an accountant or a CPA or an EA or bookkeeper, and someone immediately says, “Oh, I know someone who needs that!”?
At first, you’re like, “Okay, this could be good.” But later, you find out that they’re just not your ideal client.
Suddenly, you’re deep into a conversation with a prospect you know won’t be a good fit, but it feels rude to shut them down right off the bat. Before you know it, you have a call or meeting lined up with this prospect, but you don’t know how to back out because you don’t want to offend the person who referred them.
For some accountants, this scenario drags on to the point where they start working with these non-ideal clients.
The problem here? You’re not being specific about who you work with upfront. You need to clarify your message from the start.
Instead of just talking about what you do, use specific language in how you do it.
“Hey, I’m a CPA. We work with dental practices that want to boost their profits and save on taxes.”
Crystal clear.
If I hear that and I have a friend running a construction business that I have in mind, I’m going to immediately say, “Okay, they won’t be a good fit.”
When you’re clear upfront, people know exactly what you do and who you work with. This means you’re far less likely to get referrals who aren’t a good fit.
Be very, very specific and clear in what you say.
If you’ve not read the book Building a Story Brand by Donald Miller, I highly recommend it. I read it years ago, and it completely changed the way I talk or write about what I do.
Want to leave a great impression on potential clients and connections? Be human.
Re-open conversations for the sake of connecting and without a sales-related agenda.
Here’s a simple example:
Let’s say you’re at a Royals game in Kansas City and you know one of your prospects or connections is a fan. Send a quick text or DM to say, “Hey, I’m at the Royals game. Just thought of you.” Say something else related to the game.
Super easy, right?
Or, maybe you work with dentists and one of your prospects has a goal to expand to new locations. You come across a webinar on this very topic. Share it with them with the message, “Hey, I saw this. I thought of you and wanted to pass it along your way.”
Your motive isn’t to get them on the next call. Your motive is to show you genuinely care about them and (going back to my first point) remember what they talked about.
Little gestures like this build trust and keep your firm at top of mind.
Make your wins a natural part of your conversations.
Here’s an example: You just got on a call with a prospect and the first question they ask is, “How are you doing today?”
Instead of just saying, “Good. How are you?” share a win.
Say, “I’m doing great. We just helped a dental office achieve A, B, C.” Rattle it off. Put it out there and share the win.
The great thing about this strategy is that it’s such a game-changer, but you don’t have to go out and post a testimonial or case study. All you have to do is share the win up front with potential clients.
Now, whenI say “elevate your working standards,” I don’t mean doing more work.
I mean letting your work speak for itself.
Be reliable, do a wonderful job, and people will want to refer you. Why? Because they’ve had a great experience.
Many accountants are focused on, “Hey, well, we did the tax return, right? Well, the books are right.”
Of course, these are important things. But the experience the person has is way more important than just doing something right.
Before I dive into the details about this strategy, I want you to take a second to pull out your phone and look at how much time you’re spending on it.
For so many of us (myself included), that number is astronomically high.
And I’m willing to bet that a lot of that time is spent scrolling social media platforms.
Now, I’m not here to tell you to stop scrolling, but I’m here to tell you to use your scroll time productively.
How do you do that?
Start leaving comments on your ideal clients’ posts.
Because let’s face it: you’re already reading them. You may even be looking at the comments. Why not add your own feedback? Engage a little.
While you’re at it, start commenting on posts from people your ideal clients have similar connections with.
For example, maybe you follow a podcaster that your ideal clients also follow. Share a comment. Your ideal clients are sure to see it because they’re also seeing these posts.
Exposure is key. Sharing your thoughts will help you build trust and establish authority with your ideal clients.
Growth doesn’t have to be complicated. You don’t need big, flashy marketing strategies. You just need to invest your time wisely in the right activities.
These eight strategies are a great place to start if you’re not a fan of traditional marketing. Just remember to be consistent and don’t be afraid to get creative with your strategies.
Use a Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system to note personal details about your clients and prospects. Review these notes before meetings to show you care.
Handwritten notes create a personal touch that stands out. They show effort and can leave a lasting impression on clients and prospects.
Engage in casual conversations wherever you are, like at school or in waiting rooms. Building relationships can lead to new opportunities, even if they don’t immediately result in business.
Be specific about who you work with and the services you provide. Clearly stating your niche helps others understand who your ideal clients are.
Reach out to connections just to check in or share something relevant, without the intention of selling. This builds trust and keeps you top of mind.
Spend some time commenting on posts from your ideal clients and their connections. This increases your visibility and helps establish your authority in your field.