On this week’s Dear Katie, I’ll be answering a question that was asked when I held a webinar with Accounting Today: What are some marketing strategies that firms are sleeping on? 

Now before I get into the strategies, I want you to do one thing first: 

You need to get yourself in the right mindset.

I’ve seen it time and time again.

Someone starts marketing, or they want to, and then they only do part of the work. 

They half a$$ it.

They tick off 25 items on their 50-item checklist and think, “It’s good enough.” This mindset leads to firms not growing. Why? 

You need to go all in with your marketing.

Marketing works when you do it well. 

Social media? Works when you do it well

Cold email? It works when you do it well.

Ads? It works when you run them well.

All marketing works when you get it the time and attention int deserves. 

Before you start, I ask you to commit to one or multiple strategies. Go all in. Do your best. Leave it all on the table, and results will follow.

Now, we can finally get into the question and go through the marketing strategies that many are overlooking. 

1. Bring Your People Together

Create momentum by bringing people together. I really like hosting happy hours. Here’s how it works:

• It doesn’t need to be fancy.
• Choose a private room at a coffee shop, restaurant or bar.
• Bring snacks, and opt for a place that offers good drinks (coffe, mocktails and/or adult beverages).
• Invite a laser-focused list that’s comprised of your ideal clients and referral partners.

Now, you’ve transformed from an accountant to a connector that people remember because you invited them to a room full of great conversations.

I recommend that you niche down because it’s a lot easier to bring together dentists, construction companies or real estate investors than everyone.

I’ll show you an example below:

From this one post, I was able to curate a great group of people together for a happy hour where we boded over great food, fun drinks, and wonderful conversations. 

Bonus tip: Capture the little moments at your event via photos and videos that you can then share later online. Don’t forget to tag those who attended. 

2. Be Where the People Are Hanging Out

Don’t feel up for hosting an event? 

Rather than creating and hosting an event yourself, attend a niche event.

Let’s say that you serve dentists. Attend a dental association conference. If you serve real estate, show up at investor events.

Making yourself seen has multiple benefits that stack up:

• You have the chance to meet dozens of prospects in a few days
• You can create content to share later on social media to reinforce your authority
• You can educate others by speaking (even just a short breakout positions you as an expert)

And if you’ve already built up online relationships, these in-person events are the perfect opportunity to deepen them face-to-face.

Pro Tip: Combine this with the happy hour strategy. Host a side event at a conference. You’ll be surprised by how quickly people show up and start viewing you as a leader in your niche.

3. Run Meta Ads

Ads aren’t foolproof or guaranteed.

In fact, they can be major failures at times.

But when they’re done correctly, they’re hugely profitable.

You just need the right:

• Offer
• Content
• System behind them

We have clients consistently closing five-figure deals with clients they landed through Meta Ads.

Yes, these clients are investing a few thousand dollars a month in ad spend, but the ROI makes it more than worth it.

Why do ads sometimes flop on Meta? From reviewing many failed ads systems, the biggest and most obvious problem that needs to be fixed first is the offer itself. 

Need help creating a great offer? Check out my Dear Katie here on how to do so.

Pro Tip: Have some case studies ready to share on your ad’s landing page. Testimonials are social proof and reinforce the value that your offer provides.

4. Be Intentional With Referrals

Many firms leave referrals up to chance. They hope that a client mentions them at lunch or a colleague sends someone their way.

But what if you flipped that around?

Instead of waiting for that chance encounter, educate your referrals. 

Explain:

• Who your ideal clients are
• The services you want to grow
• Simple ways to make introductions easy

For example, you could create and share a landing page to send all of your referrals to.

When you pair this strategy with being active on social media, you’ll be at the top of mind when someone in your network asks, “Do you know a CPA or accountant who specializes in this?”

5. Own the Conversation on Social

Here’s a strategy that’s simple but often overlooked: own the conversation on social media. Most firms only post about technical updates or tax reminders.

But the firms that win?

They share stories. They share opinions.

They explain what’s broken in the industry or niche they’re serving AND how they’re doing things differently.

Why does this matter? Because your voice and perspective fuel the rest of your marketing efforts.

• Your conference talk carries more weight because attendees have seen the insights you share online.
• Referral partners find it easier to recommend you because your posts give them language to describe what you do and keep you top of mine. 
• Your ad performance improves because your audience already knows and trusts you through your organic content.

Remember that social media is an amplifier. Don’t treat it as an afterthought. It’s the one piece that can multiply returns on all of your other marketing strategies.

And, that’s a wrap on this Dear Katie question.

Which one will you try next? Reply to this email and let me know. 

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Also, do you have a question you want answered?

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Until next time, cheers to your success!

Katie