Getting no sales on social is defeating. On this week’s Dear Katie, someone had this very issue.
They asked me, “Are people actually getting sales from social media? We have a company providing us with posts, but that doesn’t seem to translate to new clients — and especially not fractional CFO services. I’d love to sell more of those packages.”
And this is a middle of the funnel problem that a lot of people have.
You’re posting regularly. You’ve hired an agency. And you’re still not seeing clients line up for your fractional CFO or advisory services? I’m going to be honest. Posting isn’t enough anymore.
You have to go a step further to get clients. (PSST. Are you posting to LinkedIn? Grab my LinkedIn checklist).
But let me rephrase a little: Your posts should help you land clients.
Content works; it’s just that you might be missing out on the middle-of-the-funnel content that builds trust and credibility.
The real issue?
Most firms create top-of-funnel content (awareness) and bottom of funnel content (selling), but they never build up the trust they need to make a sale.
PwC surveyed on this very topic and found that 93% of executives agree that building trust improves the bottom line.
I’m going to break down the three stages of the funnel you need to use in your social media posts to attract and convert leads.
Top-of-funnel posts do one thing: get people’s attention. You’re competing against hundreds of thousands of other accounting professionals who are vying for people’s attention.
TOFU posts are ones where you share:
This is the content most people start with because it’s easy.
You ca share tax law changes, tips on how to manage cash flow, etc.
You need TOFU posts to drive awareness, but this isn’t enough in today’s competitive landscape.
Trust comes next, and it’s the stage in social media content creation that’s overlooked and causing you to question the value of social media.
The middle of the funnel is critical – and often overlooked – stage. It’s where clients are deciding whether they trust you enough to take the next step.
At this stage:
The goal is to show off the results you can achieve and position yourself as the financial leader that clients need.
For example, let’s say that one of your clients is struggling with cash flow. They may be considering drastic measures, like letting some of their staff go, because they don’t have any other strategy or proper visibility of their cash flow.
To appeal to a client like this and build trust, you could share a story of how you delivered results for someone in a similar situation. By taking this approach, you show this potential client what’s possible with your CFO services.
Let me give you an example:
“A client recently came to us wanting to grow but was in a cash flow bind. They were considering letting go of key staff just to stay afloat. Here’s what we did:
The result?
They retained their team, increased cash flow, and boosted profitability X%.
They’re also on track to hit their growth goals for the year, which are A, B, C. That’s the kind of strategic guidance you get with a Fractional CFO.”
See how powerful a post like this can be for building trust? Potential clients need to know that you can deliver results, so give them the evidence they want.
If the middle of the funnel is about building trust, what is the bottom of the funnel about?
Clients at the bottom of the funnel are in the decision-making stage.
Here’s where you make your pitch.
You might invite clients to:
For example, you might say, “We’re offering a limited number of spots for our Q1 advisory package. DM me if you’re interested.”
I see so many firm owners skipping the middle stage entirely. They offer some educational posts and then skip straight to the hard pitches.
That leaves a huge gap in the sales process.
Why? You haven’t given clients a reason to trust you.
When you skip the middle of the funnel, you miss the chance to demonstrate your strategic thinking, leadership skills, and problem-solving capabilities.
The end results?
Clients only see you as an accountant who shares helpful tips and offers a service occasionally.
So, how do we change that?
Leading from the middle can make all the difference in getting sales from social.
Middle-of-the-funnel is not about sharing more facts or compliance tips.
It’s about:
(Quick PSA if you’re working with a social media team – To create this kind of content, your social media team needs examples. Only you know what is possible when working with your firm!)
So, here’s my challenge for you – audit your content from last month and ask yourself:
If there’s a gap, now is a great time to fill it.
And, that’s a wrap on this Dear Katie question.
__
Now I want to hear from you. Do you have a question?
Until next time, cheers to your success!
Katie
Many firms focus on top-of-funnel content for awareness and skip the middle stage, which is crucial for building trust. Without trust, potential clients may not feel confident enough to make a purchase.
Share stories that demonstrate your expertise and the results you’ve achieved for clients. Highlight how your services can solve specific problems they face, rather than just posting educational tips.
Engage your audience by asking questions, responding to comments, and sharing relatable client success stories. This interaction helps build relationships and trust, making potential clients more likely to convert.
The middle of the funnel is where you build trust and relationships with potential clients. It’s important because it helps position you as a strategic partner, making clients more likely to choose your services.
Audit your recent social media posts. If most of your content is either awareness-focused or hard sales pitches, you likely need to create more MOFU content that builds trust and demonstrates your expertise.
Start creating content that showcases your problem-solving abilities and the impact of your services. Share client success stories and insights that help potential clients see the value you can provide.