Having a CPA website is an important step in making sure your CPA firm is seen by more people. Getting the attention of potential clients is an ongoing process that has to be balanced with keeping existing clients. Screen sharing with Unyte Share makes keeping this balance that much easier.

Screen Sharing. Screen sharing is when you invite another person to view – on their computer screen – what you are doing on your own computer. The power of screen sharing lies in being able to give a client a quick walk through of how to accomplish a task.

The Process. Very simple. Sign up for a free account from Unyte Share. Download their free software. Send a link to your client via email or instant message. The client clicks on the link and your computer screen shows in a new browser window.

Screen Sharing

The beauty of this screen sharing service is that the client doesn’t have to download or install anything. There is no account the client has to set up. This saves time and potential confusion, and it prevents client reluctance.

The Possibilities are endless for both existing and potential clients. Each group has their own questions to get answered. The less time it takes to get the answers, the better they feel about your CPA firm.

Potential Clients. Normally a free consultation would mean setting up a face-to-face appointment. Share your computer screen instead and give a personal walk through of your CPA firm’s services.

This way your potential client sees what your firm has to offer through screen sharing. In addition they also see first hand how you could support them from just about anywhere.

Existing Clients. Rather than attempting to explain a complicated process to a client over the phone, you show them with screen sharing. Examples include how to fill out an Online Tax Organizer, log in to a Secure File Exchange system, or look at investment stats.

Anytime a process is made easier, your CPA firm benefits. Unyte Share makes screen sharing easy. There is no downloading or asking the client to set up yet another online account. Best of all, it is free!

Do you already use a screen sharing service? How has the process been working out for you? Share with comments below.

Note: CPA Site Solutions is not an affiliate of Unyte Share. This is one of many online tools that make sense for busy accountants.

Driving traffic to your CPA website is an ongoing project. Engaging people through social media like Twitter helps move that project forward. Here is a tool that makes managing Twitter that much easier.

Organized Viewing. CoTweet is a free application that allows you to easily manage your Tweets and engage your followers. It provides a great way to listen for conversations and monitor your CPA firm’s overall image (which is part of branding).

Multiple Users. CoTweet provides a simple interface that allows for multiple user accounts. Comments and conversations happen fast on social media websites. When more than one person keeps a thumb on activity, it is easy to catch trends.

Most people don’t have trouble coming up with messages. It is easy enough to Tweet about their CPA firm or current events; it’s finding the time for all of this each day that is sometimes a challenge. CoTweet allows more people to manage the account, which means you can each spend 10 minutes a day to leverage all that Twitter offers.

Multiple Search Results. Searching Twitter is even easier with CoTweet. Multiple search results show in different smaller windows. That way, it’s simple to compare results of searches and find trends.

Multiple Accounts. Does your CPA firm have multiple Twitter accounts? CoTweet makes it easy to manage all of these accounts from one location. If you only have one account, consider opening additional accounts. It is often easier to target a particular purpose or audience when you use multiple accounts.

Twitter, Facebook, and other social media websites have the potential to help you market your CPA firm. Keep reading the CPA Site Solutions blog for more helpful tips and ideas on marketing.

Do you use social media on a daily basis? Has it helped your firm? Leave a comment below.

Your perfect copy does you no good if your site’s visitors don’t stick around to read it. Your excellent Google page rank brings you no more business if your visitors do nothing more than glance at your page before reaching for their browser’s back button.

You’ve got just seconds – at best – to grab the attention of a new visitor to your site and convince her to read all your carefully optimized and edited content. Just one or two interesting pictures is enough to connect with a casual visitor long enough for her to turn her eye toward your text.

Winooski Falls Near CPA Site Solutions

Appealing to the people that visit your site is easy: clear, high quality images of yourself, your office, your local area or anything else unique and relevant to the content on your page will do. Appealing to Google with those images is a little trickier. Google, after all, can’t see your your images.

To ensure that those images are optimized for search engines just as much as the rest of your content, you’ve got to help Google figure out what your images show.

• File Names. Take a look at your image file names. If you pulled the image directly off your camera, it probably has some generic file name like the time and date the photo was taken. Give it a good descriptive file name. If possible, include one of your keywords.
• Alt Tags. When adding the image to the page, use the Alt and Title tags. The alt tag text will display whenever the image cannot be loaded. The title text will display when your mouse hovers over the image. Like your file name, use a keyword here if it makes sense.
• Keywords. Google considers the context of the image, so be sure that your keywords are represented in the text surrounding the image. A page full of images may be fine for your human readers, but it doesn’t help Google much. Give Google something to read.
• Updated Your Pictures. Update your images occasionally. Google loves fresh content and images are no exception. When you update your content, bring in some new images too.
• Relevance Is Key. Relate your images to your text and your text to your keywords. Provide what people want to see, and Google will find it.

In short, think about your images the same way you think about optimizing your text for search engines. Make your content relevant, helpful, and attractive to your readers, and you’ll be well on your way to maximizing your search results from Google.

How do you get the most out of your CPA website and your marketing budget in today’s economy? First you need to know your budget and use that amount as a guide. Your target customers need to hear a marketing campaign about 6-9 times to to get them to commit. Using marketing strategies outside your budget, doesn’t allow you to repeat your message often enough to make an impact.

COSTING MORE  DOESN’T ALWAYS MEAN IT ‘S BETTER!

Expensive ad campaigns don’t necessarily translate to increased sales. You need to be able to evaluate what the ROI is going to be on your campaigns to judge whether the money you are spending is going to accomplish your goals by connecting with your target market.

The chances of your marketing campaign success, greatly improve when you can get into more channels. Potential customers will likely become buyers if they: see your add in the newspaper, see you at a conference or local business expo, pick up a brochures, post your business cards on local bulletin boards and visit your CPA website. The more you can stretch you marketing budget to reach your target clients, the better chances of you connecting with potential clients.

DEFINE YOUR TARGET MARKET BEFORE YOU BEGIN THE CAMPAIGN

A critical part of your marketing plan is targeting the right customer. Once you have determined who is you target audience what form of media is going to give you the best chance of reaching that audience. If you are trying to target a younger market then internet advertising is most likely one of the more likely choices. If you are targeting retirees then maybe focusing on local papers would be a better use of you marketing dollars.

Don’t try to market to the whole country unless you have defined that as you target market, go for small niche markets. Focus on the immediate area where you are doing business. With your CPA website make sure that you keywords contain your address at least city and state. When a potential client is looking for a tax planner they are going to look close to home. If you are targeting TV ads then focus on the local channels and not Cspan or CNN because you like them.

BECOME PART OF THE COMMUNITY

Become part of the community get out and support local sporting events and fundraisers. All of these will get your name on flyers, t-shirts and banners. Be cautious not to select events that are controversial with in the community as this can generate a negative . I know that people say there is no such thing as bad publicity but, there is if you are losing business and you are in a small community.

CREATE AFFILIATES

Creating affiliates is a great way for small business to start building a local web of people that trust each other. Developing a relationship with your clients beyond the taxes. This creates a sense of belonging that will ultimately improve retention. Maybe you don’t have a plumber that is a client of yours but, you have a contractor that is a client. Ask that contractor who they would recommend?

The most cost-effective method of reaching new customers is by referrals from satisfied customers. A satisfied customer telling others about your small business is more effective than any fancy ad campaign. Spend time to get customer testimonials on your CPA websites.

You don’t need a large budget to achieve your goals,  you need to stay focused on the target market and give your budget it’s due attention. Be creative and ask other people for testimonials if they indicate that they are happy your service. Give them some of your business cards so that they can’t pass them out to their friends. Remember personal referrals are your best for of marketing.

There are times when you have a CPA website that you need support. When your website is hosted by CPA Site Solutions you have that support via phone, chat, and online tutorials. Now the online tutorials been improved and there is a new a help forum. Here are some highlights.

Video. There is now video in almost every section of the new online help. Need to understand more about the Secure File Exchange? Now there is a video overview that walks you through the power behind exchanging documents securely online with your clients.

Changing Sections. A number of sections have been updated with new screen shots. Other sections are changing location. Need to know how to add PDF, Word, or Excel Files? That is now easily found under the FTP topic.

Help Forum. A forum is “a public meeting place for open discussion.” The CPA Site Solutions help forum is where registered users discuss different elements of their CPA website. Here are some specific examples on how this works.

You are considering starting a blog. You want to hear from CPAs who have a blog on their website. What have they been writing about? How often do they write? What sort of response have they gotten? How has the CPA Site Solutions blog tool worked out for them?

The help forum is perfect for this type of question. Another community member could answer but, if not, then a CPA Site Solutions moderator is always there.

The forum, and new help section, are great ways to get answers to any and all questions. However when you need immediate help you are better off calling 800-896-4500 or emailing support@cpasitesolutions.com.

Have you used a forum before? Do you like how they work? Do you like having the forum as an option to get answers about your CPA website? Send a comment below.

Your have set up your Email Marketing System with your CPA website. You have created custom campaigns specific to your CPA firm. Now you just need some subscribers.

In part three of this three-part series, we’ll take a look at how to get subscribers, what they want, and what you have to offer.

Subscribers. There is an art to getting people to give you their email address. You can read about many different methods on the Internet. Here are just a couple that have stood the test of time. Remember, anyone who subscribes to the newsletter on your CPA website is a potential client.

What Your Subscribers Want. Most people want something in return for their time. When you promise to give them what they want, they subscribe easily. You know they have come to your CPA website for tax-related information. You are going to give them that information just not directly.

A potential client wants a reason to trust you. You can gain that trust by giving them valuable, free information they might not get elsewhere.

What You Offer. You offer a trade: in exchange for their subscription, they get a free PDF download with helpful information. This one method has worked over time despite the people who may unsubscribe after getting the download.

The PDF you create doesn’t have to be long. It should just contain a couple of elements. When you craft the PDF, try to hint at what else they could get if they consult with you.

Additional Offer. In addition to the PDF, mention that there are discounts that come only via the newsletter. Subscribers that are somewhat interested get another reason to stay for more.

More helpful tips about the Email Marketing System are coming. We’ll explore how to craft that PDF you want to give away, how to keep alive the relationship with your subscribers, and more.

Have some questions about what you read in the series? Send a comment below or email support@cpasitesolutions.com.

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The Email Marketing System comes free with any CPA website hosted by CPA Site Solutions. This is part two in a three-part series about the effective use of that system with your CPA website. Part one is here.

This second post goes over creating custom email marketing campaigns, suggestions for campaigns, and the use of strong subject headings.

Custom Email Marketing Campaigns. Check out the help section on how to create custom messages. Once you have that down, check out the advanced section. Both of these links provide a foundation for managing your Email Marketing System that comes with your CPA website.

The first link is about creating custom marketing messages. The second link is about organizing those messages into an overall custom marketing campaign. Each of the messages gets attached to a particular marketing campaign. This keeps your messages organized. It also helps to manage the subscription process on your CPA website effectively.

Suggested Campaigns. What campaigns should you start first on your CPA website? Take a look at the unique services your firm offers. Say, for example, that your CPA firm focuses particularly upon Personal Financial Planning. One campaign could be around that subject.

Targeted Messages. Attach targeted messages centered around your overall campaign or “message theme.” If, for example, you decide to center a campaign around Personal Financial Planning, you could write targeted messages about helping individuals with their investment goals.

Giving Away for Free? Are you giving too much away for free with your Email Marketing System? Not really. Think of it as giving examples away for free. In your message you could highlight what a client was able to do through your service.

It is often helpful to give some basic advice away with an exception noted. The exception might emphasize that each individual is different and to call for consultation.

Subject Line. The real key to successful email marketing messages is in the subject line. Even though a person might have subscribed, you still need them to read. Powerful subject lines grab a person’s interest immediately and motivate them to learn more. A great subject line centered around a Personal Financial Planning campaign is: “How Bob Doubled His Investment Returns.” Look for more on subject lines in a future post.

Part three of this series, coming soon, delves into getting subscribers.

Have you had trouble with your own Email Marketing System? Have a success story you want to share with other readers about your CPA website? Comment in the section below.

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Your CPA website has an Email Marketing System. This tool creates an ongoing relationship with current and potential clients. There are a number of different steps to ensure that you get the most out of the Email Marketing System that comes with your CPA website.

This is part one of a three-part series that looks at implementing those steps for your CPA website. By the time you are done with the series, you should have a solid grasp of the Email tools and what you should automatically set up, as well as some suggestions on getting new subscribers.

Newsletter Schedule. Every month, a professionally written newsletter shows up on your CPA website. Your Email Marketing System emails an update to all those who subscribe. In this update is an overview of the current issue with links to the actual newsletter page on your CPA website.

Make the Most of It. Make the most of the system by editing the email that goes out. You don’t have to write much. Try adding an update that is specific to your CPA firm. A bit of personalization will keep your firm in their minds. See the help section for a quick tutorial on how to modify your newsletter email.

Leading to Subscribe. Your CPA website homepage leads people to subscribe with this text: “You also get the latest breaking tax saving strategies in our monthly newsletter.” Stronger wording about specific benefits helps you get new subscribers. You do this by modifying the text on your homepage.

For example, you might write, “Need more information on child tax deductions? Want some easy QuickBooks tips, or tips on how to prevent Identity Theft? Subscribe to our newsletter for these details and more.” By leading with specific answers to be found within the newsletter, you peak a potential clients interest.

Look for part 3 of the series that delves more into helping you get subscribers.

Taking some time to learn about your Email Marketing System pays off when you get new subscribers. Gain those new subscribers’ trust and watch it pay off when they become a regular client.

Stay tuned for the rest of the series. Can’t wait? Check out the Email Marketing System help section.

Have you worked with other Email Marketing Systems? Are there features you wish this one had? Share in the comments below.

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Your CPA firm is ready for a CPA website. You have chosen your CPA website design and have your content ready. You need a domain name to go live and have email for your CPA firm. You know that the right domain name gives great SEO benefits. What about the domain extension? Should you get .com or does it matter if you have one of the “other extensions” available (See Wikipedia List)?

Domain Name. Try to get the .com for the domain you want. When the .com is not available, go ahead and get one of the other extensions. In the end, the actual domain name you use is more important than the extension after it.

Extensions

That is the short answer. It really doesn’t matter what domain extension you have but if you can get the .com you should. Why? The search engines are supposed to treat all of the extensions the same. However people are used to hearing and using .com. Those same people drive the searches, not the search engines.

Memory Game. When you tell a potential client your domain name they may or may not write it down. From memory all domain names end with .com. This is true even if the person has heard and written down .net. It is just what people are used to seeing and hearing.

The Debate. There are many who debate the merits of one extension over another. Some of those have to do with perception. For example, some people see .org as used mostly by non-profits or political parties. This is perception only as that extension is open to, “any person or entity.”

Despite any sort of debate, the power of any domain is in the actual words used before the extension. This is due to the power of keywords within your domain name. There is also a benefit to purchasing multiple domains and then having all that traffic point to your CPA website.

What extensions have you used with your firm? Comment below and share with other readers.

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Domain names are very important when it comes to dealing with search engines. Wondering how important? Take a look at the recent article from the Notable Samurai. Here are some details and how it applies your own CPA website.

There are many CPA firms that wonder about what to use as a domain name for their CPA website. The default is to use their firm or last name. While that certainly gives you a unique domain name, it isn’t strong when it comes to search engines.

What It Really Means. The article basically points out how creditcards.com gets a better search result than any major credit card company. This is for the search term “credit cards” and yet the credit card companies have much better page rank. Not only that they have a huge number of incoming links, are talked about in the news all of the time, etc.

What It Means to You. Your domain can be much stronger if it includes some of the words that people are using to search. How strong? As the previous paragraph points out, in some cases strong enough to do better than some major established domains. Think of keywords that people might use to find you…

Your Location. One obvious keyword is your location. When an online search is made, more people want to find someone they can trust locally. So if you live in Winooski, Vermont then Winooski may be a good keyword to have in your domain.

What You Do. The next obvious one to use is what you do. If you are a CPA then you want to use this as a keyword as well. So, taking the example above, consider using winooskicpa.com.

This gives you a leg up when you are starting your CPA website. Want more proof? Norm has a blog that talks about this same domain issue with a Lemus and Company in Florida with cpadoral.com as a domain.

Have your own thoughts on domain names? How have you found your own domain useful with marketing your CPA firm? Fill out the comments below and share with other readers.

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