Small Business Marketing Tips & Strategies

Marketing for Accountants, CPAs, and Professional Service Firms - New E-Book

Marketing for Accountants, CPAs, and Professional Service Firms - New E-Book

Free e-book outlines what works and what doesn't when it comes to marketing professional services.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

PRLog (Press Release) – Jul 05, 2009 – Professional service firms have traditionally relied on referrals to grow their practices. However, for many firms, referrals may not bring in enough new business to meet the firm's financial goals.

According Kansas City area Duct Tape Marketing Coach Bill Brelsford, "Many professional service providers believe marketing (other than referrals) won't work for their type of firm. It's not unusual for them spend a lot of money on a campaign that produces little or no results, causing them to sour on marketing."

In his new e-book, "Saying the Wrong Thing Louder Doesn't Make It Right", Brelsford outlines why referral marketing works and how most frustrations related to professional services marketing are caused by failing to stick with what works for referrals when engaging in other marketing tactics.

The e-book starts by telling the story of a typical accountant who starts his own practice and then challenges he faces while building his business. A discussion of why referrals work, why the "other marketing stuff" doesn't. The e-book outlines the elements of a successful referrals and concludes with a discussion of how to apply the principles of successful referral marketing to a firm's other marketing activities.

The free e-book “Saying The Wrong Thing Louder Doesn't Make It Right” can be found and downloaded at http://www.rebarbusinessbuilders.com/freeEbook.aspx

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About Rebar Business Builders

As an Authorized Duct Tape Marketing coach, Rebar works with professional service providers to install marketing systems that allow them to spend less time chasing business and more time working with profitable clients.

Small Business and Social Media - Helpful tool or interesting fad?

A recent survey conducted by the KC Small Business magazine shows that while half of the companies surveyed don't use social media, 34% do have a presence on Twitter, Facebook, and\or LinkedIn. It's difficult (if not impossible) to determine from the survey results what having a "presence" means. From personal experience, I would say that 70% or more of buisness owners that I meet have a LinkedIn account but readily admit they are not active on LinkedIn.

So, how active are you when it comes to social media? Do you have accounts set up? Do you keep up with conversations using these tools? Have you used social media to introduce people (or have been introduced)? Is social media is a useful tool in your business or is it still just interesting fad? Leave a comment and share your experience.

Attend This Sales Boot Camp and Finish 2009 Strong

My buddy Dan Stalp of Brooks Associates, Kansas City's Sandler Sales Trainer, will be conducting his full day Sales Boot Camp on Monday, June 29th.

Here are a few things you will learn at the Boot Camp:

• How to get your prospects to make and keep commitments.
• How to shorten your sales cycle and reduce "think it overs."
• What "stealth selling" is and why saying the opposite of what your prospect expects can change your business.
• Why not every prospect deserves your proposal.

To learn more about this sales boot camp, check out this short video invitation from Dan.

P.S. - I've attended Dan's boot camp in the past and learned a TON.

How Kansas City Area Business Owners Use Facebook

Today's KC Star has an article discussing how some Kansas City area businesses are using Facebook. They were also kind enough to quote yours truly, along with friends Bethany Spilde and Lucy DelSarto. You can read the article here - http://www.kansascity.com/business/story/1204309.html

Contact Management Systems

Join the ACA Marketing Club this Thursday to discuss contact management systems for small business owners.
 
Rick Sheahan will lead the discussion where we will review the basics of Contact Management Systems and explore cost-effective ways to keep in touch with clients and prospects.
 
Meeting format:
15-20 minute presentation
10 Q & A
45 Work period focusing on topic
15 Wrap-up
 
The meeting is from 11:30 AM to 1 PM at the Shawnee Library located on the southwest corner of Pflumm and Johnson Drive in Shawnee.
 
Click Here to Register or follow the link below.
 
http://tinyurl.com/pup2e8

 
No Charge for ACA Members - $5 for Guests.  Public is Welcome.

Immediate Impact Prospecting Session

My friend Dan Stalp of Brooks Associates, Kansas City’s Sandler Sales Trainers, is conducting his Immediate Impact Prospecting Session in a few weeks. The year is flying by, and this is a great way to make sure you set and meet your sales goals for the year. 

There are only 20 seats available for this event, so contact Dan today at dstalp@brooksassociates.us to save your seat.

Tell Dan I sent you. Here are the particulars for the event:

When and Where

Wednesday, June 3, 2009  1:00 - 4:30 pm

Sandler Training/Brooks
10955 Lowell Avenue #650 - Overland Park, KS
(Limited to 20 Participants)

What’s In It For You

• Overcoming Call Reluctance
• Brainstorm Prospecting Ideas
• New Telephone Techniques
• Get Prospect Talking More
• 30 Second Commercials
• Creating a Prospecting Plan
• Create Goals for 2009
• Sales Amount
• # of Sales
• # Proposals
• # Face to face appointments
• # New contacts
• Where my business will come from

Investment:
$295 with check/credit card by Friday, May 29  
$345 after May 29

Sorry, no refund - credits will be issued.
Call for discounts for 3 or more attendees in a group.
RSVP Today (20 participant limit)
Please RSVP (Yes or No) by replying here: dstalp@brooksassociates.us

5 Questions With Jeremy Lattimore

This week's interview features 5 questions with Jeremy Lattimore of Borea Systems, Inc and Refocusing Technology.

1. What do you (really) do for a living?

I am a technical problem solving guru.  My passion is to help people/organizations find creative and efficient solutions to their business problems utilizing technology.  Technology should make your life easier and more efficient, not more complicated, as it often does.

With years of experience in using technology to solve business problems, I can help you use the technology to make you and your business better.  I have spent time in many languages (VB, C#, T-SQL, PL-SQL, etc., etc., etc.) and in many different platforms (Windows, Web, Handheld, etc.).  Also, I have focused my education and experience on solving business needs not just learning the next technology.

Summary: I solve real world business problems by utilizing technology.

2. What makes you different from others in your industry?

Really there are two things that differentiate me from others.  I have a focus on solving business problems instead of just creating and implementing neat new technologies.  The main focus has to be solving the business problem.  This puts technology in it's proper place... as a tool to solve problems. 

Second, my focus on efficiency.  Because I am interested in solving business problems instead of just implementing technology, it makes no sense when a solution makes things more difficult.  A new solution should solve your solution in a very efficient manner to allow you/your business to do the task more effectively with less effort.

 

3. Who is your ideal customer?

A customer who is interested in spending the time to understand their processes and the problem in order to create a solution to that problem that will truly make their business systems better.  In many cases, corners are cut to save time and money in the short term only to find that it costs a lot more over the long term. 

4. What has been your most effective marketing strategy to date?

Well, I have to admit that I need work on my marketing strategies.  Using a strategy of focusing on social media and networking has brought some level of reward but will need to have better focus in the future.

 
5. I would be more effective at marketing my business if…

I "finalized" my longer term focus and could prioritize marketing a specific service or product.  Focus needs to be tightened significantly to be effective.

Social Media Series Wraps Up This Week

April 29 Putting It All Together

This fourth and final session of our social media series is this coming Wednesday, April 29th. In this session we will be discussing how to create a social media strategy using the tools discussed in the previous sessions. We will also discuss some of the tools that are available to automate common tasks to save time while getting your message out to as many people as possible.

For registration and other program information, visit the K-State Research and Extension office's web site.

Suzy Welch and Jack Welch In Kansas City

Rainy Day Books are bringing Suzy and Jack Welch to Kansas City. Jack will be interviewing his wife Suzy about her new book, 10-10-10: A Life-Transforming Idea , in which she reveals a poweful new strategy for making difficult decisions and clarifying choices.

Here are the particulars:

When: Tuesday, May 5, 2009. Lunch begins at 11:30 am
Where: Overland Park Convention Center
Cost: $55 includes lunch and a signed copy of 10-10-10

You can register for this event at www.kcsmallbiz.com.

Demystifying Facebook for Business

This week, Bethany Spilde and I will be conducting the third workshop in the  Growing Your Small Business - The Social Media Series. This session will focus on using Facebook to grow your business. Here is the workshop description:

April 22 Demystifying Facebook for Business
With over 150 million users, the ability to find and interact with current and potential customers, and Facebook’s highly targeted advertising and social interaction, Facebook has become a powerful business tool for creating and maintaining relationships, as well as promoting a business. Learn how you can make Facebook work for you!

For more information and to register for this workshop, visit the K-State Research and Extension web site.