Discussion:Ideas for Attracting New Customers
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Discussion Forum Index --> Tax Questions --> Ideas for Attracting New Customers
| 4 February 2006 | |
| Looking for ideas on how to attract new customers. Any help, greatly appreciated. | |
| 5 February 2006 | |
| I use several things to get new customers. Yellow Pages coupons and ads, postcards, newspaper ads, etc. But I think nothing works better than word of mouth. Treat clients right and they will tell other people. I only had 35 clients last year with limited advertising and it was really only my first full year. I have had 30 already this year, so I think it is going in the right direction. Patience, patience, patience. | |
Wkstaxprep (talk|edits) said: | 9 February 2006 |
| I wish there was more feedback on this question as well.
Referrals are the key i guess. Keep your current clients happy. also, this year i've learned to be more aggressive and ask my current clients if they have any friends/coworkers who need a tax professional. also, although it's not in my blodd, i am learning you ahve to be a little bit of a social bug and converste with new people and ask them about their profession, etx. and eventually they will ask you what u do and it might lead to a new client. as far as advertising, cold advertsing just doesnt work. u need to have some sort of connection, for ex., i send letters every year to peopel i went to high school adn college with, and at least there is some sort of connection. good luck | |
| 25 February 2006 | |
| Join a networking group in your community. One that only allows one profession representation. This way you will be the only tax preparer representing yourself with a group that come together strictly for the networking potential and passing leads.
Also, I teach (free) classes on Launching Your Business, Making Your Life Tax Deductible etc... it informs the public and generally obtain a client or two each time. As mentioned above referrals from existing clients are excellent! Be proactive and give your clients more than just a tax return - - listen to their life and make pieces of it become tax deductible that they never thought before. | |
| 25 February 2006 | |
| I agree with above. Referrals are the best (only way for me.) I started couple years ago with just one little account, then became 5, then 10, now close to 40 and still going..
Treat your clients well, be honest with them, and gain their trust. And be reasonable with fees. It's not just how much you know, there has to be a trusting relationship to solidify the accounts. After that, they will tell their family and friends, employees, etc. I prefer it that way -- you see, I choose my clients too. No need to deal with all the headaches. | |
Sing4him75 (talk|edits) said: | 26 February 2006 |
| Guys, I have a company print up signs and I display these around town at busy intersections.
They cost $200 for 50 of them here in Lakeland Florida and last year I picked up about 10 new customers that I billed about $900. Not a real fast big growth, but growth. I also started a referal program this year. When I finish doing a return, I ask them if they like to go out to eat at nice restaurants. Of course they say yes. I tell them I am trying to grow my business and if they can get me 2 new customers, I will mail them a $20 gift certificate to a local nice restaurant, (Olive Garden, Chili's, Red Lobster, Outback Steakhouse) I will gladly give away $20 for a new revenue stream of $150- $200 i.e. 2 new customres. The best way is always referals and word of mouth. Slow but best. | |
| 26 February 2006 | |
| Buy an existing tax prep firm. Saves you years of slow growth and will give you years of great ca$h flow. | |
FreedomBKG (talk|edits) said: | 27 February 2006 |
| I agree that word of mouth is the best way to increase your client base. I have never advertised and just started out with preparing my family's returns. They told a few friends so my first year charging a fee I had 10 clients. That was 3 years ago and now I'm up to 75 clients! Be personable and ask about their lives, but also add info about your own life. I have never been a social butterfly, but it seems when talking about taxes, communicating comes easier. | |
| 27 February 2006 | |
| When buying a practice, what is the best way to do it? How do you pay for it?
I ask because if you buy the client list and the clients decide to go to a different preparer you have lost your money and clients. | |
| 28 February 2006 | |
| Good question. Will a noncompete or some kind of agreement as part of the package help? | |
| 28 February 2006 | |
| I bought out another CPA and have grown since then with no advertising. I now do close to 500 tax returns with about 425 during tax season. Reasonable fees, quick turnaround, and returning client telephone calls promptly are key to good client service. I'm at the point where I am not taking new clients because I have too much tax season work. | |
| 28 February 2006 | |
| I have purchased 5 firms. See this site for additional info http://www.go2bbi.com/n. Only buy a firm if the guarantee the purchase price with the collections received. If the clients do not show, you do not pay. It works out great. | |
| 1 March 2006 | |
| http://www.go2bbi.com Sorry /n added in error | |
| 1 March 2006 | |
| Skhyatt, Email me DZCPA@Yahoo.com with your tele # and I can talk about lots of ideas to help you. | |
| 4 March 2006 | |
| I have created a strong relationship with a financial planner. She recommends me for tax prep to her clients, and I recommend her for retirement plans. Of course, we each excel in our areas of expertise and therefore can refer with good conscious. | |
| 4 March 2006 | |
| Referrals is the only way I get new clients now. When I first started a few years ago, I advertised in community newsletters and neighborhood papers. It was inexpensive and effective. I also found that leaving a few cards at various places of business helped. A dry cleaners in our area has a shelf in their store where business people are permitted to leave cards. Got 6 new clients last year by leaving my cards there. | |
NorthernEA (talk|edits) said: | 4 March 2006 |
| Referrals are great, but when you are new, it is often difficult to begin. In a large city, I have used ValPak coupons and "new client" discounts and gathered 30+ new clients each time, but in a small town, that won't work. What did work for me is three years of networking with local folks just by grocery shopping, talking with folks at the post office and the bank, etc.. but the real clincher came with an article write-up about me, with a picture, giving my background, what I do and the services I can provide and ...wow! A great response. It gave me credibility, even though folks knew I was a tax preparer, now I was somehow legit! | |
| 4 March 2006 | |
| Currently the IRS is furnishing on line tools to make it easier for T/P to prepare their
own return. This is putting a big dent in my e-filing portion of my business. The IRS is shifting in this direction so I must now depend on referrals.I live in a mid size Texas city of about 75,000 and all the local tax preparers are in my situation. | |
| 4 March 2006 | |
| NorthernEA, What did you do to have the article written about you? Did you call the newspaper? | |
| 4 March 2006 | |
| I give referral bonuses of $50 when I have successfully completed a return on a new client. I figure the bonus is nothing compared to the lifetime business i get with most clients. | |
