Spreading the Love
Enthusiastic Raves from Happy Clients Attract Future Business
John Lennon was right. “All you need is love.”
Well, maybe you need a little more than that, but when your clients spread the word about your practice you’ll find and keep more clients, grow your business and earn a better income.
Where do you start? By asking for testimonials. And if done correctly, asking for testimonials will be easy and effective. Karen Klein, a writer on entrepreneurship and small business, explains, “As part of general customer relations, you should be contacting clients regularly to touch base.” If you’re doing a good job, many of your clients will give you positive feedback. That’s the time to ask if you can use some of their comments in your marketing materials.
Let’s look at three ways these customer compliments can “spread the love.”
#1 - Reciprocity Rocks! (In Other Words, Return the Favor)
You will be surprised at how willing your clients are to provide you with valuable feedback. Linda Hamburger, owner of On Call PR in Deerfield Beach, Florida says, “Chances are, not only will they give permission, they might in turn feel complimented that you value their comments enough to use them.”
If your client is also in business, ask if you can return the favor; offer to exchange references. It only makes sense. If your clients are willing to spread the love for you, you should do the same for them. And if your client is an individual, offer them a small thank-you gift in return for their business and for allowing you to share their success story with current and potential clients.
#2 - Honesty is the Best Policy
If you feel uncomfortable asking for a direct testimonial, compile a short survey of 3 or 4 questions and have your clients honestly evaluate your performance. If you’re doing a good job, the results will speak for themselves.
You may have to rewrite the results of the survey or testimonial to ensure it expresses your message. Don’t forget ask your client to approve the final testimonial. Gracefully accept their suggestions for testimonial modifications or revisions. There are bound to be changes. (And after all, you are supposed to be quoting them, right?)
#3 - Don’t Be Vague
Chris Durban, a freelance translator in Paris who co-authored the “Fire Ant & Worker Bee” column for Translation Journal says, “Long and vague lists of ’satisfied clients’ with no specifics on actual jobs… may impress the naive but won’t cut much ice with demanding buyers.” Make sure your testimonials speak to the specifics of what you do and how well you perform your services.
Turn Testimonials into Income
Once you have your client testimonials, use them. Put them in your marketing materials and let their testimonials speak to potential clients of your valuable services.
Hands-On Learning is Hands-Down the Best
Building your business comes easily when you add accounting services to your menu and learn marketing techniques that will grow your practice and increase your income. Universal can help you do both with one Power Package:
The Professional Bookkeeper Program
As a tax preparer, we already know that numbers come naturally to you. Now all you need to do is find your inner accountant. And it won’t take much formal training, although you will have your fair share of homework. Universal Accounting Center’s Professional Bookkeeper (PB) Program is not only reputable, but it’s self-paced, enabling a busy professional like yourself to take your time or complete the program quickly and in possibly less than 60 hours. Click HERE to read what others have said about this program. The PB program will enable you to serve a valuable niche market: small businesses. And in order for your niche market to appreciate the value of your tax and accounting services, you need to market them effectively.
The Universal Practice Builder
Whatever your specialty, you’d be hard-pressed to run a successful business without good marketing. Because we understand that many accountants and tax preparers don’t feel comfortable with their marketing skills, we’ve developed a program designed to teach you all you need to know. It’s called the Universal Practice Builder and it will provide you with the following:
- A guarantee of $30,000 in new annualized billings in only 12 months
- 12 marketing strategies that you can implement immediately
- A process which can produce 15 to 25 qualified leads a month
- 3 months of coaching via telephone and Internet
- Training on a computerized database tracking program
- A presentation DVD to show potential clients
We call it your turn-key marketing solution. Listen to what others have said about the Universal Practice Builder Program. Click HERE.
The Journey of a Thousand Miles Begins with the First Step
If you’re ready to take the next step, order this Power Package to grow your business to its full potential. By next year at this time you could be enjoying the freedom and financial prosperity of which you’ve always dreamed. Don’t delay. Order now!
