{"id":4267,"date":"2018-05-15T12:15:43","date_gmt":"2018-05-15T16:15:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/?p=4267"},"modified":"2026-02-12T05:23:43","modified_gmt":"2026-02-12T10:23:43","slug":"how-to-grow-your-accounting-practice-in-a-digital-age","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/how-to-grow-your-accounting-practice-in-a-digital-age\/","title":{"rendered":"How to grow your accounting practice in a digital age"},"content":{"rendered":"<header class=\"entry-header has-dark-background-color entry-header--has-illustration entry-header--has-illustration--generic\">\n\t<div class=\"container\">\n\t\t<div class=\"entry-header__row row align-center\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"col col-lg-7 col-xlg-6 entry-header__content\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"component component-single-header\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"entry-header__misc text--subtitle text--uppercase text--small\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/category\/strategy-legal-operations\/\" class=\"entry-header__link\">Strategy, Legal &amp; Operations<\/a>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"entry-title-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h1 class=\"entry-title\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\tHow to grow your accounting practice in a digital age\t\t\t\t\t<\/h1>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"entry-header__description\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n\t<div class=\"single-post-details container\">\n\t\t<div class=\"col\">\n\t\t\t<span class=\"posted-on \"><time class=\"entry-date published\" datetime=\"2018-05-15T12:15:43-04:00\">May 15, 2018<\/time><\/span><span class=\"reading-time\"> min read<\/span>\n\t\t<button\n\t\t\ttype=\"button\"\n\t\t\tclass=\"social-share-button button button--icon button--secondary js-social-share-button\"\n\t\t\tdata-share-title=\"How to grow your accounting practice in a digital age\"\n\t\t\tdata-share-url=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/how-to-grow-your-accounting-practice-in-a-digital-age\/\"\n\t\t\tdata-share-text=\"Please read this interesting article\"\n\t\t>\n\t\t\t<span class=\"social-share-button__share-label\">Share<\/span>\n\t\t\t<span class=\"social-share-button__copy-label\" hidden>Copy Link<\/span>\n\t\t\t<span class=\"social-share-button__copy-tooltip\" aria-hidden=\"true\" hidden>Copied<\/span>\n\t\t<\/button>\n\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/header>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-post-author has-dark-background-color alignfull\">\n\t<div class=\"container\">\n\t\t<div class=\"col\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"co-authors\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t<div class=\"entry-author-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t<a class=\"entry-author\" href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/author\/lizherbig\/\">\n\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"40\" height=\"40\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2018\/02\/LizHerbig2-350x350.jpg\" class=\"entry-author__image\" alt=\"Liz Herbig\" \/>\t\t\t\t<span class=\"entry-author__name\">Liz Herbig<\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/a>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>We live in a digital world, where we communicate and conduct business online now more than ever. Businesses are storing their <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/why-cloud-accounting-can-result-in-business-growth\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">data in the cloud<\/a>, Facebook is a primary communication device, and we\u2019re using our smartphones for everything from making calls to browsing the internet to paying for groceries. So, to gain more clients, accountants and bookkeepers need to be online, since it\u2019s where their prospects are doing their research. If your accounting firm doesn\u2019t have an online strategy, then you\u2019re behind all the others that do.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Most accountants and bookkeepers know that word-of-mouth\u2014referrals\u2014is the most effective form of advertising. It\u2019s how accountants gain business clients and repeat business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>So, how can you build your \u201cword-of-mouth\u201d as an accountant? Consider these three steps.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-1-define-your-competitive-advantage\"><strong>1) Define your competitive advantage<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Write down your <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/build-a-successful-accounting-practice\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">competitive edge<\/a>. The first step to growing your business is to understand what makes your practice attractive to clients. Successful businesses got that way because they focused on an advantage lacking in their competitors. Examples include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Innovative pricing.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Specialized services.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Better technology<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Faster service.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Industry-specific experience.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Full range of services.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Your friendly team.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>If you are struggling to identify your competitive advantage, ask your existing clients why they like working with you. Use that information to sharpen your marketing program and sell to new prospects.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-2-leverage-social-media\"><strong>2) Leverage social media<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Because social media gives you scope to focus on more personal communications, it\u2019s an amplified word-of-mouth tool, and essential for accounting and bookkeeping firms. Remember\u2014the end goal is face-to-face meetings that are the beginning of a real relationship between you and a client. It\u2019s a great way of engaging potential customers, keeping in touch with current customers and forging valuable networking contacts within the industry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Share content that has value to your clients, but be aware of adding too much noise. The last thing you want is to create an annoyance factor by clogging up people\u2019s feeds, so keep your content in a business context and always make sure it\u2019s relevant. Be selective!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Focus on just one platform\u2014pick one you like most and get started. It only takes a few minutes each week to share a bookkeeping tip or link to an interesting article from your firm using Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn. Track the results of your marketing activities and you\u2019ll soon discover the right formula for your business and your marketplace. An audience of followers who appreciate your insights is more likely to contact you for accounting services.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-3-network\"><strong>3) Network<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>It used to be difficult to interact with people you didn\u2019t already have a personal connection with. Nowadays, you can network with people you\u2019d never have had access to in the past. Social media makes everyone more accessible, which means that it\u2019s easier to start conversations with prospects, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/3-rules-for-successfully-mastering-business-card-etiquette-networking\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">get involved with groups<\/a> that are relevant to your industry and generally engage with people. Remember\u2014people buy from people. If you gain their trust through personal communication and prove that you know your stuff, they\u2019re more likely to convert into a client.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-always-market-your-services\"><strong>Always market your services<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Lastly, many <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/accountants\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">accountants<\/a> and bookkeepers are happy if they keep their current client list year over year. Unfortunately, you can&#8217;t always count on the same clients forever: People retire, businesses close, and clients may even move on to other accounting professionals, through no fault of your own.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>These are the reasons why you should always be marketing to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/referrals-why-they-are-vital-to-your-business\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">attract new clients<\/a>. Although it\u2019s difficult to find the time (and money) to invest in marketing when you are so busy serving your existing clients with their accounting and bookkeeping needs, the key is to develop an easy to maintain marketing strategy that keeps your business in front of prospective clients, no matter how busy you are.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"single-cta\">\n\t<div class=\"single-cta__positioner\">\n\t\t<div class=\"single-cta__wrapper has-dark-background-color\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"single-cta__content\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"single-cta__title h3\">Subscribe to our Sage Advice Newsletter<\/h2>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"single-cta__description\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Get our latest business advice delivered directly to your inbox.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a\n\t\t\t\t\t\thref=\"#gate-ab515c6e-7e90-4c2f-a67e-113872516e8b\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\tclass=\"single-cta__button button button--primary\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t>Subscribe<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1440\" height=\"810\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-1073797282-1440x810.jpg\" class=\"single-cta__image\" alt=\"Working from home with tea in hand\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-1073797282-1440x810.jpg 1440w\" sizes=\"auto, (min-width: 48em) 33vw, 100vw\" \/>\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>We live in a digital world, where we communicate and conduct business online now more than ever. Businesses are storing their data in the cloud, Facebook is a primary communication device, and we\u2019re using our smartphones for everything from making calls to browsing the internet to paying for groceries. So, to gain more clients, accountants [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":378,"featured_media":3271,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_sage_video":false,"post_featured_image_hide":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[44],"tags":[359],"business_type":[312],"lilypad":[],"context":[],"industry":[57,55],"persona":[150],"imagine_tag":[222],"coauthors":[705],"class_list":["post-4267","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-strategy-legal-operations","tag-grow-your-accounting-practice","business_type-accountants","industry-financial-services","industry-professional-services"],"sage_meta":{"region":"en-us","author_name":"Liz Herbig","featured_image":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2018\/01\/advisoryservices.jpg","imagine_tags":{"222":"Accountants"}},"distributor_meta":false,"distributor_terms":false,"distributor_media":false,"distributor_original_site_name":"Sage Advice US","distributor_original_site_url":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog","push-errors":false,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4267","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/users\/378"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4267"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4267\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/media\/3271"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4267"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4267"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4267"},{"taxonomy":"business_type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/business_type?post=4267"},{"taxonomy":"lilypad","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/lilypad?post=4267"},{"taxonomy":"context","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/context?post=4267"},{"taxonomy":"industry","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/industry?post=4267"},{"taxonomy":"persona","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/persona?post=4267"},{"taxonomy":"imagine_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/imagine_tag?post=4267"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=4267"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}