Lead Generation for Accounting Firms: 22 Actionable Tactics

When I launched my accounting firm in 2013, I had no clue how to acquire new clients.

Many of the lead generation strategies that I tried failed miserably, and I had nothing to show for it but wasted time and money.

Luckily, I was able to land on numerous strategies that worked very well.

You’ll learn from my wins and failures in this article, and you can apply them to your accounting business.

What is Lead Generation for Accountants?
22 Tactics to Generate Accounting Leads

What is Lead Generation for Accountants?

Lead generation is the process of acquiring new and potential clients who might be interested in the accounting services that you provide.

It involves targeting ideal customers, researching them, finding their contact information, and reaching out to them with relevant offers to help solve their problems.

And below, I’ll share 22 of the best strategies for generating accounting leads in this industry.

22 Tactics to Generate Accounting Leads

1. Leverage Your Existing Network

Your network of existing contacts is an invaluable resource when it comes to generating leads for accountants.

An effective lead generation strategy that you can implement is to reach out to your current clients and ask them for referrals or recommendations.

This can be mutually beneficial too, if you offer to give them referrals of your own.

Here’s a template:

2. Set Up Your Google Business Profile

When someone searches for “accountant in (location)” or “bookkeeping business near me,” you want to show up and look legitimate.

This is what a Google Business Profile is for. It’s often the first step in search engine optimization.

Fill out every field:

Business hours
Phone number
Website
Services
Photos

Google rewards complete profiles. Most accounting firms have terrible profiles with incomplete info and maybe 3 reviews from 2019.

Reviews are also powerful. Seeing a Google Business Profile with multiple 5-star reviews gives people a reassuring feeling, and they’ll always choose a business with strong reviews than one with none.

And when someone leaves a review — good or bad — always respond.

This shows you’re paying attention, and no one would want to work with a firm that doesn’t pay attention to its clients.

3. Perform Content Marketing

A lot of accounting firms like yours produce content such as e-books, white papers, blog posts, social media posts, and videos that help establish their reputations as leaders in the industry.

An example is AlitheCFO’s Twitter account, where he shares virtual CFO information for start-ups and by sharing engaging content regularly, he successfully built almost 100K followers.

Social media platforms such as LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter offer a great opportunity for accounting firms to reach prospects and create relationships with them.

Posting content regularly that is tailored to your target audience can help increase your visibility and reach.

5. Participate in Networking Events

Networking events are also a great way to meet high-quality leads who may be interested in your services and make a lasting impression.

Focus on introducing yourself and letting people know what your accounting firm offers without coming off as too salesy.

One way that you can interact with other local accounting professionals is to participate in local industry events in your community through apps like Meetup.

6. Try Paid Ads

Accounting firms can also explore paid advertising on social media, search engines, and other websites with targeted keywords that can help increase visibility and reach potential accounting leads.

You can utilize platforms like Google Ads and Facebook Ads to target potential customers who are looking for accountants in their area.

Here’s a sample of an accounting services ad from Google:

7. Perform Outreach

Reaching out to prospective clients through cold emails, direct mailers, or even phone calls can help increase your leads.

Keep in mind that this can be a very tedious sales process, so it would help to set expectations early on.

You also want to make sure that you’re not coming off as overly aggressive in your approach.

Here’s a sample email:

8. Optimize Your Website for Conversions

In Episode 28 of the Future Firm Podcast, I included call-to-action as a great way to convert web visitors to leads.

This is an example of a call-to-action where the buttons prompt potential clients to take the next step in the sales journey:

Inbound lead generation can be assisted by including a contact form on your website and optimizing it for conversions.

9. Get Featured in Podcasts

Here’s what you need to do:

Develop a list of podcasts that overlap with your target audience
Email the podcast hosts and pitch them to be on
Mention your services in the first few minutes of the podcast
Ask the podcast to include a link back to your website in their show notes

The pitch to podcast hosts is simple, your listeners need help with their finances and you can be the subject matter expert they need.

Here’s one Future Firm Accelerate member who saw results after her first “pitch.”

10. Set Up Lead Magnets On Your Website

A lead magnet can be an ebook, video, comprehensive guide, or white paper on your website that can help attract potential clients to opt-in for more information about what you have to offer.

Here are some interesting lead magnet ideas that you can set up on your website:

A guide with all tax deductions possible
A guide with all tax saving opportunities
A spreadsheet with instructions on how to create a budget/cash flow projection
A tax estimate calculator
An eBook on how to automate accounting
A business scorecard (ie. a quiz that produces a business health score depending on the answers provided)
Guide to managing payroll
A case study on how you saved a client $500,000 in taxes
A case study on how you saved a client 50 hours of time each month
Access to a video that helps businesses set up QuickBooks/Xero

Lead magnets offer a win-win scenario for both you and the customer: they get valuable information, you get a new contact.

11. Ask Clients for Reviews

Asking current clients for reviews on third-party sites such as Google can help you increase your visibility and attract more high-quality leads.

Here’s a sample template that you can use:

12. Join Online Communities (Groups & Forums)

Joining online groups and forums that are related to accounting is a great way to expand your reach and increase your visibility.

Participate in conversations, answer questions and be helpful whenever you can.

You will find that many potential accounting clients or bookkeeping leads are willing to discuss their current challenges and problems in online groups or forums.

If they see that you are able to assist them, you can move the conversation forward and explore potential opportunities for working together.

Sponsoring events such as conferences, seminars, and webinars can be an effective tactic for generating leads.

By gaining visibility through these events, you can demonstrate your expertise and establish yourself as a thought leader in the field.

However, it’s important to note that this method can be costly, so it’s important to carefully consider your budget and the potential return on investment before committing to sponsorship.

14. Utilize Automation Tools

Using automation tools like email marketing and lead management software tools allow you to automate and optimize various aspects of the lead generation process, including prospecting, nurturing, and conversion.

With email marketing, for example, you can create and send targeted campaigns to a list of potential clients, personalizing the messaging and content to their specific needs and interests.

Lead management software, on the other hand, helps you organize and track your leads as they move through the sales funnel, providing insights and data that can help you optimize your approach and improve your chances of converting leads into paying clients.

Overall, automation tools can help you save time, increase efficiency, and scale your lead generation efforts, helping you reach more potential clients and grow your business.

15. Re-Engage Old Leads

Re-engaging old leads can be a highly effective tactic for generating new business in the accounting industry.

If a lead has gone dormant, it doesn’t necessarily mean they are no longer interested in your services.

Luckily, lost deals give you the opportunity to re-market to try and win them back.

In fact, some of my best clients were a result of the following process:

Step 1: Make a list of deals you lost in the past year that you actually wanted as clients
Step 2: Send this email to them every quarter (with minor variations):

Hey {first name},

Hope all is well since we last spoke.

I just wanted to check in to see how business is coming along. Is everything going smoothly?

Ryan

Step 3: Engage with their responses to try and find out what’s not working well and how you can help.

16. Scan Job Boards

Scanning job boards such as LinkedIn and Indeed can help you identify potential leads that are looking for services related to accounting.

When you see companies posting jobs for bookkeepers or accountants, most of the time, this work could probably be outsourced to your accounting firm.

So let’s target them!

Have someone on your team scan job boards once per week (?), use a tool like Hunter.io to find their email address, and then send them this email:

17. Use a Referral Program

This isn’t my favorite strategy, but you could consider creating referral programs to incentivize your current customers to refer new leads.

Offer rewards for successful referrals and make sure to thank those who helped you grow your accounting firm.

18. Build a Relationship with Your Accounting Leads

It’s important to remember that lead generation in the accounting industry is all about building relationships.

That’s why it’s crucial to take the time to follow up with each contact, whether through a thank-you email or a simple check-in.

By showing that you value their time and are interested in their needs, you can build trust and establish yourself as a genuine and trustworthy professional.

Keep in mind that building relationships with leads take time and effort, but the payoff can be significant in terms of converting leads into paying clients and growing your business.

19. Use Testimonials

Testimonials from satisfied clients can help build trust and credibility with potential leads, providing social proof that you are capable of delivering high-quality services.

To leverage this tactic, consider reaching out to your current clients and asking if they would be willing to provide a testimonial about their experience working with you.

You can then feature these testimonials on your website or social media platforms, showcasing the value you have provided to past clients and highlighting your expertise. By featuring testimonials prominently, you can increase the chances that potential leads will be convinced of your capabilities and choose to work with you.

20. Consider Collaborating With Other Accounting Firms

By partnering with other non-competing firms, you can expand your reach and access new pools of potential clients that you might not be able to reach on your own.

There are several ways you can approach collaboration, depending on your goals and resources.

For example, you could create a referral arrangement where you and the other firm refer clients to each other on a regular basis.

This can help you tap into new networks and generate leads that you might not have been able to reach otherwise.

Once you’ve selected who you think would be a great partner to collaborate with, here’s an email that you can send out:

21. Maximize Your Email List

Maintaining an email list of both current and potential clients is essential for effective lead generation in the accounting industry.

To maximize the impact of your marketing emails, make sure to tailor them to the needs of your target audience, provide valuable content, and include a clear call-to-action.

By following these best practices, you can drive more leads and conversions and help grow your business.

22. Get Help From Lead Generation Companies

A lead generation company can help you identify qualified leads, engage with them through email and other channels, and drive more conversions.

This is a good option if you don’t have the time or resources to manage the lead-generation process on your own.

In addition to lead generation services, these companies may have access to exclusive accounting leads and insights into customer behavior, which can help you better understand your target market.

Generally, it’s best to shop around and compare different companies to ensure that you’re getting the best deal for your money.

Over to You

That’s a wrap!

These strategies will help you achieve a steady stream of leads. It might take some time, but with the right approach and consistency, you will see results.

Now, I’d like to hear from you.

How do you generate quality accounting leads for your firm? Did I miss anything?

Let me know in the comments!

Lead Generation for Accounting Firms: 22 Actionable Tactics

Table of Contents

What is Lead Generation for Accountants?