If you’re a small business owner, you’ve probably considered hiring a CPA firm to help with your tax issues. Hiring an experienced CPA is usually expensive, but hiring one that sells can have major advantages. For one, they already know how to sell their services and are probably the best at it. They also have established relationships with potential clients and specialize in specific industries.
Successful business owners know that it is crucial to have a professional website. This is true for an accountant with a successful CPA firm that sells their services to individual, small businesses and other accounting firms. A recent survey by the National Association of Professional Accountants (NAPA) found that the most popular types of websites for accountants are combination sites, which combine personal and business information.
One of the best ways to get new business is by advertising. One way to advertise for your small business is to create a website. As a CPA firm that sells, it’s important to have an online presence, so you don’t miss out on potential clients who are looking for accounting firms. Creating a website can be easy if you take advantage of what’s available online, but it isn’t always cheap.
Without a great website, it is impossible to operate a CPA practice in today's competitive environment. That is the location where your prospects will go to view the “face” of your company, who the people who run it are, and to learn about the experiences of those who have interacted with you in the previous. A website that is not successful and that is not updated on a regular basis is equivalent to telling your prospects and customers that you are uninterested in their business.
When I looked into it, I discovered that a substantial majority of CPA businesses purchased their websites from a service provider who provides generic website designs that simply do not function in the real world. You want to advertise the fact that you are one of a kind in your field, don't you? However, if your website is nothing more than one-of-a-kind, and it also seems cheap, you will turn away potential customers. Make a point of standing out from the crowd and being distinct from your competition.
Here are the most typical errors I see CPAs make with their websites, according to my observations:
There is an excessive amount of information.
Technical information presented in tiny characters on your website should not be treated as if it were a brochure. How many people really take the time to read those? The same may be said for the websites of your CPA businesses. If you imagine the customer sitting in front of you, and you are telling him or her about your profession, then your website should be developed with that in mind. Making your website seem cluttered with too much material will simply give the impression that you have an information dump.
What Makes You So Special?
That is something to which you should pay close attention. Why would the prospect be better off working with your company rather than with another? Your website should highlight your company's strengths and distinguishing characteristics, rather than just copying what your rivals have done.
You spend an inordinate amount of time talking about yourself.
If you use the word “we” too frequently, you will alienate others since you will be talking about yourself too much. The reason individuals visit websites is to find out how they may be of assistance. Discuss how your service can make their lives simpler, or how it can improve their lives quicker and better.
Your website has not been updated in a long time.
You must demonstrate that there are people behind your website, not simply technology, in order to be successful. You may do this by upgrading your website and bringing it up to date. Your website must adhere to industry standards and be up-to-date with regard to new technologies and information releases.
There is no ‘About You' page on this website.
This is very crucial. It is important for individuals who are considering hiring a new accounting company to know that the business is backed by actual people. You must build a feeling of trust with your audience, which you may achieve on the ‘About You' page. Make that page as personalized as you possibly can; never use a stock template.
There are no endorsements.
People's endorsements are one of the most significant factors to consider. Anyone might claim that his or her business is the finest in the world, but can you back it up with customer testimonials and recommendations? Prospects want to hear what other individuals have gone through before making a decision on whether to employ you.
There isn't a physical address.
Individuals prefer to conduct business with other people rather than with brands or emblems. Because you do not have a real location on your website, it gives the impression that you are a corporation that might evaporate suddenly. An address, phone number, email address, and even a Google Map included in your website with driving instructions will communicate to your prospects that you are not scared to look them in the eyes.
It's Difficult to Get Around
People's attention spans have become more short in recent years. Unless your website's navigation system is straightforward and simple to use, you will lose prospects who get annoyed with the process.
Those are the most evident trust breakers that cause users to leave websites without the website owner recognizing what they are doing wrong. Check to see whether you are guilty of any of these offenses.
