I'm going to step out of my comfort zone again for this article. There's substantially more to marketing than accounting website design. Today I'd like to chat with you a while about public relations.

Most people don't appear to consider PR as relevant. The consensus is that it won't actually offer a consequential advantage to a CPA or accounting firm. It's usually tagged as something of a luxury rather than a necessity.

This couldn't be more wrong. The truth is that PR and accounting firms make a fine team. Unfortunately, accountants normally ignore PR and the advantages it provides to.

A healthy PR program will improve your client referrals, and this translates into higher revenue for your practice.

A healthy public relations program is part art, part science, and is not just about sending out press releases.

In order to accomplish the artistic aspect, it's important to have creative initiatives. The idea is to bring into being a two-way flow of information and keep clients in close contact. Here are some selected pointers:

• Host some training events, complete with food and drink.

• Host free educational webinars

• Send out birthday cards

• Launch other PR-related functions that allow interactivity with clients

This procedure itself, thinking up and executing these actions, represents the science of solid public relations. This is the integrated design on getting buzz out about the practice. The important thing, of course, is to get the artistic and scientific parts of your public relations program to come together correctly. This is when the results for your accounting practice will be the greatest.

Here are some more pragmatic secrets and ideas about public relations your practice can apply to CPA and accounting firms:

1. Take the time to Work referrals! Since the accounting business is predominately a referral-based profession, it's crucial that referrals remain a top priority. Truehearted clients are the most unbelievable source of referrals, and events and communications that offer useful information in an entertaining fashion will engender loyalty with them.

2. Get techy! People love technology. Especially tech that makes their life easier. Tech-savvy practices are now making use of "social media" tools to furnish a platform for all-encompassing communication deployment. Use Facebook and Twitter to distribute invitations to events and reminders for yourclients.

3. Visibility is important, but credibility matters more. Even though advertising increases name recognition, media can actually relations increase your credibility. An opportune presentation of your organization – in the form of a A favorable mention in a well-thought-of magazine, for example, - is worth a great deal more than an ad in the exact same media.

4. Become a maven in the profession and the community. Share ideas with your contacts by writing by-lined articles and white papers for local and trade media. This will add to your credibility and affirm a strong brand.

5. The good old press release is still the cornerstone of a PR campaign. systematically formulate and circulate press releases. It's a great way to lure media coverage and promote credibility. A selection of examples of sound substance for press releases are: industry awards received, involvement in local events and charities, scholarships created and awarded, and speaking engagements.

6. Know how to use your website. It can provide the perfect base for clients and the media. Media reps will have much easier access to information and clients will be directed to the site more frequently, building a stronger connection. Use dynamic links when emailing clients and prospects or composing press releases. This is an effective strategy meant to direct the readers back to the website.

Don't neglect the advantages of a decent public relations program. It will help your accounting practice raise your visibility, improve your credibility, and get you some new clients.and above all; get you some new clients.}