VSCPA Marketing the CPA

Marketing the CPA for Maximum ROIJune 14, 2011

> Tina Lambert, CAE | VSCPA Vice President, Member & Public Relations

ROI = Return on InvestmentReturn on Ideas

• Mastering marketing basics and successful awareness efforts

• Power of social media and online marketing

• Dos and don’ts of presenting like a pro• Effective resources and tools

Some GOALS for this session…

Even the best of the best have a COACHand need toPRACTICE.

How do I masterMARKETING?

• A brand is not a logo, a corporate identity system or a product.

• A brand is a person’s gut feeling about your company.

• It’s not what you say it is, it’s what they say it is.

BRANDING 101: more than visuals …

• What are your strengths? • What are your weaknesses? • How do clients, colleagues perceive you? • How does the competition perceive you?• How do you perceive your competition? • What 20% of your efforts are generating

80% of your revenue?

FOUR BASIC ESSENTIALS TO A SUCCESSFUL MARKETINGPLAN

PRODUCT

Audience

AUDIENCE

DeliveryDELIVERY

AWARENESS

Zappos on Nightline

1. Deliver WOW through service.2. Embrace and drive change.3. Create fun and little weirdness.4. Be adventurous, creative and

open-minded.5. Pursue growth and learning.6. Have open and honest

relationships.7. Build positive team and family

spirit.8. Do more with less.9. Be passionate and determined.10.Be humble.

10 marketing lessons from Zappos…

1. Networking – Referrals, relationships2. Direct mail – Response, awareness 3. E-newsletters – Cheap, news/info4. E-mail marketing – Cheap, fast,

targeted5. Website – First impressions6. Search engine optimization – Drive

web traffic7. Blogging – Thought leadership8. Social media – Global, power in

numbers9. Speaking & writing – Showcase

expertise10.Webinars – Easy, growing demand

10 marketing tactics that get RESULTS

What about my PERSON

AL BRAND?

Brand attributes?

Brand attributes?

It takes 7 seconds to make a first impression.

• Dress at the office?• Your grooming?• Your 5 second introduction?• Your 30 second introduction?• Your presentation skills?• Office environment?• Your car?• Your interactions?

(coworkers, clients, etc.)• Your business collateral?• Your social media?

How do you build a PERSONAL BRAND?

• Versatility is KEY!• Versatility = the ability to

deal well with many different types of people in different situations

• A versatile person modifies their behavior so that the other person/people feel comfortable interacting with them

How do you build a PERSONAL BRAND?

How do I maximize SOCIAL MEDIA

& ONLINE MARKETING?

SOCIAL MEDIAIS AN UMBRELLA TERM…

THAT DEFINES THE VARIOUS ACTIVITIES THAT INTEGRATE TECHNOLOGY, SOCIAL INTERACTION AND THE CONSTRUCTION

OF WORDS, PICTURES, VIDEOS AND AUDIO.

It’s also a fancy way to describe PEOPLEhaving CONVERSATIONS online.

Photo by Kris Hoet

• Blogs• RSS • Online Chat &

Listserves• Wikis• Social Networks

The CONVERSATIONS are powered by…

• Podcasts & Videocasts• Photo & Video Sharing

Sites• Virtual Worlds

A shift in COMMUNICATION &

CONVERSATION

Traditional ModelSocial MediaModel

People are consuming information differently…• 92 % use multiple platforms

each day to get news• 60 % get news from online and

offline sources each day• 33 % of cell phone owners

access news on mobile device• 80 % of online news consumers

get or share links via emails

Source: Pew Research Center

Social Media ROISocialnomics.net

• Cheap• Flexible • SEO & Drives Website

Traffic • Good Word of Mouth• Global• Ideas, Trends, Buzz• It’s EVERYWHERE

Some ADVANTAGES…

MEET YOUR FUTURE EMPLOYEES, PARTNERS, CFOs, CEOs…

A. Listen• Immerse yourself in

conversations• Monitor trends &

competition• Google alerts, Twitter

searches• Determine process

for responding

B. Participate• Set up a profile• Friend 25 people• Comment on

blogs• Answer questions• The rule of thirds:

personal, professional, profitable

C. Drive• Share your expertise• Create content/ideas• Write a blog

• Create home for news, opinion, content

• Establish as experts• Promote• Connect with

community• Drive conversations• Think MULTIMEDIA

D. Obey Traffic Signs• Privacy: Customize what

others can see about you (professional v. personal)• Create ‘Friend’ groups• Edit privacy settings

• Etiquette: Once you’re riding the social media highway, remember to obey common Internet traffic rules of thumb.

• Policy: Obey or set company guidelines for participation.

socialmediagovernance.com/policies.php

How do I give PRESENTATIONS like a pro?

Triangle of PersuasionMessage/“Prove It”

- 3 x 3- VIP- Sound Bites

- Anecdotes, Analogies, Third

Party

Audience -- Listen, Translate, Edit --Interest5W’s +So What, Who Cares, WIIFM

YouC, C, C Body Language, Voice

Verbal (word choice, content) = 7%

Vocal (voice, tone, pace) = 38%

Visual (body language) = 55%

Content is still king, but 93% of overall impression isDELIVERY

What’s PERSUASIVE? Three elements in overall impression of speakers…

TO: TO: FROM: RE:

The two minute TALKING MEMO

State problem & possible solutions

Support your problem: data, statistics, analysis, examples

Bottom Line

WeatherKids/PetsNewsCommon interestsTrue stories Questions

Ideas forOPENERS

Not so great OPENER…

A man walks into a bar……OUCH!

JOKESRELIGIONPOLITICSHEALTH

• Book by Carmine Gallo• www.carminergallo.com• Great, short read!• Lots of helpful advice

from top CEOs and leaders in business

10 SIMPLE SECRETS of the World’s Greatest Business Communicators

#1 Passion:Use Your Head to Reach Your Heart

#2 Inspiration:C’mon Baby Light My Fire

#3 Preparation:Toss the Script

#4 Start Strong: Don’t Bury the Lead

#5 Clarity: Lose the Jargon or Lose Your Audience

#6 Brevity: Keep it Short, Period

#7 Style: Talk, Walk

and Look Like a

Leader

#8 Command Presence: Movement Does the Body Good

#9 Wear It Well: Image is

Everything!

#10 Reinvention: Madonna or

Rocky?

• Straw polls, hands up• Videos, props – open or close• Interaction –table talks, asking

audience to do something physical

• Games, prizes – ethics bingo, true/false, truth/lies

• Fun breaks – music, stretches• CHOCOLATE!

OTHER IDEAS to spice up technical trainings

• Set ground rules• Anticipate the questions• Restate questions for

the audience• Don’t be a politician• Summarize and close

Handling theQ&A

•Repeat objectives and key learning points (3x3)•Tell them about additional resources •Tell them you’re available for follow up & provide contact info•Stay for 5-10 minutes

Crossing the Finish Line

"Do not wish to be anything but what you are, and try to be that perfectly."

-St Francis of De Sales

Meet the Singing CPA

What are the VSCPA and AICPA RESOURCES?

RESOURCES from the VSCPA• Financial Fitness• Speakers Bureau• Media relations• “Ask a CPA” E-mail Program• Tax season community service• Virginia CPA Week• CPA Day of Service• Nonprofit Pro Bono Assistance• Find a CPA• www.vscpa.com for more info!

RESOURCES from the AICPAAICPA Marketing Toolkit• Marketing and communications

resources• Print ads, client brochures, posters,

marketing articles and guides, customer service and selling tips, client satisfaction surveys and tips for working with the media.

AICPA Social Media Toolkit• Sample strategic plans, policies and

guidelines• Types of metrics• “How to” guides• Articles

CONNECT with me

Tina Lambert, CAEVSCPA Vice President, Member & Public Relations

• Phone: (804) 612-9416• E-mail: tlambert@vscpa.com• Web: www.vscpa.com• LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/tinalambert

www.linkedin.com / search for “Virginia Society of CPAs”• Facebook: www.facebook.com/TinaLambert1

www.facebook.com / search for “Virginia Society of CPAs”• Twitter: www.twitter.com/TinaLambert

www.twitter.com/VSCPANews

THANK YOUvery much!