Best Practices — Email Marketing for Accounting Firms

With an average ROI of $36 for every dollar spent, email marketing stands out as one of the most effective marketing tools available. For years, it’s been a pillar marketing strategy for customer-centric industries like retail, media, and travel, and its ability to nurture customers, increase engagement, and drive revenue is largely unmatched by other channels.

For accounting firms looking for a cost-effective way to reach and engage potential and existing clients, building solid email marketing strategies is a great place to start.

Is Email Marketing an Effective Lead Generation Tool for Accounting Firms?

For accounting firms, there’s no business without trust. Clients rely on you to manage one of the most important aspects of their lives, meaning every interaction between a prospect or existing client and your firm should build rapport, showcase your expertise, and add value.

Marketing for accounting firms can’t rely on gimmicky, one-off promotions. 

Email marketing for accounting firms is incredibly effective because it develops an ongoing relationship with a prospect or a client. Consistent communication where you provide relevant, helpful content keeps you top of mind as the best resource for their financial needs.

3 Email Marketing Strategies for Accounting Firms

When done properly, email marketing is a cornerstone for lead generation for accounting firms. Consider these strategies to maximize the impact of your email marketing campaigns.

Strategy #1: Make It Helpful, Not Promotional

Avoid overly promotional content that isn’t inherently beneficial to the reader. It’s fine to promote your services, but always lead with helpful resources or insights they would find valuable. 

Position your firm as an expert in the field by regularly sending out newsletters containing actionable insights, updates on tax laws, financial planning tips, and current trends and their potential impact on finances.

Strategy #2: Make It Personal

Segment your email list based on relevant criteria. If you’re just starting out, keep it simple and divide your lists by prospects and clients. If you’ve been sending emails for a while and have a large list, try dividing by criteria like client type (individuals, small businesses, large enterprises), service interest (tax, audit, consulting), or past engagement levels. 

Personalized emails lead to higher engagement rates because you can provide content that resonates with the recipient’s specific needs or challenges.

Strategy #3: Make It Consistent

Effective email marketing provides a consistent touchpoint with your audience. If you’re new to email marketing, start with an automated welcome email and a monthly newsletter. 

An automated welcome email is a simple confirmation that someone successfully signed up for your newsletter and provides engagement right away. From there, send a newsletter around the same time each month, with a consistent format, so people know what to expect. 

As you become more comfortable, you can consider adding in more automation, like automated email sequences for different types of interactions, such as reminders for upcoming tax filing deadlines or follow-ups after initial consultations

Utilizing a Marketing Agency to Execute Email Marketing

If you’re not sure where to start, consider a marketing agency. Marketing agencies specialize in crafting and executing effective marketing strategies, including email marketing. They bring a wealth of experience from working across industries and can apply best practices that might not be common knowledge within an accounting firm. 

Rather than diverting time and effort from client management and service delivery, firms can rely on agencies to handle their marketing needs, freeing up staff to focus on what they do best—providing top-tier accounting services. 

Schedule a meeting to learn how our team can elevate your firm's email marketing strategy.