LinkedIn for CPAs
-
Upload
adrienne-wallace -
Category
Economy & Finance
-
view
891 -
download
0
description
Transcript of LinkedIn for CPAs
What can LinkedIn do for CPAs?…more than you think.
Welcome
LinkedIn and the CPA
What can LinkedIn do for CPAs?[more than you think]
834 Design & MarketingKim Bode
Adrienne Wallace
What is Social Media?A flexible definition
LinkedIn and the CPA
• Evolution of relationships• Familiar communication tools• Built on networking foundations (platforms)• Real time• Individualized• 2-way communication on a massive level
What is Social Media?Flattening the Earth
LinkedIn and the CPA
Tipping point was identified by Neilson (2009):
Social media (67%) used more than email (65%)
What is Social Media?Demographics
LinkedIn and the CPA
What is Social Media?Demographics
LinkedIn and the CPA
What is Social Media?Demographics
LinkedIn and the CPA
What is Social Media?Demographics
LinkedIn and the CPA
What is Social Media?SM Growth
LinkedIn and the CPA
What is Social Media?LinkedIn Growth
LinkedIn and the CPA
What is Social Media?Categories
LinkedIn and the CPA
About Social Media
LinkedIn and the CPA
3 Things• Each platform has a distinct personality.• Many different platforms for different purposes.• Platforms may change, good communication does not.
About Social MediaChange in Communication
LinkedIn and the CPA
About Social MediaChange in Communication
LinkedIn and the CPA
About Social MediaChange in Communication
LinkedIn and the CPA
About Social MediaImplications for Business
LinkedIn and the CPA
LinkedIn and the CPA
Effects of Social Media
• Democracy• Transparency in the everyday
• Meritocracy• Open sourced comments posted affect
performance-based outcomes• Authentocracy
• Success from true voices. Drive to be “authentic self” is a large tenant of SM.
LinkedIn and the CPA
Tools of Social Media
• Search/Audit/Strategize• Create a policy for your firm.• Assign ambassadors or educate all
members• Find out what you do, who does it? • What do your competitors do? How?
• Track/Protect/Monitor• Google analytics.• Google alerts.
• Participate/Engage• Answer the noise.• Refer and redirect if need be.
LinkedIn and the CPA
How to engage?
• Determine your strategy and your audience.• Get some headshots for goodness sake.• Find yourself – what’s your brand?• Create original content and add to the
conversation.• Publish stuff worth reading.• Engage your audience continually.
About Social MediaImplications
LinkedIn and the CPA
• Age of radical transparency.• Lack of privacy-no one is exempt.• Longevity of practice.• Assured of change.• Flexibility required.• Evaluate and re-strategize (continually).
LinkedIn and the CPA
How?
LinkedIn Value
LinkedIn and the CPA
Quick Stats• 147 Million users in the past 12 months this number
is up 47%• Standard user is male (57%) aged between 29 and
54 years of age• 20% of LinkedIn users are senior level executives• 39% of LinkedIn users have titles of Manager,
Director, CEO, COO, CFO, or VP• 60% are either decision makers, or have direct
access to decision makers• 43% of all LinkedIn users are located in the United
States• Top four professions: IT, Marketing/Advertising,
Financial Services, Computer Software (all avg incomes over $60,000.00 annually)
Souce: LinkedIn Ads
LinkedIn and the CPA
9 Common LinkedIn Mistakes
• Failing to take social seriously• Not achieving a 100% complete LinkedIn
profile• No photo, or worse, the WRONG photo• Not developing and building your network• Not using LinkedIn to protect your clients• Not asking or getting recommended• Failing to join LinkedIn groups• Waiting for people to come to you• Letting your staff “loose” on LinkedIn without
advice
LinkedIn and the CPA
7 Essential LinkedIn Connections
• Co-Workers• Current and past
• Clients or Customers • Be careful of conflict of interest or privacy
• Classmates• Yes, even if you haven’t seen them in a while
• Fellow Volunteers• Extracurricular connections
• Members of Your Business Network• There is power in co-marketing services
• Family and Friends• Ask these people to be your clients or to give a
recommendation on your behalf• Fellow Members of LinkedIn Groups
• Yes, even if you don’t know them “in real life”
LinkedIn and the CPA
7 Essential LinkedIn Activities• Sign up
• Can’t participate if you don’t join• Maintain a complete profile
• Don’t let it stagnate• Update your status
• Show you are attentive• Connect
• Build your network of primary, secondary and tertiary relationships
• Join a group• Connect with people of similar interests, share
strategies, complain about tax season and get sympathy
• Share a link or answer a question• Provide added value and items of interest
• Follow a company [maybe the competitor]
LinkedIn and the CPA
7 Essential LinkedIn Settings to Modify• Profile Photo
• Everyone, network, or connections only• Public Profile
• Create your branded URL then choose which items appear in a search to others
• Manage Recommendations• Public or private
• Member Feed Visibility• Choose who sees your updates [everyone, network
or connections only]• Network Updates
• Control what updates you get on your homepage• Connections Browse
• Control who sees your connections [can your competition?]
• Authorized Applications
LinkedIn and the CPA
7 Essential Groups to Join• Your company’s group
• Engage members in discussion, refer people to other services and develop reciprocal relationships
• AICPA [American Institute of CPAs]• Lots of groups here from YoungCPAs to Tax Section
• State CPA Society• The CPA support group for the state
• SocialCPAs • CPAs and social networking of all platforms, not
just LinkedIn• Your practice group
• What expertise do you have? Join that group.• International CPA Association
• Help others and get help of a different perspective• Your competitors
• Isn’t it obvious? Research. Intel.
LinkedIn and the CPA
5 Super Active Finance-Related Groups• Finance Club
• This is a kitchen-sink group-14 subgroups according to field.
• Finance and Accounting Pros• The subgroups of this group are divided into four
categories:• Finance & Accounting Recruiters Only (I have
a job)• Finance & Accounting Job Seekers Only (I
need a job)• Finance Professionals (Jobs & Networking)• Accounting Professionals (Jobs &
Networking)• Finance Services Careers
• Created just days before Lehman collapsed in 2008, this group connects job seekers and hiring managers in a range of finance sectors.
LinkedIn and the CPA
5 Super Active Finance-Related Groups• Financial Services Regulation
• The group's purpose is to keep regulation officials informed, so it's a good go-to service for staying up-to-date on the labyrinth of finreg.
• Real Estate Finance & Networking• This group connects individuals in commercial
and residential real estate, as well as those in mortgage brokerage, asset management, distressed debt and more.
LinkedIn and the CPA
Use LinkedIn for What?• Manage existing clients• Distribution of quality info to clients• Generate referrals through clients and referring
businesses• Secure new clients through search• Prevent attrition by offering additional services
• Share content• Give clients valuable connections and referrals
• Increase your own web visibility/SEO rank/traffic in general
• Low or no cost marketing• Recruitment• Research of trends• Get/give advice
LinkedIn and the CPA
Steps to gain a referral• Social media flattens the referral process-you are
already connected• Search for the client you want among your
contacts• View your contacts and their contacts• Use the platform to build goodwill through a
mutual connection• Message them or ask to be introduced through
your mutual contact• Did someone search you? Connect with them, use
their curiosity to get to their contacts• Prospect, search, connect, follow up
LinkedIn and the CPA
Peer Pressure
LinkedIn and the CPA
Peer Pressure
LinkedIn and the CPA
15-minutes a day• Minutes 1–5:
• Complete a status update. • Have you just landed a new client (no names,
of course, unless your client agrees) or achieved a personal best? • It only takes a minute, but each posting is
far-reaching thanks to ‘LinkedIn’s Weekly Updates’ broadcast.
LinkedIn and the CPA
15-minutes a day• Minutes 6–10:
• Browse ‘All Updates’ on your ‘Home’ page. • Congratulate a connection or comment on
a profile update, even if it’s just to say, “Great new photo.”
• All of these comments go out to your entire network.
LinkedIn and the CPA
15-minutes a day• Minutes 11–15:
• Glance through ‘People You May Know’ by clicking on ‘Add Connections’ in the upper-right corner of the ‘Profile’ screen and selecting it from the screen that appears. • These are people who are connected to
your connections. If you see someone you know, invite him or her to join your network.
• When your invitation is accepted, ‘All Updates’, shown on your ‘Home’ page, will reflect that and your new connection will be included in the ‘Weekly Updates’ broadcast.
LinkedIn Value
LinkedIn and the CPA
James Potter, Insight Marketing
“When you know how to use LinkedIn well, you’ll save yourself a ton of time. You will walk through open doors instead of making cold calls; you’ll enhance your personal reputation and the profile of your practice; you’ll access outstanding information and opportunities that would previously have missed and ultimately you will increase your revenue.”
LinkedIn and the CPA
Why engage?
LinkedIn and the CPA
LinkedIn Resources
• Quick tour and navigation• Questions and concerns• 834 quick consult
LinkedIn and the CPA
Sources• Socialcpas.com• Linkedin.com• InsightMarketing• Journal of Accountancy• Square Martini Media• Top Dog Social• LinkedUp Grand Rapids• Accounting Today• CPA Social Trends
• http://cpat-jacksonwhelan.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/SocialCPAs-via-CPATrendlines.pdf
• Not used but a GREAT ‘how to’ [oldie but a goodie]• http://
www.cpasuccess.com/2010/07/cpas-how-to-jumpstart-your-social-media-strategy.html
LinkedIn and the CPA
Connect with us!834 Design & Marketinghttp://834design.com/
Kim [email protected]@834designhttp://www.linkedin.com/in/kimbode
Adrienne [email protected]@adriwallhttp://www.linkedin.com/in/adriwall
Facebookhttps://www.facebook.com/834design
LinkedInhttp://www.linkedin.com/company/2609249