As a practice i have never really done any marketing and only recently started networking.
All work comes from referrals and life is good.
BUT, i had a call from the above - does anyone have any experience of them? Good or Bad.
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You said it
"Life is good". So your reason for changing would be ...?
I believe in progress, not the "if it ain't broke" philosophy but, really, unless you're set on an expansionist path, why not continue the good life?
It can all help
The thing about marketing is that it comes in all shapes and sizes, but at the end of the day you need to have a budget and tip a toe in the water and try some different things - if that is the way you want to go, as you say many firms just expand organically. If this is telemarketing, then a lot of folk swear by it.
Virtual Tax Support for accountants: www.rossmartin.co.uk
Cory Bailey & GRF?
Yes, I have received emails from someone of that same name at GRF. Some while
ago mind and could be by chance the same?
Cory Bailey, GRF, Feebooster and SwitchMy Accountants
Apologies for coming in so late on this but I have just been doing some searches and YES, they are all the same/connected. GRF (Pure Prospects Ltd) no longer exists.
Switch my accountant
I had a call from them and assumed it was some sort of dominatrix offering a chastisement service. So I put the phone down. My mistake obviously.
Switch my accountant.
I had one "referral" from them - spent nearly a week trying to get hold of the specified owner of the business, who eventually said that he was perfectly happy with his existing accountant, but couldn't get rid of the sales person, so said he wanted to change to get rid of him! Stick to referrals, it's the best way by far.
switch my accountant
I had a salesman phone from 'switch my accountant' this week too.
They were offering a guaranteed number of 'warm leads' from perspective clients in my area, if I signed up to pay a flat fee of approx £70/75 per month.
There are a number of websites offering similar deals such as 'choose-your-accountant' where you pay approx £15 for the contact details, but the same details are sold to 4 other accountants and you all pitch to the prospect.
As mentioned above I think these leads are not as 'warm' as they make out and there are much better ways to generate new clients.
Tim Charles www.charlesaccountancy.com
If he phones again ask him to put the guarantee in writing so we can all enjoy it You'll find it comes with caveats, coulds & shoulds
Say something bad?
Unfortunately, you can not say anything bad about someone / company on this forum as it will be censored!
Marketing, the bitter pill
Might be interesting to back track and figure out why firms like Switch My Accountant and similar organisations exist at all?
I suspect it's because we all want a quick fix. The fix in question is the buzz we get from a winning new client's. And of course it also helps to salve the despair we feel when we lose clients, especially those we like.
There are those in the profession who like nothing better than the thrill of the chase, the endless follow up calls. There are many more that do not, and in denial, see marketing as a complete waste of time.
And then there's the old chestnut of referrals doing the trick. Problem here is longevity. After a while even your most avid fans will run out of friends to refer.
What to do?
Good question...
Loved Anna's comment by the way. Priceless..
Do any of them really vet firms of accountants?
If a promoter of a changing accountants / find new clients website says things on their website like:
" All our accountants have a forward thinking approach to accountancy and are willing to highlight or help with any issues you may have. They all have experience in tax planning and business development and could potentially release more profit to your company. "
Then this rather suggests that there is a vetting process for accountants joining up to the particular client-finder organisation.
If, in fact, all that happens, to get signed up is that a firm of accountants signs an agreement and perhaps a DD form, then this suggests there's an economy with the truth which should tell that firm NOT to sign up.