Appointment Generation For Accountants: when telemarketing does, and doesn’t work… part 2

In yesterdays blog, we looked at two of the ways that telemarketing campaigns are often structured and by establishing yours differently, you can help avoid costly mistakes and discouragement.

In the second and final part of this short series on appointment generation and telemarketing for accountants, we look at 2 further elements that if considered and implemented correctly will make a significant difference to your results.  They will protect your investment and help you reach the 1:4 or 1:3 conversion ratios that you ought to be achieving and support your 1.5-2x ROI based on first years fee’s.

1) proposals.   After so much hard work and effort has gone into generating the appointment, attending it and negotiating the right package, don’t blow it by sending a typical, boring and dull proposal that essentially lists what your accountancy firm does, and how much money you want.

Almost all the proposals we look at miss the mark by a long way. They fail to capture what was discussed during the meeting, and have no real direction in terms of what you want the reader to do. A week later, you are left chasing up this poorly conceived document, in the vain hope your prospect might have read it, seen the price and said, ‘okay’. Most decision-makers will roll their eyes as they thumb through the thoughtless black and white text, which only reinforces their view that accountants are boring.

If you are going to embark on a telemarketing programme with a view to winning new clients, then the strength of your proposal document is paramount.  Writing effective copy is a specialist area of expertise in its own right. Writing text that provokes a response is an art few master. A great copywriter understands that every word in your proposal must lead towards action. Good copy does not simply talk about a practice or its partners, or about you generally. Strong, focused and persuasive copy communicates meaningfully with potential customers. It tells them what they want to know in a way that attracts their attention and speaks with authenticity and authority. Therefore, it is the job of the copywriter (insourced or outsourced) to understand precisely what services your firm offers and what your potential clients need to see in your proposals in order to make an educated decision. A good copywriter will then create a synergy between the two to produce dynamic hardworking copy.

Put another way – unless your proposal document identifies and connects with the ‘emotive need’ of your prospect and clearly shows the ‘benefit - price - benefit’ sandwich (the good they want, the fee you’ll charge, the good it will achieve for them), then their only decision reverts back to price.  You must be able to uncover this ‘emotive need’ during the meeting and then link everything you do after this (pre-booked 2nd meeting/proposal documents etc) to how you can provide the right solution for their need, the difference that will make, and the next step they need to take to say ‘yes’.  Finally, always retain the initiative.  Never leave the ball in their court where you can avoid it, so that you are leading and driving the process and you remove any possibility of you or they feeling like you are ‘chasing’.  Sales normally takes time.  Even after you’ve met, it can take multiple contacts and weeks or months to convert – keeping the initiative throughout will help you stay the course and win the business; comfortably.

2) integration.  ’Stand Alone’ marketing is rarely successful now.  In the last 12 months alone, over 3000 delegates have been through our workshops and presentations and have taken that content and our own extensive experience of direct implementation and used it to make a positive difference to their firms.  One key message running throughout all that we have communicated is ‘integration’.  The webinar below is one of our most popular and talks you through the key ways and areas in which you can achieve integrated offline marketing that will work for your firm.

Proven offline marketing solutions
View more webinars from Dan Richards

What are your experiences of offline marketing and telemarketing in particular?  What have you found to work best or lessons you might share?

If you would like to speak 1:1 by phone, free, no obligation to discuss your plans for growth or review openly your current activity then please feel free to engage via this blog, email me on danielr@insight-marketing.com or call direct on +44 (0)7879 654191.

If you would like  a copy of the free report ‘Beware Of  Telemarketing’ with a bonus guide ‘A Proven Way To Grow Your Firm’ then just ask here, or direct, and I’ll ensure you’re speedily sent a copy.

Best wishes with all your plans!

Dan