Mitch Reno, Chief Marketing and Sales Officer, The Rehmann Group, presented “Top 10 Ways to Maximize Collateral!” at last week’s AICPA Accounting Firm Marketing Forum. Mitch was his usual entertaining self and provided us with a scorecard (below) and many examples.

• Select and Segment Audience (5 points) – REACH, correct profile, psychographic and demographic understanding
• Lead with a Headline (10 points) – USP, questions, emotion, humor, attention grabbing
• Create Arresting Visuals (15 points) – Use of color, size, unique images, brand building continuity
• Devise Clever Copy (15 points) – Relevant, clear & concise, easy to read, on point, actionable
• Add Dimension (5 points) – Pop-up and cut outs, 3D, and interactive
• Repeat and Touch Again (10 points) – Frequency, repeat content, create repetition within and across vehicles
• Call to Action (5 points) – Next step, easy to find and act
• Integrate MarCom Approaches (10 points) – PR, direct mail, events, electronic, broadcast, etc.
• Electrify Pathways (10 points) – Linked to emarketing, captures email, self-guided education reach
• Track Results and ROI (15 points) – Track and measure the impact of every investment

How do your collateral materials measure up?

It’s not only CPA firm marketing professionals and consultants who encourage CPAs to ask their referral sources for leads. Referral sources themselves expect to be asked for leads. Recently, I moderated a panel of referral sources for a client’s training program. They described good referral sources as those:

• who reciprocate leads
• who provide value for fees paid
• who are reponsive to both the client and the referral source
• who are team players and take an active interest in the client and the community
• who evaluate the chemistry between the client and the potential referral source

Their additional advice?

• Develop a specialty and be the “go to” person for that specialty.
• Allocate time for face-to-face meetings.
• Get out there and become known.

What I’ve learned so far is that working your network is both a professional and effective way to generate new business leads. Learn how to ask, reward your referral sources, and watch your firm grow.