Having a first rate Accounting Website Design is a great way to impress clients and prospects, but it will be a much more effective prospecting tool if you take the time to personalize it!

So, what is a prospect looking for?

That’s easy, right? A good accountant!

Right?

Believe it or not… that’s wrong! That’s what you’d think a prospect was looking for. Heck, that’s even what the prospect thinks he’s looking for, but that’s not really what he’s looking for.

The biggest resistance any salesman has to confront is our good old-fashioned fear of strangers. This fear is compounded by the intimacy of the relationship between you and your clients. Keep in mind the old joke, “Only God knows a man better than his accountant.” Well trust me on this one… only accountants find that funny… Well… and probably God. To the rest of us it’s VERY intimidating.

The best way to get a prospect to pick up the phone and call you is to get him to LIKE you. Your site can be an invaluable tool for giving people a chance to get to know you BEFORE they have to pick up the phone and call you!

When writing copy for your website, keep this in mind.

There’s no point in convincing me you’re a great accountant if after visiting your site I’m still too shy to pick up the phone and call you.

The most important function of your website is to give your visitor a chance to feel like they know you. Include pictures. You don’t have to be pretty. It’s about making the prospect more comfortable, and having some idea who might pick up the phone will do that.

Personally I love football. If you love football too, we’ve made a personal connection! What are your interests? Dogs? Do you like golf? climbing? Scuba Diving? Bicycling? Clubs… Business organizations… Religious organizations… Charities you are involved with. All these things open the door for a personal connection and that personal connection is key to making your prospect feel comfortable with sharing his most intimate life’s details with us.

Get personal. Show your prospect some trust on a personal level. Not only does this make it more likely that you will get an initial contact, it also improves your odds of landing a sale. It’s just the way people think. Very few people make decisions intellectually. Most of us make our decisions emotionally, and then use our intellects to rationalize those decisions after-the-fact.

A good accounting website design is enough in and of itself to bring in new clients, but you won’t regret it if you take the time to personalize your site. It will become a MUCH more effective prospecting tool!