Rapidly changing technology will never change one fundamental truth about acquiring new clients for your accounting firm… Your best new clients will always be referrals garnered through good, old fashioned network marketing.

So why do I need a website for network marketing?

A website for accounting firms is a great way to increase your firms networking power! The net is a great place to get a buzz going about your practice, and your website is your home base for that effort. One word of warning, though… If you want to create a buzz about your website you’re going to need to do most of talking yourself. In order to do that right, you’re going to need to get to know your website.

Get in the habit of telling people about your Internet presence. The most important website promotion is word-of-mouth, and you’ll have a lot more people talking about your site if you do your part.

Make people aware of all the services that you provide on the site. Don’t forget to tell all your clients about your new site and ask them to refer it to their friends. This is especially important when you are dealing with new clients.

When networking… focus your message on the person you are speaking with. For example, suppose you have one of my websites for accountants and you are using it to network. If you’re talking to new parents, tell them about your College Savings articles. If you’re talking to a business owner, direct them to your Business Strategies section of your financial guides.

Of course in order to do this, you’ll need to continue to do the hard work of networking:

1. Listen to your prospect and determine his needs.
2. Help the prospect identify those needs.
3. Offer the prospect useful information about those needs.
4. And now the new step: Know your site and offer it to him as a good way to do further research on his needs.

you have now succeeded in developing a positive relationship with your prospect. Even if that prospect already has an accountant he or she is happy with, no relationship lasts forever. In a few years when their accountant gets a job in the corporate sector, or retires, or gets married, or moves, or whatever, you’ll be right at the top of their list!

Get used to giving out your Web and email addresses at the same time as your phone and fax numbers, and get to know your site so when you’re networking you can focus your message to your prospect.