How to Market a Service That Isn't Sexy

There are a lot of marketing secrets out there for business owners looking to build a digital business. However, many service-based businesses in professional fields find it challenging to implement these modern strategies. It seems like this only works for influencers, course creators and coaches. Instead of looking to tactics and hacks, my advice in building a professional service online is building trust. I have been able to accomplish this in a variety of ways including social media, text marketing and podcasts. If you are looking to promote your business online, you cannot deny the power of these platforms. In this article, I will unpack the strategies I use to build an online presence as an accountant that you can use too.

When marketing a service that isn't traditionally considered "sexy," it is important to focus on building trust with your audience. Professionals like lawyers and accountants are highly regarded for their expertise, but information has become commoditized with the internet, social media and technology. Information is available in abundance, so business owners are seeking something different. They want results, or transformation, over information.

In order to sell and market a transformation, you have to position yourself as someone your client knows, likes and trusts. There are many ways to go about this. I am going to share three ways I have done this, but what is most important is that you adapt this to your business and the clients you want to serve.

First, let's talk about social media. We know that presence on social media is necessary to market yourself effectively. It can also be very overwhelming to have to be present on so many platforms and create content. My best advice is to be super consistent on one single platform that is the most popular among the types of clients you are seeking. From there, you can repurpose content to other platforms. Another great tip is that once you hone in your messaging and have ideas on what you can share and teach on social media (everyone loves edu-tainment!), you can hire out a solid copywriter to help craft the captions and strategize what you post. This is one of the best investments I have made in my business.

Who I use: https://www.kuratecreative.com/

I also utilize email and text message marketing. While it may sound invasive to be popping up in people's text messages, it is all about the content you provide. Each week, I provide updates of value, tax deadline reminders, mindset tips, links to articles and questions that promote engagement and response. People see their text message thread as one of the most intimate and private ways to get in touch. Having this forum to speak to your customers and potential customers is a game-changer for building relationships quickly. In order to be successful with it, however, you must not constantly sell and you should ask questions that provoke a response. It is much more fun when it is engaging. You will learn a lot about them this way and in turn they will feel like they know you a bit better as well.

Who I use: https://fourwestdigital.com/textme/?oprid=40&ref=54

Finally, I love love love the medium of podcasting. You do NOT need your own show to be successful (but, man does it help.) I credit a lot of my business's rapid growth to appearing on other podcasts with a listener base that make great clients. You can pitch yourself to be on shows and share your expertise. You can then post clips from that episode, share it and use it to promote your business. IF you do appear as a guest, make sure you bring a link or promotional item for the host to share so listeners can buy from you or join your list. This is how you maximize the exposure a podcast brings. Even if you do not enjoy speaking, most episodes consist of a short 30-minute interview where you answer questions. This is great practice for clients and a great way to share FAQs with your client base and audience. Podcasts build an immense amount of trust because you have the listener's attention for a longer period of time while they are working out, showering or cleaning. They are more likely to listen intently when doing something like this.

Who I use: https://www.thecreatorsattache.com/

Marketing can be fun even for folks who believe they are not good at it. It is about increasing familiarity with you so that you never have to look for new clients and they come to you.