2. Welcome
What can LinkedIn do for CPAs?
[more than you think]
834 Design & Marketing
Kim Bode
Adrienne Wallace
LinkedIn and the CPA
3. What is Social Media?
A flexible definition
• Evolution of relationships
• Familiar communication tools
• Built on networking foundations (platforms)
• Real time
• Individualized
• 2-way communication on a massive level
LinkedIn and the CPA
4. What is Social Media?
Flattening the Earth
Tipping point was identified by Neilson (2009):
Social media (67%) used more than email (65%)
LinkedIn and the CPA
12. About Social Media
3 Things
• Each platform has a distinct personality.
• Many different platforms for different purposes.
• Platforms may change, good communication does not.
LinkedIn and the CPA
17. Effects of Social Media
• Democracy
• Transparency in the everyday
• Meritocracy
• Open sourced comments posted affect
performance-based outcomes
• Authentocracy
• Success from true voices. Drive to be
“authentic self” is a large tenant of SM.
LinkedIn and the CPA
18. Tools of Social Media
• Search/Audit/Strategize
• Create a policy for your firm.
• Assign ambassadors or educate all members
• Find out what you do, who does it?
• What do your competitors do? How?
• Track/Protect/Monitor
• Google analytics.
• Google alerts.
• Participate/Engage
• Answer the noise.
• Refer and redirect if need be.
LinkedIn and the CPA
19. How to engage?
• Determine your strategy and your audience.
• Get some headshots for goodness sake.
• Find yourself – what‟s your brand?
• Create original content and add to the
conversation.
• Publish stuff worth reading.
• Engage your audience continually.
LinkedIn and the CPA
20. About Social Media
Implications
• Age of radical transparency.
• Lack of privacy-no one is exempt.
• Longevity of practice.
• Assured of change.
• Flexibility required.
• Evaluate and re-strategize (continually).
LinkedIn and the CPA
22. LinkedIn Value
Quick Stats
• 147 Million users in the past 12 months this number is up 47%
• Standard user is male (57%) aged between 29 and 54 years of
age
• 20% of LinkedIn users are senior level executives
• 39% of LinkedIn users have titles of Manager, Director, CEO,
COO, CFO, or VP
• 60% are either decision makers, or have direct access to
decision makers
• 43% of all LinkedIn users are located in the United States
• Top four professions: IT, Marketing/Advertising, Financial
Services, Computer Software (all avg incomes over $60,000.00
annually)
Souce: LinkedIn Ads
LinkedIn and the CPA
23. 9 Common LinkedIn Mistakes
• Failing to take social seriously
• Not achieving a 100% complete LinkedIn profile
• No photo, or worse, the WRONG photo
• Not developing and building your network
• Not using LinkedIn to protect your clients
• Not asking or getting recommended
• Failing to join LinkedIn groups
• Waiting for people to come to you
• Letting your staff “loose” on LinkedIn without
advice
LinkedIn and the CPA
24. 7 Essential LinkedIn Connections
• Co-Workers
• Current and past
• Clients or Customers
• Be careful of conflict of interest or privacy
• Classmates
• Yes, even if you haven‟t seen them in a while
• Fellow Volunteers
• Extracurricular connections
• Members of Your Business Network
• There is power in co-marketing services
• Family and Friends
• Ask these people to be your clients or to give a
recommendation on your behalf
• Fellow Members of LinkedIn Groups
• Yes, even if you don‟t know them “in real life”
LinkedIn and the CPA
25. 7 Essential LinkedIn Activities
• Sign up
• Can‟t participate if you don‟t join
• Maintain a complete profile
• Don‟t let it stagnate
• Update your status
• Show you are attentive
• Connect
• Build your network of primary, secondary and tertiary
relationships
• Join a group
• Connect with people of similar interests, share
strategies, complain about tax season and get
sympathy
• Share a link or answer a question
• Provide added value and items of interest
• Follow a company [maybe the competitor]
LinkedIn and the CPA
26. 7 Essential LinkedIn Settings to Modify
• Profile Photo
• Everyone, network, or connections only
• Public Profile
• Create your branded URL then choose which items
appear in a search to others
• Manage Recommendations
• Public or private
• Member Feed Visibility
• Choose who sees your updates [everyone, network
or connections only]
• Network Updates
• Control what updates you get on your homepage
• Connections Browse
• Control who sees your connections [can your
competition?]
• Authorized Applications
LinkedIn and the CPA
27. 7 Essential Groups to Join
• Your company‟s group
• Engage members in discussion, refer people to other
services and develop reciprocal relationships
• AICPA [American Institute of CPAs]
• Lots of groups here from YoungCPAs to Tax Section
• State CPA Society
• The CPA support group for the state
• SocialCPAs
• CPAs and social networking of all platforms, not just
LinkedIn
• Your practice group
• What expertise do you have? Join that group.
• International CPA Association
• Help others and get help of a different perspective
• Your competitors
• Isn‟t it obvious? Research. Intel.
LinkedIn and the CPA
28. 5 Super Active Finance-Related Groups
• Finance Club
• This is a kitchen-sink group-14 subgroups according
to field.
• Finance and Accounting Pros
• The subgroups of this group are divided into four
categories:
• Finance & Accounting Recruiters Only (I have
a job)
• Finance & Accounting Job Seekers Only (I
need a job)
• Finance Professionals (Jobs & Networking)
• Accounting Professionals (Jobs & Networking)
• Finance Services Careers
• Created just days before Lehman collapsed in
2008, this group connects job seekers and hiring
managers in a range of finance sectors.
LinkedIn and the CPA
29. 5 Super Active Finance-Related Groups
• Financial Services Regulation
• The group's purpose is to keep regulation officials
informed, so it's a good go-to service for staying
up-to-date on the labyrinth of finreg.
• Real Estate Finance & Networking
• This group connects individuals in commercial
and residential real estate, as well as those in
mortgage brokerage, asset management,
distressed debt and more.
LinkedIn and the CPA
30. Use LinkedIn for What?
• Manage existing clients
• Distribution of quality info to clients
• Generate referrals through clients and referring
businesses
• Secure new clients through search
• Prevent attrition by offering additional services
• Share content
• Give clients valuable connections and referrals
• Increase your own web visibility/SEO rank/traffic in
general
• Low or no cost marketing
• Recruitment
• Research of trends
• Get/give advice
LinkedIn and the CPA
31. Steps to gain a referral
• Social media flattens the referral process-you are already
connected
• Search for the client you want among your contacts
• View your contacts and their contacts
• Use the platform to build goodwill through a mutual
connection
• Message them or ask to be introduced through your
mutual contact
• Did someone search you? Connect with them, use
their curiosity to get to their contacts
• Prospect, search, connect, follow up
LinkedIn and the CPA
34. 15-minutes a day
• Minutes 1–5:
• Complete a status update.
• Have you just landed a new client (no names, of
course, unless your client agrees) or achieved a
personal best?
• It only takes a minute, but each posting is far-
reaching thanks to „LinkedIn‟s Weekly
Updates‟ broadcast.
LinkedIn and the CPA
35. 15-minutes a day
• Minutes 6–10:
• Browse „All Updates‟ on your „Home‟ page.
• Congratulate a connection or comment on
a profile update, even if it‟s just to say,
“Great new photo.”
• All of these comments go out to your entire
network.
LinkedIn and the CPA
36. 15-minutes a day
• Minutes 11–15:
• Glance through „People You May Know‟ by
clicking on „Add Connections‟ in the upper-right
corner of the „Profile‟ screen and selecting it from
the screen that appears.
• These are people who are connected to
your connections. If you see someone you
know, invite him or her to join your network.
• When your invitation is accepted, „All
Updates‟, shown on your „Home‟ page, will
reflect that and your new connection will be
included in the „Weekly Updates‟ broadcast.
LinkedIn and the CPA
37. LinkedIn Value
James Potter, Insight Marketing
“When you know how to use LinkedIn well, you’ll save
yourself a ton of time. You will walk through open doors
instead of making cold calls; you’ll enhance your personal
reputation and the profile of your practice; you’ll access
outstanding information and opportunities that would
previously have missed and ultimately you will increase
your revenue.”
LinkedIn and the CPA
39. LinkedIn Resources
• Quick tour and navigation
• Questions and concerns
• 834 quick consult
LinkedIn and the CPA
40. Sources
• Socialcpas.com
• Linkedin.com
• InsightMarketing
• Journal of Accountancy
• Square Martini Media
• Top Dog Social
• LinkedUp Grand Rapids
• Accounting Today
• CPA Social Trends
• http://cpat-jacksonwhelan.netdna-ssl.com/wp-
content/uploads/2010/11/SocialCPAs-via-
CPATrendlines.pdf
• Not used but a GREAT „how to‟ [oldie but a goodie]
• http://www.cpasuccess.com/2010/07/cpas-how-
to-jumpstart-your-social-media-strategy.html
LinkedIn and the CPA
41. Connect with us!
834 Design & Marketing
http://834design.com/
Kim Bode
kim@834design.com
@834design
http://www.linkedin.com/in/kimbode
Adrienne Wallace
adrienne@834design.com
@adriwall
http://www.linkedin.com/in/adriwall
Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/834design
LinkedIn
http://www.linkedin.com/company/2609249
LinkedIn and the CPA
Notas del editor
Old Model of Interpersonal Communication:One person, sending a message to other one person(s) at a time.
New Model of Interpersonal Communication
Creating paradigm flexibility within the way we communicate-must be able to do all types today
How to get customers to spread your message-the new referral-Amplification
Your clients are talking-you better be listening.
“Satisfied customers are the best source of new customers,” says Guy Kawasaki. Referrals are still the biggest source of new clients for accountants. A