linkedin for cpas

What can LinkedIn do for CPAs?…more than you think.

Welcome

LinkedIn and the CPA

What can LinkedIn do for CPAs?[more than you think]

834 Design & MarketingKim Bode

Adrienne Wallace

http://834design.com/about/

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

What is Social Media?Flattening the Earth


Tipping point was identified by Neilson (2009):

Social media (67%) used more than email (65%)

What is Social Media?Demographics


What is Social Media?SM Growth


What is Social Media?LinkedIn Growth


What is Social Media?Categories


About Social Media


3 Things• Each platform has a distinct personality.• Many different platforms for different purposes.• Platforms may change, good communication does not.

About Social MediaChange in Communication


About Social MediaImplications for Business



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.


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.


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.

About Social MediaImplications


• Age of radical transparency.• Lack of privacy-no one is exempt.• Longevity of practice.• Assured of change.• Flexibility required.• Evaluate and re-strategize (continually).


How?

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


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


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”


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]


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


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.

http://learn.linkedin.com/groups/

http://www.aicpa.org/Pages/Default.aspx

http://www.linkedin.com/groups?mostPopular=&gid=2790043

http://www.marketingideasforcpas.com/using-linkedin-groups-to-advance-your-cpa-firm/


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.

http://www.linkedin.com/groups?home=&gid=2046019

http://www.linkedin.com/groups/Finance-Plus-Private-Equity-Venture-39259?gid=39259&trk=anetsrch_name&goback=.gdr_1282067845286_1

http://www.linkedin.com/groups/Financial-Services-Career-Center-838087?gid=838087&trk=anetsrch_name&goback=.gdr_1282067845288_2


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.

http://www.linkedin.com/groups?gid=1799642&trk=anetsrch_name&goback=.gdr_1282067845290_2

http://www.linkedin.com/groups?gid=121300&trk=anetsrch_name&goback=.gdr_1282067845292_1


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

http://youtu.be/_SJJa84Ps-Q


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


Peer Pressure


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.



• 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.



• 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 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.”


Why engage?


LinkedIn Resources

• Quick tour and navigation• Questions and concerns• 834 quick consult


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

http://cpat-jacksonwhelan.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/SocialCPAs-via-CPATrendlines.pdf




http://www.cpasuccess.com/2010/07/cpas-how-to-jumpstart-your-social-media-strategy.html





Connect with us!834 Design & Marketinghttp://834design.com/

Kim [email protected]@834designhttp://www.linkedin.com/in/kimbode

Adrienne [email protected]@adriwallhttp://www.linkedin.com/in/adriwall

Facebookhttps://www.facebook.com/834design

LinkedInhttp://www.linkedin.com/company/2609249

http://834design.com/



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http://www.linkedin.com/in/kimbode

mailto:[email protected]

http://www.linkedin.com/in/adriwall

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http://www.linkedin.com/company/2609249

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