Small accountancy firms must “fit in to survive” in digital climate

Small accountancy firms must “fit in to survive” in digital climate

Outsourcing processes could be the key to substantial growth

Small accountancy firms must “fit in to survive” in digital climate

Understanding the shift in customers’ purchasing decisions and adopting a heightened digital presence are critical ingredients for small accountancy firms to succeed in the modern era, according to Liat Zohar, VP marketing at SMB marketing platform 12Handz.

“Transitioning to online has never been more important. The uptick in digital services was accelerated during covid, but it’s here to stay,” says Zohar.

“It’s all about how customers behave and interact with businesses. That’s all changed, and it’s relevant for all businesses.”

Research has clearly demonstrated this link between digital presence and consumer behaviour, with a GlobalWebIndex study finding that 71 percent of consumers are more likely to make a purchase as a result of a social media referral.

According to Zohar, this is where small firms in particular can derive significant value from a bespoke and all-inclusive marketing plan, going on to argue that 12Handz was founded on the needs of these businesses.

“When you run an SMB, you’re expected to wear all hats. You’re expected to be the CEO, controller, and you’re expected to be an entire marketing department,” she says.

“Nobody has all of those special skills, not to mention the time, budget and resources. Countless small businesses struggle to survive because they just don’t have the know-how to scale and grow.”

This, Zohar says, was the motivation behind creating an intuitive marketing platform designed to fit the unique needs of each individual business.

She explains that 12Handz first provides a bespoke step-by-step marketing plan, and then allows the business to “practically and professionally” execute it using a range of digital tools.

“I think the combination of marketing technology together with real human insight and specific sector understanding enables us to provide a tool that gives them what is right for their business.”

Zohar also notes the “critical” factor of flexibility, explaining that while the platform is predominantly do-it-yourself, the client has the option to enlist the expert assistance of 12Handz at any stage.

“DIY is an important part of the platform because it empowers SMBs and helps them grow. But in some cases, they don’t have the time or flexibility to do it themselves.”

Timely for the accountancy market

Despite operating in a number of different verticals, Zohar argues that 12Handz is particularly applicable to accountancy firms, noting that its specialist in-house knowledge is key.

“We understand the client relations and how trust is everything in that sector, and how hard it is to juggle the acquisition of new clients when you’re so focused on serving existing ones.”

However, she once again emphasises the nature of the platform and the service themselves, noting a “made-to-be-measured” marketing plan offers a clarity that is vital for small accountancy practices.

“We believe that you need a plan in order to understand how to reach your goals. And then you need to adopt it and understand that it should be maintained.

“That will help them seize opportunities and hand them a significant advantage in the market.”

Zohar says that the features of the platform play a major role in this, explaining that it enables actions that small firms typically don’t have the time or resources to complete.

For instance, she cites the “hugely beneficial” library of ready-made marketing content, which includes social posts, blog topics and images. These can be deployed immediately or modified to incorporate the firm’s voice, she adds.

The simplicity and accessibility are also critical, Zohar says, pointing out that the platform attunes every aspect of the marketing plan to suit the firm’s “budget, schedule and business goals”.

An alternative route

Perhaps most importantly, Zohar stresses that 12Handz significantly improves upon the use of freelance marketers, which is a common route for small accountancy firms.

In doing so, she explains the “loss of transparency” that often occurs when outsourcing marketing tasks in this way.

“When you hand it [marketing] over to freelancers, you tend to put it out of your mind. But from what we’ve seen, most SMBs are very involved in the marketing and want to present their business very precisely, not just by the generic best practices,” she says.

“You should have a routine. And as long as you stick to that, just like in health or sports, it will bring you results. We help you adopt that.”


To find out more about 12Handz click here


 

Share

Subscribe to get your daily business insights

Resources & Whitepapers

Why Professional Services Firms Should Ditch Folders and Embrace Metadata
Professional Services

Why Professional Services Firms Should Ditch Folders and Embrace Metadata

3y

Why Professional Services Firms Should Ditch Folde...

In the past decade, the professional services industry has transformed significantly. Digital disruptions, increased competition, and changing market ...

View resource
2 Vital keys to Remaining Competitive for Professional Services Firms

2 Vital keys to Remaining Competitive for Professional Services Firms

3y

2 Vital keys to Remaining Competitive for Professi...

In recent months, professional services firms are facing more pressure than ever to deliver value to clients. Often, clients look at the firms own inf...

View resource
Turn Accounts Payable into a value-engine
Accounting Firms

Turn Accounts Payable into a value-engine

3y

Turn Accounts Payable into a value-engine

In a world of instant results and automated workloads, the potential for AP to drive insights and transform results is enormous. But, if you’re still ...

View resource
Digital Links: A guide to MTD in 2021
Making Tax Digital

Digital Links: A guide to MTD in 2021

3y

Digital Links: A guide to MTD in 2021

The first phase of Making Tax Digital (MTD) saw the requirement for the digital submission of the VAT Return using compliant software. That’s now behi...

View resource