September 2003a- Each month this page will be updated with new tips and ideas and the previous content archived. As time goes by our archives will grow. These will always be accessible, and always without charge. Enjoy.

Welcome to the free tips page for September 2003

Instant Web Sites - Good or Bad Marketing Idea?

A Firm Web Site. It's something virtually every CA, CPA and other public accountant knows that they need, but still so many don't have one.

Worse yet, many who feel that they need to do 'something' about it, and get a presence on the world wide web, go for the 'quick fix' of buying-in to a templated service.

Sure, some of the fancy calculator tools look very useful, but from my own work and research with accounting firms and their clients, guess what I discovered? The huge majority of clients of public accounting firms NEVER USE these extras!

All that they really want from your web site is this - good solid valuable information that adds value to their relationship with you. Your web site is an ideal way to show your firm's personality, focus on the services that YOU want to provide to clients and tell your story in your own words to visitors.

So why pay for a service that provides you with a web site that could well look identical to your competitors' web site (if you choose the same options) and doesn't add anything to the argument 'Come to us, we're different' when the look and feel and even the content is exactly the same as many other firms?

To my mind it does more harm than good (and in your potential clients' eyes too, as I found out by actually talking to clients and potential clients of some CPA firms I work with as a research project).

When you add up the cost (usually a monthly subscription service) of these 'off the shelf' sites, they're actually way more expensive than getting a site custom built just for you!

So let's look at the pro's and con's of using one of these 'easy to start - one size fits all' type of services against having a site custom built by us.

'One Size Fits All' Service	-vs-	Custom Built Web Site
Cost - $40 to $100 per month ad infinitum (you do the math!)	-vs-	Cost - One time cost of $500 to $1,500
Content - The same as many of your competitors, hurting your claims to be different	-vs-	Content - Unique content written exclusively for you, telling your story in your own words, focusing on areas that you want to focus on
Content - Costly, slow, difficult or even impossible to update	-vs-	Content - Updates can be done within 24 hours to reflect changes in the firm's staff, partners, new services, seminars or any other issues
Image - Just another firm of bean counters, similar to many other firms web sites	-vs-	Image - Wow - that's different! A site exclusively designed around your own colours, logo and preferences packed full of persuasive text, encouraging new inquiries, with useful content that visitors will value
Personality - Content reflects what the service provider feels suitable for 'all public accounting firms'	-vs-	Personality -Content truly reflects your own and your firm's unique personality
Effectiveness - Not written from a marketing perspective but from a technical perspective, intended to appeal to other accountants (so that they buy) - when did another accounting firm last become a client!?	-vs-	Effectiveness - Written with the CLIENT or PROSPECTIVE CLIENT in mind, helping them to come to the decision to use YOUR firm, not some other competitor
Time Efficiency - Not having done this before, you or one of your team members will probably spend many hours in trying to follow the provider's guide to do-it-yourself web site construction	-vs-	Time Efficiency - We have built many web sites for clients (public accounting firms) and a detailed discussion with you and some email exchanges and we're ready to start the project to give you exactly what you want

So, there are a few simple comparisons. I could go on, but I think you get the message by now. It really is (to use an old English quote) 'Penny wise, pound stupid' to waste time energy, cash and other resources to get something quick that doesn't get results for you.

I urge you to get a web site custom built for your firm as soon as possible. Of course, I'd love to do it for you, as it's a rapidly growing part of my own business, but that's not the point.

The point is, to use a professional web designer, who knows the public accounting market and who will provide you with a site that is uniquely you at a fair price that gets results.

Towards Awesome Client Service - Module Two. The Success Story Continues..

After the success of Module One, we look forward to continuing the journey towards awesome client service with our subscribers, old and new, with the launch of Module two. It's packed full with new ideas and approaches to develop closer working relationships with your clients, and a better yield on your investment in your staff and yourself. The price is held at the introductory rate of $249.95 per module (US funds) so join us now, and if you haven't yet signed up for Module One, you can still do so at the introductory rate.

Module Three is released in June this year, more details will come in next months free tips page.

Find out more at: www.awesomeclientservice.com/details.htm

For those interested in our "Towards Awesome Client Service" program, please click on the logo here:
For those who need a little help in marketing their firm, please feel free to call me direct at:	905-569-2174
If you're ready to get a web site for your firm, go to our web site services page by clicking on the screen shot here:
Or if you simply want to get some great ideas on how to cost effectively market your firm, then check out our eBooks below.

Check out our eBooks:

Our full range of e-books is now available for immediate download. All are now available as "PDF" files AND eBook files - the choice is yours, or download both versions (no extra cost) to see which format you prefer!

Including:

For more details, see our products page

So, that's all for now, if you need more, sign up for our free e-newsletter, LEDGER, on our newsletter sign-up page, or look at our best-selling manual LOW COST HIGH IMPACT WAYS TO WIN NEW CLIENTS.

Thanks for visiting.
Have a great month.
Until next time.

More free tips to come as we next update our site in October 2003.