How Content Marketing Can Elevate Your CAS Game

Read Time: 4:59 minutes

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Leveraging social media to nurture the personal referrals you've been building is a game-changer for building advisory services in your accounting firm. Traditional methods of in-person networking are effective but time-consuming. You can maintain and enhance these relationships by integrating content marketing into your strategy. As discussed in our previous post on finding CAS clients, let's dive deeper into how social media and content marketing can work together to grow your CAS offering in your accounting firm.

Start with LinkedIn

When venturing into content marketing, start with one platform, and for most accounting professionals, LinkedIn is the ideal choice. This platform is perfect for connecting with potential clients and maintaining those relationships with other professionals in your local network. Unlike old-school personal referrals, which involve time-consuming coffee meetings, drinks, or golf outings, LinkedIn allows you to stay top-of-mind more efficiently. I learned most of what I will cover from Justin Welsh's Content OS course, which I highly recommend to up your LinkedIn game.

Engage Through Commenting

Begin by engaging with posts from other fractional professionals in your local network. Start commenting on their posts by sharing additional relative knowledge. For instance, I commented on a post with a real-life example of solving a problem, which led to a new client reaching out to me.

Moreover, a client of mine commented on one of my posts, which caught the attention of their client, leading to a prospect. While it didn't pan out, it showcased the power of staying visible online without constant in-person meetings.

Personal Branding Over Company Posts

Personal branding is more effective than company posts. People connect with people, not faceless brands. Start by sharing something you are passionate about, like my "#liventrepreneuerial" posts, which I publish every Friday. These posts do not always provide direct value, but they remind my audience of my presence and keep me top-of-mind.

After getting comfortable commenting on others' posts and sharing something you are passionate about, start offering value. Here are three ways I share value:

1. Sharing tips, I give to clients

2. Turning questions, I get from prospects and clients into content

3. Turning presentations, I give into content

Follow the 80/20 rule: give away 80% of your insights and ask for 20% or less.

Build a "Second Brain"

Capture ideas as they come to you. Use tools like OneNote or the Notes app on your phone to jot down thoughts and revisit them later. This practice ensures you retain potentially valuable content ideas.

Templates can also be beneficial when you're stuck. Justin Welch's Content OS course offers excellent templates and strategies for creating engaging posts. When I am stuck, I combine my second brain and templates to make posts.

Reuse and Recycle Content

Reusing posts can feel a bit off initially, but it's an effective strategy. Tools like HypeFury allow you to see past posts' engagement and suggest templates for new ones. Keeping a spreadsheet of your posts, including the date and engagement metrics, helps you track what works. When reusing posts, create new posts rather than retweeting or reposting.

I can barely remember my content, so no one else will recognize you resuing it. Plus, as you build your audience, it will give new people exposure to old posts that they otherwise would not see.

Testing for Long-Form Content

Experiment with different types of content to see what resonates with your audience. I use successful posts as an outline for longer-form content like blogs. Posts allow me to test potential ideas, see traction, and get questions or insights to expand on.

Blogging provides a dedicated audience and frees you from the constant changes in social media algorithms. I've also found that blogs are a great way to stay on the radar of prospects who aren't quite ready to buy without constantly sending those pesky FU ("follow-up") emails. My tool of choice for blogging has been beehiiv.

Blogging is a long-term game that requires significant effort. Turning short-form content into long-form content helps, but client and life demands can make writing content seem like a burden. This is why I have used ghostwriting services in my firm.

Full Stadium specializes in writing for the accounting industry and has been a valuable partner for me. I created a Loom videos explaining how I want them to expand on the post or a presentation. This collaborative approach ensures that the content aligns with my vision and taps into Full Stadiums' expertise in writing for the accounting industry. Using successful post outlines and detailed instructions, I've efficiently produced engaging and relevant content that resonates with my audience while saving time and effort.

Conclusion

Content marketing is a long-term strategy that demands consistency and patience. Start with LinkedIn, engage meaningfully, build a personal brand, and develop a routine. Capture ideas as they come, reuse content wisely, and don't shy away from using tools and services to aid your efforts.

Thanks for reading, Luke Templin!

P.S. There are two ways I can help you grow your CAS offerings when you are ready:

1. Automate your CAS offering with daily financial digest on autopilot

2. Join my How to Start Offering Advisory Services Cohort. The next one starts in September.