Why CPA Education Must Include Internet Marketing Tools, Social Media and Blogging

Imagine being in an industry that has more demand and need than is being fulfilled. This is the sad, but opportunistic story of the CPA. While so many businesses are being penalized by the IRS for bad accounting and tax handling, the lone CPA himself suffers for lack of new customers.

About seventy percent of CPA’s and accountants are single practitioners. Many of these CPA’s are never formally educated in marketing, advertising, much less SEO, blogging and other vital internet marketing tools. According to Sterling Management Systems http://www.sterling-management.com/ of Glendale, CA, these CPA’s are seen by other business professionals as the experts on how to manage a business. While accounting is most definitely an important factor in managing costs and profits, it is an after the fact analysis point.

What most is most deficient in a CPA’s acumen is how to generate leads, sales and higher levels of profits. And this is why they have been losing past clients while not adding enough. Their clients are dying from a lack of marketing “how-to” to stay afloat and even expand after the storm has subsided. Most of their clients are not even blogging from their existing web sites.

Another option is for the accounting world to partner up with the SEO and web design world, forming an allied partnership to help businesses do what needs to be done to not fall into the traps that so many businesses do. ANd believe me, there are many SEO guys out there that could utilize a new channel of business referrals, particularly from a trusted source – the CPA. When you consider the opportunity, having one place to keep your books and taxes IRS “bullet proof”, while also showing effective web marketing techniques is one powerful package of services.

While the partnership is ideal for both, universities and colleges will need to recognize the need to include in a CPA’s education the need to understand the basics of web marketing, blogging and basic marketing strategy.

Ask any business person, “What if you had infallible financial records and a profitable marketing plan?’, and I think you will see the opportunity that exists to two industries, both looking for more clients.