Attn: TAX PREPARERS

NOW....is the time to do some Marketing of your services.

I've done some consulting work for Tax Preparers....which have worked for them. I posted the following on another Forum, in response to a "Tax Preparers" request and I thought anyone HERE, involved with Tax Preparation could benefit. THIS technique has also worked for MANY other business categories.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ +++++

AD Headlines;

"If We Can't Save You Money On Taxes.....Our Service is FREE!"

"If We Can't Cut Your Taxes.....Our Service is FREE!"

"FREE Tax Service....if we can't cut your taxes!"

I like #3 best because you have about 2 seconds to "grab their attention" and this one is shortest with the "Grabber", "FREE" as the first word.

Or this one has worked for MANY businesses;

Make up a Report or a "Hotsheet" on "12 Ways to Save Money on Taxes" (or, "Cut Their Taxes")

Then, run these small "Reverse" Display Ads in local newspapers....

"WARNING! Before hiring someone to do your taxes, call this "Free Recorded Message"! 555-555-1212 Ex. 122"

or....

"FREE Recorded Message Reveals 12 Ways To Cut Your Taxes. Call 555-555-1212 Ex. 122 24hrs!"

Now....these last 2 are 2 minute messages giving the "Reasons WHY" callers should leave their Name, Address & Phone # to receive your FREE Report.

You could also send POSTCARDS to "Specific" Categories;

"FREE Recorded Message Reveals, 12 Ways Dentists Can Save Money on Taxes! Call 555-555-1211 Ex 121"

or

"FREE Recorded Message Reveals....12 Ways Animal Hospitals Can Cut Their Taxes! Call 555-555-1212 Ex 122"

What a "Free Report" and a "Recorded Message" does is, "Introduces YOU to prospects who are LOOKING for "Tax Help". They are NOT YET READY to "talk turkey" or "Talk to a Sales Person". This technique MOTIVATES them to CALL YOU....because YOU are offering "FREE Info" that could help them.

I sometimes call this "Marketing Method"....the "Tugboat". It is the way a tugboat gets a huge Chain or Rope up to the deck of a Big Ship. The tug first shoots a small. nylon line up to the guys on the ship...they tie a larger rope to it...then a larger line...etc....until they tie on the Chain.

This also "psychologically OBLIGATES" them. When they receive your Report....they can SEE that YOU "know your stuff"....and NOW....they are "ready" to find out;
1) WHAT you can do for them
and
2) What your Fees are

All your competitors are saying;
"TRy Us!" or, "We're the Best!" or, "Call US First!"...etc By YOU offering some FREE Info....YOU will get MORE CALLS...AND....I'm betting MANY of those calls will turn into clients. I've seen it happen in MANY businesses.

Don Alm...."Marketing Guy"

Some of my Home-Based businesses

Don, thanks for this great idea and great ideas you've given in the past.

(Btw, recently I relistened to some Gary Halbert tapes and he mentioned in one discussion how you and he had some exciting results together in the money making business. I'm sure it would be interesting to give us the inside scoop on some of those successes.)

Anyway here's some other headlines that might work:


Headline 1:
If I Can't Find You 500 Dollars In Tax Deductions You Didn't Know About
30 Minutes After We Talk You Get This Check

{Photo}Guy(Girl) Holding Oversize Check Of $250 (or whatever amount you feel comfortable with)

Headline 2:
Here's One Question You Shouldn't Ask Your Tax Preparer

Headline 3:
How You Can Obey Every US Tax Law And
Never Pay Taxes The Rest Of Your Life

Don,

Excellent Ads & Ideas.

With that information "Anyone" can run Tax Classified Ads etc. throughout Multiple Local and Geographical Locations...

And Sell their Leads and/or Joint Venture with Tax People or setup a Matching Network connecting Consumers with Tax businesses.

As I've posted before...

Also Think about other Creative Places and Ideas where Tax businesses could "Nichify Themselves!'

http://taverntax.com/

These ideas can also be Applied to many other Product and Service businesses...

Phil

I met Gary Halbery at Bill Myer's seminar in Hot Springs, Ark back in 1995, when he and I were "Presenters". At lunch we discovered we BOTH loved "New Ideas" and "Marketing" and "Seeing If our Ideas work". We did a "Joint Venture" with one of my projects and it was a great experience, for me. Talk about a "quick mind"...wow!...Gary's mind goes "a mile a minute".

When he was finished with his presentation on stage, someone asked him to create an ad for "AOL Classifieds" (AOL Classifieds were very BIG back in '95)

He paused for a few minutes....wrote down some notes and "floored us all" with the Ad he came up with. That day, Gary impressed forever, over 100 "Internet Newbies" who later, some became, and are still, "big names" in the "Web Marketing" arena.

We met again at another of Bill Myer's seminars where we were again presenters. Talk about an "impressive" presentation...wow.

I have some of Gary's first few years of his Newletters from back in 1985 thru 1992 (I think) "Gems" of Marketing".

He included some of my ideas and projects in his NL back then. I think he still has a website. And, last I heard, he was spending time in Costa Rica. One guy who I helped get started in the "Fax" biz "retired" there from his profits from the Fax biz. (Hi Eddie...if you see this)

Anyway...thanks for mentioning Gary Halbert....brings up fond memories.

Don Alm

I got a list of people that owed the IRS money and sent to people that owed more than $10,000. This headline. I can get you out of the Grip of The IRS for only $90.00.
I had more business that year than I have had since. I since increase my fee to $300.00. I still get clients and ever tax season I may get that list again for current tax payers. I have a great UPS that is not about prices now. That will be on my phone and everywhere else.

I am doing one for my one two clients now before and during tax season.

I have two methods I use one is offers in Compromise and another method I two methods I don't want to spill the beans here.

Why don't you put a Report together and sell it to other Tax Preparers?

Or even justa Hotsheet?

There's gotta be a Forum where Tax people hang out.

Don Alm

PERFECT TIMING to Don and the others who have given suggestions, I haven't been to the sow forum in a few months or so, and I was coming back to post a topic on "how to market my tax prep business" but

Suprisingly when I come back, this is the latest post which is incredible because this will be my first season season as an official tax preparer ( I have an accounting degree and have been doing returns for friends & family for a few years) but this will be my first year in business.

Plus the weird thing is I already have a report "# BIG Mistakes taxpayers make when choosing etc" but I haven't figured out how to use it with a combined classified ad. Until reading this thread. Do you think I should mail the report via snail mail ?

I was also like any suggestion on how to use my other marketing material.

1. A editoral style flyer with the headline $1900 in 29 minutes or less.... The rest in 24 hours. And a guarantee that protects from the irs like a blanket". I am going to pass these out on apt doors.

2- Some full color brochures provided by my bank partner about fast money, etc. I'm gonna leave these in local businesses

3. Postcards similar to the brochure ? no idea

any suggestions on how to put these all together, if not I still thank you (and sow) in advance for being a blessing to me.

also don, what is the name of that other forum for tax preparers you mentioned ?

Dear txtaxguy,

I personally would make that report that you have available by autoresponder.

I guess I'm just too lazy to print and mail those reports. I know you might miss a few, but with the 'net being available to so many, it's hard to not use it in this situation

If you have a website and your webhost offers autoresponders, use one that's associated with your business.

If you have no website, use an autoresponder service such as www.getresponse.com. ( this is not an affiliate link)

I have used them for a couple of things in the past and will be using them again in the near future. If you choose not to use them, do a google search for free autoresponder services, there should be plenty of information there.

Good Luck,

Gary

Originally Posted by ggilman

Dear txtaxguy,

I personally would make that report that you have available by autoresponder.

I guess I'm just too lazy to print and mail those reports. I know you might miss a few, but with the 'net being available to so many, it's hard to not use it in this situation

If you have a website and your webhost offers autoresponders, use one that's associated with your business.

If you have no website, use an autoresponder service such as www.getresponse.com. ( this is not an affiliate link)

I have used them for a couple of things in the past and will be using them again in the near future. If you choose not to use them, do a google search for free autoresponder services, there should be plenty of information there.

Good Luck,

Gary

Thanks Gary,

Anymore suggestions on getting the word out for tax biz.

Low Cost of course.

I have several books and booklets on taxes at my site. My site has my name or just go to the search engines and put my name in it. I wrote them I am not as writer but a tax man who writes about taxes and business. I even sell two software programs. One for business and one to put your voice on the computer. My Business one does Fix and Variable expenses and tell you what how much you have to sell to make x amount of dollars.

Anyone I show this program to goes crazy and wants a copy. I sold a few 100 at $19.95. No I did not make a million dollars or anything close, not yet.

And I also sell hard to find books like ones by Elmer Wheeler and E. Haldeman-Julius, at my $19.95 price One by Elmer Wheller that costs $300 if you can find a copy sells for $29.95. It was hard to find. It was almost impossilbe to find. But I found a copy and put it in a pdf file. I outsourced that project.

The coping of the book and making the Pdf was outsourced. It was much more cost effect than me doing it

I even got a hard to find book by my favorite Mentor of Millionaires Napolean Hill.