Testimonials are one of my favorite low-cost but high-impact tools to grow my CPA practice. Getting testimonials from happy clients is an important thing to do and creates a powerful tool for marketing your accounting firm. They create believability, credibility, and a sense of security for your prospects. They help to break down the natural barriers and distrust that skeptical prospects may have towards you or your CPA practice at the onset. If you watch any infomercial, you will see that they are loaded with testimonials. That's because they work.

Testimonials are a must have. If you don't have clients in your accounting practice, meaning you are just starting out, then get them from freebie clients who you've helped.

A really important thing about testimonials is that they can be used by potential clients as references if you set it up that way. All of my client testimonials are set up in one easy-to-read document and each testimonial has the person's name, their company name and the town they are located in. They have to look like and be real people for believability.

There are 2 types of testimonials:

• the warm fuzzy ones

• the ones with specifics

Let me give you an example of each.

EXAMPLES:

The warm and fuzzy one:

“I opened my practice almost two years ago. In the process I knew I needed a good accountant on my side. I had interviewed two others before I met Salim at an ANJC meeting. We set up a meeting the following week at his office. After just a few minutes in his office, I already knew The Omar Group would be the right firm for us. Salim and his team have a lot of experience not only with small businesses, but also specifically with chiropractors. It has been a great experience for me so far. Anytime I have a question (and I have many questions), or concerns they are always there for me. The Omar Group has been filing all my business and personal taxes ever since I opened, and as I grow, they are still able to meet all my needs. Salim has been able to give us great business advise even on topics such as marketing, advertising, and referrals. I am grateful for all they have done for myself and my practice. I highly recommend their services to chiropractors in NJ.”

(Name of doctor)

(Name of business), (Town and State)

A specific one:

“Your Quarterly QuickBooks Health check services by your QuickBooks Doctors are excellent because its helps me keep my finances on track. The recent catch of a mistake my bank made put back $3,107 in my pocket. That alone paid off my fees to you. The financial and tax advice you've provided to me as my CPA during the financial stewardship meetings have already proved to be beneficial in saving me money and time.”

(Name of owner)

(Name of business), (Town and State)

It's not bad to have a few “warm fuzzies,” but notice how much more convincing the specific one is. The second client's mention of a concrete achievement my firm made for them is more likely to convince prospects that they will receive a similar tangible benefit.

So you want to be on the lookout for great opportunities to receive highly specific testimonials. When you receive a thank-you from the client (in whatever form), seize the opportunity to ask whether you can quote them in your testimonial list.

You can and should also systematically ask satisfied clients for their feedback in writing, using questions that will elicit both how they feel about your practice in general and what specific positive encounters they've had with your firm. (You can also ask for specific negative encounters if you want to use the opportunity to enhance your services, but if you do this, be sure to ask about negatives after you ask about positives.)

Testimonials are one of my favorite low-cost but high impact CPA firm marketing tools. They are a must have because they break down the natural barrier and distrust that skeptical prospects may have towards you or your accounting practice at the onset.