@Sawyer
Started as an intern and now a partner—been here 17 years.
Just starting up here… it’s a two-person firm specializing in Real Estate, Hospitality, International, Estate, Gift, and Trust taxes. We’ve gotten some good feedback, but not sure if it’ll turn into clients yet. Time will tell. Any tips for getting clients?
@Zen
So far, I’ve tried a few things. Google and FB ads haven’t worked great for me—I spent hundreds of dollars on clicks just to get calls asking if I was the IRS.
Now, I’m focusing on my Google Business Profile and reviews, with light Google ads. Once I get a steady flow, I plan to shift my focus to client referrals.
@Sky
Yeah, ads don’t seem too promising… based on this forum, networking with advisors, lawyers, and local CPAs seems to be the best approach for client growth. That’s our plan.
Zen said:
@Sky
Yeah, ads don’t seem too promising… based on this forum, networking with advisors, lawyers, and local CPAs seems to be the best approach for client growth. That’s our plan.
For sure, I’ve introduced myself to a few professionals but haven’t gotten referrals yet. It’s worth the long-term networking just to have people to refer clients to for legal or financial help.
Wei said:
@Sky
What’s the average ‘tax’ pay-per-click cost on Google?
I think I was paying around $1.4-1.8 per click in April and May.
Wei said:
@Sky
What’s the average ‘tax’ pay-per-click cost on Google?
I think I was paying around $1.4-1.8 per click in April and May.
Not bad, I thought it’d be more. How’s the lead quality?
@Wei
Honestly, pretty bad, haha. I didn’t convert a single call from ads. Probably 95% were people looking for the IRS or state tax office. Even with a paid marketing firm and tons of negative keywords, no luck.
About 90% of my clients are farmers, and I enjoy working with them.
Hadi said:
About 90% of my clients are farmers, and I enjoy working with them.
I have a few farmer clients, and I’ve always wondered how people specialize in this. How do you handle getting them all done by March 1, or do you just set up estimated payments?
@Finlo
Our association actually has its own accounting software made for farmers. They send us their books at year-end, and we make adjustments.
Most clients meet us in person or on their farms for year-end planning, which is really important between harvest and year-end. So our busy season runs from Nov 1 to March 1.
Not an owner, but our niche is local government and nonprofit audits, with some school districts. We also do a few single audits spread throughout the year. There aren’t many firms here doing audits, so it’s our most profitable service. I could do township, borough, and water/sewer authority audits all year.
For taxes, it’s mostly regular individuals and small businesses (1065s and 1120-S), with the occasional 1120. We focus more on audits, so our tax season is usually a normal 40-hour week, except close to deadlines.
@Yan
How do you keep up with all the changing GAAP rules? I was at my last job for 10 years, and we did nonprofit audits too. Over that time, I saw at least 3-4 big changes that added hours to each audit. Plus, my bosses didn’t raise fees for it, and we lost a few clients. I wouldn’t say we were cheap, either.
Niches don’t have to be about the type of work; it can be about the type of clients too. Someone here already mentioned they work mostly with farmers.
You could focus on small biz owners, big businesses, young people, lower-income clients, etc.
I work with entrepreneurs—people big enough to get themselves into tricky situations but not big enough to have a CFO or compliance officer. They pay well to keep the headaches away, which means steady work year-round.
Also, for some reason, I have a lot of sober living clients. It’s a close-knit industry, and once I had a couple, the clients kept coming.
I’m not on my own yet, but I’d like to work with sex workers, especially in the LGBTQ+ community. I’ve heard stories about them being judged by other tax pros, and I think I could offer a judgment-free service.