Your current clients know and have come to trust you, but to a prospective client, you may just be another accounting firm vying for their business. What makes you stand out from the crowd? How does your new bill pay service fit into your broader firm vision and offerings? How are you representing your offers on your website? How do you show up on social media?

Once you’ve launched to existing clients, you should have a good gauge on why they chose you, why they signed up for the bill pay service, and what messaging is resonating with them. If your messaging isn’t quite hitting the mark, this is a good time to adjust.

All of this wraps into the broader marketing message that you’ll use on your website, landing pages, social media content, and more. Start with the elevator pitch. Ideally, this “elevated” elevator pitch can be delivered in one to two concise sentences.

Positioning samples

• We are a full-service financial services firm that helps businesses save time and money through sound advice and the latest technology.
• We offer cloud-based accounting services that allow our clients to focus on their business, not shuffling paper.
• We are a virtual firm that specializes in freeing clients from labor-intensive back-office tasks.

Develop your own positioning statement

• Examine your firm and its offerings. What does your firm excel at? What common traits do your firm’s personnel exhibit? What do you offer that your competitors don’t?
• Examine your clients. What type of client does your firm normally work with? Are your clients focused on a particular area of work (for example nonprofits or construction)? What do happy clients have to say about your firm?
• Take feedback from these areas to craft a short positioning statement. Be sure to practice it on yourself, firm members, clients, and even family. And remember, a positioning statement isn’t set in stone. It’s useful to revisit it each quarter to keep it fresh, making sure it’s an accurate reflection of who you are today.