Using Social Media

Using Social MediaPresented by

Jina Etienne, CPADirector, Taxation

November 7, 2011

American Institute of CPAs

Joined AICPA January 31, 2011

In private practice over 17 years• Managing Member of CPA firm in Silver

Spring, MD• Firm specialized in tax services for

small businesses & individuals

Started career in 1988 in tax department of Touche Ross

Served two years on PCPS EC

Professional speaker, 16 years

Jina Etienne, CPADirector - Taxation


What am I going to talk about?

Should you tweet?

How much work is a blog?

Should you/your firm/your business be on Facebook?

Isn’t a website good enough?

Often the focus on using social media is to find clients but that is just the tip of the iceberg. While attracting and retaining clients are important considerations, there are other reasons to get in the game.


We will explore these questions and dive deeper into the why, how and where:

Why should firms include social media in their business plans?

How do you get started?

Where do you go for more information?

What am I going to talk about?


How many of you are already using Social Media in your firm or practice?

First…a question:


How many of you have…

A business card?

A firm brochure?

A website?

A cell phone? …and actually give the number out to clients?

A tablet?


Who is already on…

Facebook?

LinkedIn?

Twitter?

Other sites?

If you haven’t started, what is holding you back?


What did I do when I was in practice…

Maintained 2 websites• Main site for firm• Payroll processing website

Maintained several profiles• QuickBooks Pro Advisor• LinkedIn Profile• Facebook

- personal profile - company page

Two monthly newsletters (via Constant Contact)• General articles• QuickBooks tips & tricks


Forums• Twitter• Blog (called “Etienne Chatter”)

Public Speaking• Local organizations• Chamber “regular”• Professional Speaker for other

CPAs/professionals

Local listings• Goggle Places• Yelp

Networking Organizations

What did I do when I was in practice…

Why?…use social media

Watch this…


My favorite quote:


True or false?

You do business with people you know and trust!


It isn’t necessarily about YOU

Why?

Listen to other people’s conversations

Stay engaged in the space around you

You need to keep up with technology

Who?

Clients

Colleagues

Referral sources (bankers, attorneys, Chamber, etc.)

Potential employees


Many different conversations

Be part of the conversation between…

Clients and staff

Competitors and prospects

Colleagues and referral sources

Experts and advisors

Stay on top of …

Industry news

Client service trends

Technical developments (i.e., tax law changes)


Personal:

Friends

Family

Community

Churches

Schools

Business:

Friends

Family

Community

Churches

Schools

Relationships require connection

The internet has increased transparency in how we work and what we do.

Is this a good thing or a bad thing?


Reasons to Start

It is about more than just finding & retaining clients.

Branding

Search engine optimization

Reach and accessibility

Recruiting staff


Can you effectively separate your “business identity” from your “personal identity”?

Should you even try?

Is it about work/life balance?

Re-think Business vs. Personal

Integration


Why I chose to get started

Connection• I wanted to know more about my clients• I wanted my clients to feel more connected to me

Stay top of mind• Stay relevant• Keep up with what they were interested in

Drive traffic to my website

Demonstrate thought leadership• Original articles on newsletter and website• Posts that link taxes to everyday events or activities


What are your objectives?

Examples of common goals:

Develop and strengthen ��relationships with key audiences, such as clients

Showcase thought leadership on relevant topics

Provide pertinent news��Increase traffic to your website

How…do you get started?


Pick a place to get started

Facebook LinkedIn Twitter Blogs


Which social network is best?

It depends!

Not a one-stop shop

“Right” is different for every person

Consider:

What is your motivation to get started?

What do you want to get out of it?

How much time do you want to spend on it?

Will anyone else be involved?

Don’t start without a plan!

Facebook is a social networking website intended to connect friends, family, and business associates..

--Source: wiseGeek.com


The Value of Facebook


Pros

Could replace the traditional website

Free

Great place to provide information

Some efficiency in doing personal & professional networking in the same place

More users than any other tool

Cons

Users aren’t there to buy anything

Once a friend, always a friend

Can be addictive for some (must be managed)

Facebook functionality constantly changes

Visitors expect regularly updated content

Facebook

LinkedIn is a business-related social networking site. Founded in December 2002 and launched in May 2003, it is mainly used for professional networking.

--Source: Wikipedia



Pros

Many applications to supplement profile

Groups to join

Easy to reach out via messaging

Recommendations

1-on-1 connection

Can be a strong reputation builder

Cons

A barren, inactive profile won’t get you far

No real reporting features

No “community” functionality

Cannot “see” the internal organization of a connection

LinkedIn

Twitter is an online social networking and microblogging service that enables its users to send and read text-based posts of up to 140 characters, informally known as "tweets".

-Source: Wikipedia


Pros

Easy to navigate & update

One post hits all

Can connect it to LinkedIn & Facebook

Great tool for outbound messaging

Cons

Limited functionality

140 characters mean limited messaging

Lots of spam and scammers

Twitter

Blog…"Blog" (an abbreviated version of "weblog“) is a term used to describe web sites that maintain an ongoing chronicle of information.

--Source: WordPress.org


What exactly is a blog?

Blogs are distinctly structured websites that contain short, conversational-style articles called “posts.”

Each post is housed on a separate URL that is date and time stamped and can be commented on by readers.


Pros

More casual communication

Allows you to be seen as an “expert”

Can drive traffic to your website

Content can be more in-depth

Flexible schedule

Cons

Best if on your site but not required

May not like the comments

Boring blogs are ignored

Requires more effort to maintain

Blogging

What did I do?…The social media plan for my firm


How did I get started?

Started with LinkedIn• Joined in response to an invitation• Opened account 9/15/2008


My LinkedInprofile




Next, I joined Facebook• Opened personal account• Started a business page



I had a Business Page on Facebook

A Facebook page allows you to brand the company

Only the “official representative” can create a page for a business entity• Can designate others as page administrators


Managing Business vs. Personal Posts

Posts from business page show up on your personal page

Just “hide” posts you don’t want to see (including your own)





I started blogging in February, 2010• Used it to tell “stories” that didn’t fit anywhere else• Sometimes it served as a space for my personal “commentary”


I Used www.blogspot.com …

Now part of Google

Free

Must have Google account

http://www.blogspot.com/





I started blogging in February, 2010• Used it to tell “stories” that didn’t fit anywhere else• Sometimes it served as a space for my personal “commentary”

I started tweeting last year


Accounts were “integrated”• Tweets went to LinkedIn• LinkedIn went to Facebook• Used Apps to track activity

Included links in email footer

Mixed business & personal subjects

My Schedule• Comment on client Facebook posts• Participate in LinkedIn Group Discussions• Make an unsolicited recommendation on LinkedIn once a week• Tweet in AM & PM

My Social Media Plan


You can:

View all accounts from one place

See all activity

Schedule posts in advance

Review your plans• Change your mind• Reschedule messages

I used an aggregator


Other Social Media Dashboards

Threadsy

Tweetdeck

Spredfast

MediaFunnel

Seesmic

Brizzly


Everything in One Place Makes it Easier


Did most of my posting in advance…


All scheduled posts in one place

Can edit anytime

Can delete if you change your mind

You can see which networks are scheduled


Do it anywhere and everywhere

Set up your mobile apps

Monitor profiles using smart phone

Can access same profile from different devices

While away from the office or on the road• Take notes on app if you prefer to post from computer• Consider dictation or voice recorder app so you can to verbal

notes when on the road


Finding inspiration for posting

What are your clients asking you about?

Keep a “brain dump” document to store random ideas for follow-up later

Read the news• Books• Trade publications• Twitter

Subscribe to other blogs

Subscribe to RSS feeds and scan the headlines

Monitor discussions on list serves or professional groups and forums


Have a plan

Check Privacy Settings

Have a plan

Follow proper etiquette• Different for each site

Have a plan

Involve the entire firm

Have a plan

Connect with others on different profiles

Keys to Success


A Word About Privacy Settings

Review settings on all accounts

Check LinkedIn settings for using your information in their advertising



Facebook Privacy Settings

Check settings when you create account

Facebook privacy policy is constantly changing, so check back periodically

Remember, social media should• let people “in” enough to learn more

about who you really are• forge deeper relationships

If you lock everything down, this won’t happen.


A Word About Privacy Settings


Speaking of Facebook...

Other Pages:

Beta Alpha Psi

Young CPA Network

Start Here, Go Places

AICPA


Maximize the Value of LinkedIn

Add connections• Clients, competitors and referral sources• Follow-up after networking events

Participate in groups• Ask questions and provide answers• Share tips, tools and techniques

Make recommendations• Don’t wait until someone asks• Don’t be afraid to ask

Conduct research• Who is connected to who?• Gather intelligence on prospective hires and clients


Complete your profile

Profile Is NOT your resume - go deeper

Use present tense

Add CPA designation

Write a summary

Avoid acronyms

Please use a photo that is currentCheck for typos


Add Connections

Search one by one (time consuming)

Mine your contacts

Enter email addresses

Search by positions, past & present


Groups

Join groups you are likely to participate in

Consider groups that include• Client prospects• Referral sources• Specialty areas where you

have expertise

Demonstrate thought leadership• Share articles & news• Participate in discussions• Post tips & tricks


AICPA Groups to Consider

AICPA Tax Section

The American Institute of CPAs

CPA & Business Professional

AICPA Women in the Profession

Young CPA Network

Search Groups for “AICPA”:


Recommendations

Very powerful!

Carry more weight that testimonials

Give recommendations (builds good will)

Don’t be afraid to ask but discuss before you use the “Ask for…” feature


Introductions

Review your connections

Are there new contacts you’d like to make?

Pick up the phone and ask for an introduction (online feature without context is impersonal)• After a call, it is Ok to follow-up using LinkedIn tool

If someone asks for an introduction, call them back for more information• Introductions are like referrals (reflect on you, too)• Find out the ‘why’ behind the ask before you follow-through• Another opportunity to deepen a relationship


Other Etiquette & Annoyance Issues

Be respectful & professional, never aggressive

High frequency updaters will be especially noticeable with fewer friends

OK to hide posts on your newsfeed


Managing Friends on Facebook

Easiest to categorize friends from the beginning

Use whatever list names make sense to you


Friending, Unfriending, Likes, etc.

Facebook will prompt you to import contacts from Outlook

Don’t take it personally if someone doesn’t accept invite (they may only want to interact with friends and family)

OK to ignore a friend suggestion

Don’t unfriend lightly• If they are annoying, consider “hiding” them instead

Facebook will continually suggest friends

Pages you will show up in your news feed• OK to hide activity you don’t want to see


Social Media is a Team Sport

Everyone in the firm was involved• LinkedIn – we were each other’s connections• Facebook – we were friends (staff and their family, too)• Twitter – everyone followed the firm

Do more than just post, engage in the conversation

Use it to prepare for• Client meetings• Networking events• Prospective clients• Recruiting


How important is online “chatter”?


Why Consider Tweeting?

Consumer behaviors on Twitter are promising*• If they follow you, they are more likely to buy from you • It is the preferred platform for learning about product updates

Twitter can be a great source for news• Follow the AICPA on Twitter

Source:*

Implications for sharing tax law updates?


Why Consider Blogging?

Blogs can:

Be a great source for news• For you / your firm• For your clients

Enhance search engine rankings

Check out Insights, the new AICPA blog

More than 1/2 of internet users

read a blog once a month

AICPA Resources…for more information


Got to Career on www.AICPA.org


Next, click on Marketing Toolkit


Click on Social Media Marketing

NOTE: This is a member-only resource.You will be prompted for your userid and password.


Social Media User Guides

See Comparison Chart on Page 8


Compares Usefulness and Concerns


Facebook, LinkedIn


Twitter, Blogging


Learn the basics & share ideas in one of our short, interactive training sessions

Answer Center is located in the exhibition hall

Look for the AICPA’s Stacie Saunders during breaks in the exhibit hall

Live Q&A at this conference

Stacie SaundersAICPA Social Media Strategist

Curious About Social Media?Learn the basics & share ideas in one of our short, interactive training sessions:

Look for the AICPA’s Stacie Saunders during breaks in the exhibit hall.

Twitter 101Leveraging LinkedInFacebook for BusinessGoing Mobile


Session Schedule

Answer Center is located in the exhibition hall

Monday

7:00a – 8:00a Social Media: Q&A

9:10a – 9:50a Twitter 101

2:15p – 2:45p Leveraging LinkedIn

6:10p – 7:30p Social Media: Q&A

Tuesday

7:00a – 8:00a Social Media: Q&A

10:10a – 10:40a Facebook for Business

1:30 – 2:00p Social Media: QR Codes

Jina Etienne, CPADirector - Taxation1455 Pennsylvania Ave, NW, 10th FloorWashington, DC 20004

Direct: 202.434.9227Fax: [email protected]

Thank you!