If you’re a PracticeWeb professional content subscriber you’ll have logged on this morning to find our branded report on the Chancellor’s summer economic update in your inbox.
We know accounting firms use this content in all sorts of ways, from internal staff training to the basis of client newsletters.
We also know some people aren’t getting all the juice from it they could.
With that in mind, here are a few tips.
Make it your own
As well as the branded PDF, we also send a text document so you can access the raw copy of the report.
Because Google penalises duplicate and plagiarised content, you don’t want to just copy and paste this on to your firm’s blog.
What you should do is adapt it and make it unique.
We’ve done the research, digested the announcements and checked the facts – you just need to find your own words to express it.
For example, you might copy the section on VAT cuts for hospitality and tourism, and then rewrite it as a 500-word blog post of your own, with a link to the full report at the bottom.
Finding different ways to say the same thing isn’t easy but it can be done, especially if you apply your firm’s unique tone of voice:
- Chancellor Rishi Sunak has set out a raft of new measures to stimulate the economy in the wake of the coronavirus crisis.
- The Chancellor yesterday announced new measures designed to boost our economy as we struggle to recover from the impact of the coronavirus crisis.
- Rishi Sunak has announced a slew of new initiatives to stimulate the UK economy in the wake of the coronavirus crisis.
Rewriting one sentence at a time is the standard approach. Alternatively, here’s another technique:
- Read it through twice.
- Rewrite it from memory.
- Read it aloud and amend to make it feel natural.
- Then check against the original for accuracy..
Speak directly to your clients
Because our pro content goes to hundreds of firms up and down the country, it can’t speak to specific sectors or regions.
That’s where your knowledge of your client base and marketing objectives comes in.
If you work with construction businesses, for example, emphasise the importance of the stimulus to the housing market via the green homes scheme and stamp duty land tax holiday.
Or write a blog post that ties the announcements into your town, city or region: “Seasonal businesses in Bournemouth will no doubt appreciate the targeted VAT cut for hospitality and leisure…”
You might even refer to specific clients and link to case studies, or quote them – what do they think of the Chancellor’s speech?
Add some spice
Again, we can’t include strong opinions in our report and have to reflect a balanced view.
You, on the other hand, are free to be as opinionated as you like.
One great technique that really adds personality and will make your content stand out is to add a quote from one of your partners.
You’re the experts – your clients want to know what you think.
If you think the Chancellor hit it for six, say so. If you think the mini-Budget failed to address the needs of a core group of your clients, speak up on their behalf. They’ll appreciate feeling seen.
Fuel for social
Finally, use this content to boost your social media presence.
Pull interesting quotes you think will be especially interesting to your clients and put them into social media graphics using Canva, Adobe Spark or whatever your preferred tool might be.
Encourage individuals at your firm to share the report on LinkedIn or Twitter with a covering note of their own.
Do they think the policies will be good for your clients, or are some left out? What do they think the effect of the VAT cut for hospitality and tourism might be? Are they excited at the prospect of a discounted Nando’s in August?
Use video
As well as the document, we’ve also supplied a video summarising the key points. It’s unbranded except for a discreet credit for PracticeWeb at the very end.
Embed this in your blog posts or share it on social media.
Even better, record your own version.
It doesn’t have to be fancy – see above! What matters is letting clients see your face and hear your voice. It’s a great encouragement to them to get in touch and continue the conversation.
Keep an eye on the PracticeWeb blog for more marketing tips and advice and connect with Ray on LinkedIn.
