Krishna W is a 5-Star writer at WriterAccess
Accounting firms are in the problem solving and knowledge sharing business. Their clients come to them with a problem to solve in its up to you to find a solution. Whether a tax accountant, auditor, or forensic accountant, these service professionals are always looking for ways to resolve these issues and at the same time to educate their clients. Can you help?
A recent survey found that 36.8% of people hire a professional file their taxes each year. With 121.7 million people, working in the private sector alone, that’s a lot of people looking for help. We all know an accountant who seems to disappear from the face of the Earth between January 1st and April 15th each year, only to emerge from their offices as though they have been on the wrong side of a boxing match with Mike Tyson. Accountants serving other markets may have similar peak times. During this time period, they have little time to sleep, much less think about reading content or providing content to their clients that is not immediately actionable.
No matter whether you’re writing a business plan or writing about brand new accounting regulations, keep these questions in mind when writing for your audience.
Can I Use This Right Now?
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You will want to ensure that what you are talking about is relevant to the accountant in an article about year-end tax planning in February or even June is likely to get put in the tickler file to be read later, or never. An auditor does not want to read about tips for interim testing the day after they delivered the audit report. Make sure you understand the professionals work flow cycle so that you can deliver content that is a must read for your audience right now.
How is This Applicable to my Market?
The accounting profession is comprised of many different niches from tax accounting and auditing to forensic accounting. There are millions of topics which fall under the accounting umbrella. When you add in the specifics of various industry related to each niche (e.g. oil and gas companies or manufacturing) the number of topics increases exponentially. Topics can also vary depending on whether you are speaking to an accountant in Hawaii or Maine. If you are writing about estimated tax payments to a group of auditors you’re likely not get much traction.
Understanding your audience and how they serve their clients is a crucial part of creating content that your readers will love.
Can I Use This to Help my Clients Solve Their Problems?
Is this knowledge that the accountant can use as a framework for working with their clients? Are you helping the reader to find a solution? Accountants are problem solvers by trade and so if the content that you provide helps them to solve some of these issues, or at the very least, get them going in the right direction, you’ll be at the top of their list when looking for new content to read.
Can I Use This Content to Educate my Clients and Others?
It is content that the accountant can share with their client? At the end of the day the sole objective of an accountant or other professional service provider is to help the client reach their goals. If your content provides a nugget of wisdom that can educate the client if they win for everyone!
The Devil is in the Details
The rules and regulations governing the world of accounting is ever-changing. That great article you wrote last week on the deductibility of charitable contributions may no longer be applicable. Be sure to understand your topic thoroughly. Even one phrase written in the wrong context can change the meaning of your article and potentially make it inaccurate for your readers. The information you provide is likely to be checked, double-checked, and triple-checked. Make sure you have researched your topic thoroughly using authoritative sources.
If you’re looking help in getting started, authoritative sources such as FASB, GASB, and the IRS are great places to get you started.
Have a Little Fun
Accounting topics can be a little mundane. The latest article on “Accounting for Credit Losses” is not likely to be a page turner. Your creative flair can make even those most tedious accounting material a little more engaging. [Tweet it]
Content should be timely, industry specific, executable, and ideally provide information that can be shared with their client base. Accuracy is the key to ensuring that your content doesn’t get ignored. If you can help your audience to check all the boxes above about your content, you’ll create a loyal reader who looks forward to seeing more from you.
5-Star writer Krishna W is a freelance writer with a Master’s Degree in Accounting. She has experience with numerous facets of online freelancing, including content marketing, independent contracting, and blogging. She fully understands and is proficient in the online writing process.
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