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Don’t wait until you’re overwhelmed to outsource your marketing. Invest the time now to ensure your marketing is not just surviving but thriving during peak seasons. Don’t wait until the busy season to realize you can’t keep up with your marketing.

 

In this episode of the Simplified Marketing Podcast, I discuss the importance of outsourcing your marketing strategy well ahead of your financial firm’s busy season. 

 

In this episode, I chat about:

• Why Timing is Everything
• The Risk of Hiring Under Stress:
• VAs vs. Marketing Strategists:
• Long-Term ROI of Early Hiring:

 

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Let’s dive into a crucial topic that often gets overlooked: outsourcing your marketing strategy before burnout strikes. As we approach Q4, I want to share insights that can help accountants, tax professionals, bookkeepers, and financial advisors streamline their marketing efforts and avoid the all-too-common cycle of stress during busy seasons.

 

Timing is Everything

 

As we consider the financial calendar, it’s clear that many professionals are familiar with the rhythm of the year. For accountants, tax season runs from January to April, while financial advisors often see a surge in activity at the end of the fiscal year. Bookkeepers might find themselves rushing to tidy up business books, either monthly or at year-end. I can relate; when I ran my bookkeeping firm, many clients would come to me at year-end, realizing they hadn’t kept up with their books. This can be a very stressful time when, ideally, we should be enjoying the holidays.

 

What does all this mean for your marketing? Often, marketing gets pushed aside in favor of client work. I remember connecting with a CPA on Instagram who was actively posting content, but after a busy period, she went silent for months. When she returned, she mentioned how overwhelmed she felt and couldn’t keep up with her marketing. This is a common struggle for many in our industry: the choice between clients and marketing.

 

But here’s the thing: the time to focus on your marketing is not during the madness. It should be at least three months before the chaos begins—what I like to call your Pre-Season Window. During this time, you’ll be engaging with your marketing strategist, gathering data, having discovery calls, and essentially educating them on your unique business needs.

 

Marketing isn’t just about posting on social media or sending out newsletters; it’s about building trust, positioning your expertise, and communicating your value effectively. Your marketing strategist needs time to develop the right messaging. If you wait until you’re buried in client work, those critical steps will feel rushed, and your marketing plan may suffer as a result.

 

The Stress of Last-Minute Hiring

 

Now, let’s talk about burnout. I’ve been there, and it’s not a pleasant place to be. I shut down my bookkeeping firm partially due to the overwhelming stress from clients who only reached out when they were knee-deep in work. Picture this: it’s late March, and your inbox is overflowing. Every email feels like an emergency. You realize you haven’t posted on social media in weeks and decide to throw something together quickly. This is not a strategy; it’s survival mode.

 

When you’re burned out, your focus shifts to just keeping your head above water. That’s not the time to make long-term decisions about your marketing strategy. You might decide to hire a social media manager, but without the time or mental bandwidth to properly vet candidates, you could end up wasting precious time and money on someone who isn’t a good fit.

 

Moreover, when stress is high, communication often suffers. You might not have the time to fill out necessary forms or engage with your marketing team properly, leading to frustration on both sides. Good marketing requires a solid strategy, and without proper collaboration, that strategy may be nonexistent.

 

I have witnessed this firsthand. A CPA hired my agency during tax season and was initially engaged, but as work piled up, she became unresponsive. She missed our calls and failed to provide the necessary information for us to move forward. I ultimately decided it would be best for her to pause her marketing efforts until she was less stressed. Supporting clients means recognizing when it’s not the right time for them to engage in a marketing partnership.

 

Why a Virtual Assistant Isn’t Enough

 

I know what some of you are thinking: “I’ll just hire a virtual assistant (VA).” While VAs are fantastic and can manage administrative tasks, they are not marketing strategists. A VA can execute tasks, but they lack the expertise to create a comprehensive, data-driven marketing strategy tailored to the financial industry.

 

Financial marketing is unique. It’s highly regulated, and your messaging needs to be precise and compliance-friendly while still being persuasive. You need a strategist who understands these nuances, knows how to target your audience, and can develop campaigns that generate leads and nurture relationships over time.

 

The Long-Term ROI of Hiring Early

 

Now, let’s talk about the return on investment (ROI) because I know you’re all interested in that. Outsourcing your marketing ahead of time is an investment in your future. Think of it as financial planning for your business growth. Just as you advise your clients to plan for their financial future, you should do the same for your marketing.

 

By starting three months before your busy season, you provide your marketing strategist with ample time to understand your business. This collaborative approach allows us to explore strategic initiatives, from content marketing to lead generation and client nurturing. When your busy season arrives, your marketing will be running on autopilot, generating leads while you focus on what you do best—helping clients with their financial needs.

 

Consider this: when your competition slows down after tax season, you’ll still be in the game. You won’t have ghosted your audience on social media because you took the time to prepare.

 

I’ve seen the pros and cons of not hiring at the right time. A couple of years ago, I spoke with a CEO of a financial planning firm who was on a spa retreat due to the overwhelming nature of her business. It was clear she needed to recharge before discussing marketing strategies. We postponed our conversation, and when we finally spoke again, she was relaxed and ready to engage. The result? A fruitful partnership that benefited both her firm and my agency.

 

Invest in Your Future

 

Here’s my challenge to you: don’t wait until you’re buried under tax returns or financial plans to think about your marketing. Invest those three months now to ensure you’re not just surviving your busy season—but thriving during it.

 

If you enjoyed this discussion and want more strategies to grow your financial firm, make sure to subscribe to the Simplified Marketing Podcast. And if you’re curious about how a financial marketing agency can help you grow your business, visit www.simplifiedmarketingservices.com to schedule a free discovery call today!