Abstract: [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] has taken the Internet by storm. Like Linked[n and Facebook, hosts a growing community of CPAs and financial professionals, but unlike its social-networking peers, the microblogging Web site limits users' messages, questions and conversations to 140 characters (including spaces). To put this limit Into perspective, this paragraph has 425 characters--more than three times Twitter's character limit for posts. Despite Twitter's requriement to u brief, CPA firms, practitioners and state societies are using to market their organizations and reach potential clients and members. Here. CPA practitioners and state CPA societies share why and how they're using and what benefits they're reaping from their social media investment. CPA PRACTITIONERS Donna Bordeaux. CPA/PFS Bordeaux & Bordeaux CPAs PA, Lake Wylie, S.C. twitter.com/CharlotteCPA * yourcpapartners.com utilize to keep current on the pulse of what is going on locally and in our industry. It is a fun and easy way to meet new people who could someday be your clients and may not know you exist. We have obtained two new clients by their awareness of us in and have received a few mentions in blogs based on our social media presence. Our Tweets are a combination of business and personal comments. If you always post about business, you seem like you are always wearing the 'selling' hat. and other forms of social media are really for awareness-budding rather than direct sales. To be authentic, you really have to show all facets of yourself. always suggest that my clients get revolved slowly into the social media formats. We suggest LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter--in that order. Just like you would at a large meeting, listen and learn a bit before diving in. Start following some interesting local people and people in your industry. Pick up some interesting tidbits and then add in hashtags, direct messaging and re-Tweets. Donna Bordeaux and her husband, Chad (active on at twitter.com/CLT_CPA), also maintain the Beancounter Ramblings blog at yourcpapartners.com/blog. Byron K. Patrick, CPA/CITP Hosted Solutions, Baltimore twitter.com/byron_cpa ** goapps.us Through Twitter, I'm more informed about today's news and issues than ever. I am able to follow the people whose opinions I respect and no longer need to hunt for the information I want. It's delivered right to me. It's also a way for me to be in front of the people that potentially could be clients or referral sources without being too disruptive. I can build trust even before I have ever worked with them. Twitter is different than the other social networks. Others like LinkedIn and Facebook usually require a prior relationship before you connect. doesn't require that prior relationship, and it allows for trust and respect to be earned with colleagues that you have no prior connection Personally, I have expanded my network exponentially with very little effort and, hopefully, provide some value to those I am now connected with. Heather L. Fitzpatrick, CPA MarketFitz, Seattle twitter.com/hlfitzpatrick * marketfitz.com As a CPA who works as a consultant serving CPA firms, I have found to be quite useful for my practice. I have found references to articles and other resources that are of interest to clients, and the endorsement of a peer saves me time reviewing for quality. I have also connected with others focused on managing professional service firms through Twitter, and have seen some interesting ideas surface in those 140 characters. Finally, it's been helpful to my volunteer roles within organizations, which also helps me from a business perspective. I've had a surge in inquiries from CPA firms asking how to incorporate into their marketing initiatives. …
Publication Year: 2009
Publication Date: 2009-08-01
Language: en
Type: article
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Cited By Count: 1
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