Accounting and Finance Lead Generation – Lessons From the Medieval

The activities associated with banking, accounting, and other financial-related functions have existed for as long as money itself. From Babylon and Rome to medieval Europe, accountants and financial advisors have always existed in some shape or form.

But while their roles and duties may have grown more complex, their cultural associations remain surprisingly unchanged for the most part. Money-hungry advisors. Penny pinching merchants.

Are these biases? Misconceptions? Actual truths?

In any case, any form of lead generation for accountants is compromised because of these perceptions.

Take for example the role of Master of Coin in the fantasy series Game of Thrones. The character Petyr Baelish is involved in multiple scandals such as the turbulent state of King’s Landing’s economy to bribing city watch guards into a plot-twisting betrayal.

That sort of money-grubbing scheme is normally expected in the likes of CSI, Mad Men, and of course real life. But no, in truth, the ills of the financial industry were as common then as they are now. The misuse and abuse of money, shoddy bookkeeping, and criminal laundering are as much a reality for accountants and advisers as it is for fictional characters.

If anything, the fiction is but a reflection of how at least a few people view those whose industry involves handling money. It’s not the best sort of impression you’d want and yet already there are some who have it before you pick up the phone or send an email pitching your services.

The good news is that these cultural associations touch upon the most basic needs of your prospects. And if your lead generation process satisfies these needs, you’re going to be a lot harder to refuse.

• Trust – Whether it’s calling out of the blue or penning blaring subject lines, these are just some of the things that cause mistrust. Never forget that the moment a prospect sees you’re in the business of money, they’ll be watching you closely. It sounds ridiculous but you need to keep your hands raised and have a white flag handy just so you could talk.

• A proven record – Having a record of bringing success and relief to past customers is actually just half the picture. The other half is whether or not you didn’t get involved in anything shady during the process. You can promise all the wealth to your prospects but that doesn’t matter when it comes at the cost of their trust issues.

• Transparency – Finally, a proven record means you don’t have a habit of hiding things. There’s a fine line between protecting the finances and financial information of your customers and just protecting yourself. You shouldn’t have anything to hide when prospects start asking questions.

Many people think that the ills of finance are too complicated (and its effects on a national scale are certainly debated). That doesn’t mean that at the heart of it all, they reveal a basic loss of trust that marketing and lead generation campaigns should focus on first and foremost. It doesn’t matter whether you’re appealing to the CEO of a startup to a monarch of Westeros.

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