While tax and accounting professionals are not typically the first people that come to mind as leaders in adopting emerging online technology, many of them are now turning to services typically used by their kids. Facebook and MySpace, online social networking sites originally created for college students, have since grown not only in the age of its demographic, but also in the number of users utilizing it for business purposes. Accounting professionals are taking advantage of these free sites for many reasons.
First of all, online social networks like Facebook and LinkedIn--a professional who's who in the online community--significantly increase your ability to connect to others, manage relationships and organize an ever-increasing volume of information. Both of these sites have multiple user groups specifically for CPAs and others in the accounting industry. By harnessing these online resources, you can share ideas with a greater volume of people across the nation. These online user groups provide you with a means to stay up-to-date with any new technological advances within your profession that could potentially save you time and money.
Secondly, for those professionals looking to incorporate the millennial generation into their practice, these sites are a great tool for recruitment and retention. Furthermore, social networks are a great, as well as cheap, way to grow your practice by expanding your contact base. These networks can often act as a very effective customer relationship management tool. The possible benefits of these online resources are vast and truly take very little effort for you to unleash.
According to alexa.com, the web information company, Facebook and MySpace both lie in the Top Five visited sites in the United States on a daily basis. Making your firm a part of these sites is not only free but is becoming a growing (if not expected) facet in generational marketing. Consider creating a page, or have your twenty-something colleague create a page, for your firm! You will probably be enlightened by the response you receive from the "wired" community.
