Nearly half (46%) of U.S. adults plan to file their taxes in February—a tax preparation marketing opportunity for providers who act quickly. For consumers in small markets and rural communities, that number increases to 54%.
Less than 25% of consumers wait until April to file their income taxes. Now is the time to engage potential clients in your area and acquire new clients as they receive their end-of-year tax documents by January 31st, 2023.
Opportunities to Consider as You Plan Your Marketing Strategy
- Only about 1 in 5 millennials, a potentially lucrative market, use itemized deductions. Target them with messaging that highlights the opportunity to reduce taxable income.
- Emphasize your knowledge of tax laws: clients are seeking tax professionals who are up-to-date with legislative changes made in recent years.
- There is major opportunity to market services to Americans who entered the gig economy—59 million in 2020 projected to reach 90.1 million within the next six years. The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 made the tax-reporting threshold for gig work much lower than in the past.
- While approximately 40% of consumers plan to file their taxes using computer software, a nearly equal number plan to have an accountant or tax preparation services handle it for them. In the small markets and rural communities Mspark serves, 76% of consumers plan to file online.
Acquire New Clients with a Multi-Channel Approach
The average value of one new tax services client over a 10-year period is $4,402. Utilize a multi-channel marketing strategy anchored by direct mail to increase reach and response to acquire new clients. In the past 12 months, accounting and tax services clients have responded to ads across a variety of channels:
- Ads/Coupons in the mailbox: 60%
- Internet banner ads: 44%
- Streaming TV ads: 43%
Leverage Direct Mail & Digital Touch Points to Increase Reach & Response
Did you know?
- Print and digital media combined drive 69% of purchase influence.
- 60% of consumers are more likely to make a purchase after seeing an ad offline and online.
- When print is integrated with digital campaigns vs. single media campaigns, advertisers achieve a 39% lift in consumer awareness, and a 30% lift in response.
Research proves that for optimal results, a strategic marketing mix needs a print component as part of a coordinated, multi-channel strategy.
- Drive more traffic to your website with print—60% of consumers surveyed visited an advertiser’s website in response to direct mail.
- Maximize your investment with a longer shelf life—70% of consumers look at ads they receive in the mail and keep them an average of 14.5 days.
Now is the time to plan your strategy to acquire new tax preparation clients for the 2023 season. Reach out today to plan your strategy.
Sources: “SURVEY: Millennials & Men Are Most Likely to Be Overconfident About Their Tax Expertise.” Credello.com, 14 Jul. 2021. Web. 7 Dec. 2021; “Evaluating the New Tax Season Normal for Tax Advisors.” CPAPracticeAdvisor.com, 4 Dec. 2021. Web. 6 Dec. 2021; “For The Gig Economy, A New Era Of Reporting Poses Big Tax Challenges.” Forbes.com, 19 Nov. 2021. Web. 7 Dec. 2021; “Tax Preparation Services in the U.S.” IBSIWorld.com, 19 Aug. 2021. Web. 6 Dec. 2021; AdMall AudienceSCAN 2022; ANA Response Rate Report 2021; USPS Mail Moments Spring 2021 by Summit Research; SG360 + Walker-Sands Research Study April 2021