If you’re having trouble with digital marketing, by the end of this blog, you’ll know where you are, and what steps to take to reach your business goals using digital marketing.
Let me share a story of a woman I met named Margaret. She’s 51 and runs a successful accounting firm in Nairobi’s CBD. For 17 years, her business grew through word-of-mouth and referrals. But recently, younger competitors have started attracting her potential clients, and she is puzzled about why this is happening.
“My daughter tells me I need to be on social media,” Margaret told me, frustrated. “But I’m not going to dance on TikTok to get clients. That’s not who I am.”
Digital marketing has become overly complicated. But you don’t have to become a social media influencer to grow your accounting or finance practice.
Your Customers Have Changed How They Search
When someone needs an accountant in Westlands or financial consulting, they go to Google first. If you’re not there, then you become invisible.
Margaret initially tried Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn at the same time. She posted randomly with little success. Her turning point came when she focused her digital marketing for small businesses strategy on one thing: making sure people searching for “tax consultants near me” could easily find her business, along with clear information about her accounting and finance services.
Here’s how that looked. Before launching campaigns, she set up proper tracking systems. Many business owners start posting without knowing if anyone can really contact them from the digital marketing efforts.
She followed what I call the “40% rule”. Spending 40% of efforts on improving website conversions and 60% on driving traffic. Within three months, Margaret’s online inquiries increased by 173% from serious clients who valued her accounting and finance expertise.
The secret wasn’t just posting. It was in ensuring when someone found her business online, they understood why her 17 years of experience made her the right choice.
Your Experience Is Your Advantage
Successful digital marketing for small businesses eats your years of expertise for breakfast. Margaret’s long-standing client relationships in accounting and finance became her biggest assets.
The goal wasn’t to compete with 25-year-olds. It was to show potential clients that while others were still learning, she had already solved the problems they may face.
In her case, Margaret found relief in knowing she didn’t have to become a digital marketing expert. She needed guidance from someone who understood both digital and traditional business realities..
In the same breath, your success depends on connecting your expertise with those who need it most, and lending your hand to an expert, especially when it’s a whole gray area in your mind.