Where Tax Marketing Magic Comes From

I’ve only been a casual baseball fan most of my life.
Growing up in Washington, DC … well, we were stuck with the Orioles for years (which wasn’t so bad — Cal Ripken, Camden Yards are pretty fun memories). So when the Nationals came to town a few years back, I slowly started to shift my allegiances and became a fan. A long-suffering one, I suppose.
And then last night happened. Talk about October magic! After an epic, 13-pitch at-bat, Jayson Werth stroked a home run in the bottom of the 9th in a tie game, and the Nationals live to fight another day in the NLDS playoffs. (ESPN has a great recap here.)
But here’s the thing about these “magic moments” — they don’t last (Game 5 is tonight, and it’s do or die).
And for your firm, it is extremely easy to get seduced by the next “magic” button that comes along, and promises to ease all your worries and finally give you that breakthrough you’ve been fighting for, with a click of a mouse or the stroke of a pen.
But the real magic is born from a steady movement, in the same direction.
It’s the “magic” which comes because you’ve consistently and surely kept in touch with your clients and prospects in a personal  way, whether it’s through email, print newsletters, social media or other formats.
It happens when you consistently remind your clients of the value that you bring, when you show them real-world figures of what they save on taxes or fees, based on your advice and execution.
When you are able to rouse yourself (once again) out of the form-filled stupor of yet another IRS deadline (like the one on Monday), and lead your staff towards the kind of excellence which you know your clients deserve.
Or when you do what it takes to try different marketing strategies, and “magically” your phone starts ringing, your inbox starts to fill (with leads), and your revenue “magically” improves by 20%, year over year.
You’re under the gun right now, I know — but I want to remind you that real magic comes from what you do,  day in and day out.
Don’t drink the koolaid that comes from reaching for the magic happy pill.
Grow your firm, strategically, consistently, relationally … and it really might feel like “magic” to your employees, or your spouse.
But you’ll know better. And today, I salute you.
Keep pushing. After Monday, the real stuff of preparing to make the “magic” happen during tax season begins.
Talk again soon.