Why do we pay taxes? Do I need to file this year? Why are taxes so complicated? What is a deduction and what counts as one? Can i file my taxes at any time? When are my taxes due? Why do I hate taxes so much?
It’s tax season 2018! Every year around this time, search engines are flooded with these questions, and the reason is obvious: tax season stinks! While we all need to do our part and pay our taxes on time, the act of filing taxes themselves is a headache for just about everyone, especially millennials. Fortunately, SMS is a surprisingly good tool to help filers get their questions answered, and it’s also very effective for Accounting and Tax firms to both market and get quick responses from customers. In this blog we’ll cover how both groups can use text messaging to help get their taxes done. Let’s get started!
Text Messaging For Accounting & Tax Firms
Like any good relationship, the foundation between accounting/billing departments and your customers is communication. So when invoices go unpaid or you need more information for tax season from your customers, turn to texting instead. That’s because texting has a 750% higher response rate than email. Use texting to instantly help drive collection of late payments or missing tax-related paperwork.
Text-Enable Your Existing Number
Can you receive text messages from your customers? If the answer is no, then you need a landline texting solution like Trumpia. Texting has become a much more popular way to communicate than calling. That's because texting is immediate and discreet, and texters cannot be put on hold. With landline texting, you can use the same phone number your department already operates for employee communications to send and receive text messages. Landline texting will enable your tax experts to not only coordinate times to meet with clients during tax season, but it will also enable you to answer any questions they have instantly.
You can have one-on-one text conversations, answering questions about things like missing forms without anybody being tied up on the phone. “Is this receipt important?,” they might ask, and you can answer back in minutes, helping your experts do their job effectively and leading to fewer errors and higher tax rebates, which means more satisfied customers!
Target Your Customers With SMS For Better Results
Being able to send different customers customized messages is vital so your firm’s communication doesn't look like spam. The more you know about your customers the better you can target them, and that’s where a intelligent messaging solution like Trumpia really shines. With our unique and powerful Smart Targeting, you can filter your customers by things like income, location, tax bracket, or just about any relevant. Want to send messages to your 65 year old stock traders about new capital gains laws? We can get that specific! This means that you can share your expertise with the right clients, and you can do it in real time, something that will really make an impression and drive repeat business for years to come.
Texting Can Take Care of Repetitive Tasks
An intelligent SMS solution like Trumpia can also reduce your workload. For example, an accounting department can set up an auto campaign that can send new employees benefits and tax forms, and then send a reminder a week after to those who haven’t completed it yet. Trumpia also has something called clickthrough and site tracking, meaning you can get up to date analytics of what messages are being read by your customers, and then new actions can be triggered, like sending a reminder to fill out your forms or set a new appointment if a customer hasn't clicked your link or visited your webpage.
More Marketing Channels, Mo’ Money
People looking for a firm that can help them with their taxes expect fast, efficient service. This means that to attract more customers you need to offer faster and broader communication. If you choose an omni-channel solution like Trumpia, you can send and receive voice, email, SMS, and picture messages. This means you can service older customers who might use voice and email more, but still have SMS conversations with younger or more tech-savvy clientele.
Send Updates Year Round With Text Messages
There’s no better way to market to your existing customers than text messages. Once a client has consented to receive your messages, you can send periodic reminders so they can keep things like receipts and other tax information sorted throughout the year. Then when it’s time to file, you can use SMS to quickly coordinate a convenient time to meet. If you choose an SMS solution with automation, like Trumpia, you can send automated reminders to reduce the chance of no-shows. This ensures your firm has higher revenue from year to year because if you keep customers informed and happy, there will be less churn and more repeat business every tax season!
Text Messaging For Single Filers
Text messaging has a 98% read rate, which is almost five times higher than that of email. That means when you use SMS to ask employers or family members questions that may affect how you file, you will actually get responses! Plus if you use SMS to have conversations with your company’s accounting department, you have a quick and easily referenced way to access the information they gave you, making your filing process faster and more efficient.
Be On The Lookout For Mobile Keywords
Mobile keywords are words you text into a short code (example: 56000) in order to receive information. More and more companies as well as government agencies are using keywords to send important information to the public or advertise new programs. A popular accounting firm in Philadelphia uses keywords to both generate new customers and inform the public of new government assistance programs for things like college tuition. By keeping an eye out for mobile keywords you may just find out about important rebates or new regulations that will save you money during the 2018 tax season.
If you own a company, a mobile keyword is a great way to advertise your business and generate leads! Create multiple mobile keywords that current and potential customers can text to join various distribution lists. Examples of programs for which employees can choose to receive alerts include "GovtAssistance", "TaxHelp”, and “TaxReminders.” They will then be signed up for various distribution lists so you can send text reminders to customers who want them but not to customers who just want to know about new programs.
Want to learn more about how SMS can help? Click here!
