Find out how a Greenville, Wisconsin, accounting firm that relied entirely on word of mouth went from a couple of leads a year to a couple a week and started attracting a brand-new type of client they had never seen before.
Overview
Konkel Accounting is a full-service accounting firm based in Greenville, Wisconsin, offering tax strategies, personal and business tax preparation, payroll, and bookkeeping services. The firm built its client base through referrals and a strong local reputation, much like many trusted local accounting firms. Word of mouth had kept the lights on, but it had also created a ceiling—and a vulnerability. What Konkel Accounting needed was a way to bring in new clients consistently, particularly through the critical November-to-March tax season.
The Challenge
Before partnering with Hibu, Konkel Accounting had no formal marketing of any kind beyond word of mouth. The result was a lead flow that could charitably be described as thin, with just a couple of new inquiries a year that depended entirely on existing clients recommending the firm to the right person at the right time. The concern going in was practical. Konkel Accounting wanted to retain ownership of their website content. It was a real reservation, and Leigh Drossart, Director of Accounting Operations, did not pretend otherwise. Ultimately, she decided to trust the process and move forward.
The Hibu Solution
What brought Konkel Accounting to Hibu was their representative, Nick. Leigh describes his approach as "relentless determination and persistence.” Leigh said, “Nick asks enough questions and has skin in the game.” What she values most about working with Hibu is having a local rep, specifically Nick. Konkel’s recommendation to a skeptical business owner? "Talk to Nick."
The Results
The numbers tell a striking story. During the November-to-March tax season, Konkel Accounting now generates a couple of new leads every week. Before Hibu, the entire year might produce a couple of leads total. That is a transformation in lead volume that has given the firm something it did not have before: consistent, predictable growth through the season that matters most.
Perhaps even more telling is what has happened with investigative accounting inquiries. In the month prior to completing this form, Konkel Accounting received three inquiries for investigative accounting services, which is a specialized and high-value service type. "There have been more inquiries for investigative accounting. We have never received them before. All three have been in the last month," Leigh said. These are not just more leads; they’re a new category of client the firm had never been able to reach through word of mouth alone.
The biggest business impact has been consistency. Not just more leads but leads that come in reliably throughout the year rather than unpredictably. "It's more about getting consistent leads throughout the year," Leigh said. Looking back, she believes waiting would have meant missing out on a substantial number of leads. The results, she added, have exceeded expectations.
In a 90-day period, Hibu’s digital marketing for Konkel Accounting generated:
- 1,562 Leads
- 2,928 Website Visits
- 317 Engagements
Hibu is a leading provider of digital marketing solutions to local businesses across the US. With Hibu, your business has a truly integrated marketing program designed to increase your visibility online, drive visitors to your website and generate leads. Visit Hibu.com or call us at 855-409-6569 today to get more from your digital marketing.
