Michelle Golden is one of Accounting Today‘s 100 most influential in the American world of accounting. Focusing on professional service firms (such as CPAs and attorneys), she long has been an expert consultant on marketing. Early on she saw the value of social media as a tool for professionals to reach new clients and to strengthen relationships with existing clients. Her book, Social Media Strategies for Professionals and Their Firms: The Guide to Establishing Credibility and Accelerating Relationships, is unusually good. I own two copies, one for the office, and one for home (I regularly carry one of them with me).
The Maryland Association of CPAs (MACPA), more than any other statae CPA society, has long promoted social media usage by CPAs.
MACPA members and employees are encouraged to explore all forms of social media and find the one(s) that best fit their needs. Doing so expands our ability to learn and share our own knowledge with others.
Led by Tom Hood and Bill Sheridan, it has an impressive presence on the web 2.0. A page devoted to its resources is here. Coincidentally, MACPA was the first society to establish a presence on Second Life. Long-time readers of The Summa might remember Profalbrecht’s participation in “If I Were an Auditor,” a musical valentine sponsored by MACPA and released in Second Life.
I believe that all CPA firms and accounting professors should seriously consider joining the social media bandwagon, or expanding efforts if already there. The Internet is omnipresent in the fabric of American life. Social media simply means interactive Internet. For CPAs, it means reaching out to current and potential clients where they are, opening up additional channels of communication. For professors, it means pushing academe away from its array of 19th century practices and into the 21st century.
Recently, Bill Sheridan interviewed Michelle Golden, and on Friday uploaded the video to YouTube. I’m embedding a link to it for several reasons. First, it’s about social media use by CPAs. Second, Michelle Golden should do more of these things. Well spoken and attractive, she could develop an Internet following that would translate into increased attendance at her speaking engagements. Third, MACPA could perform a substantial service to the industry by creating a series of these vodcast interviews with the industry’s leading experts. I would watch them all.
Here’s the interview. Please watch it.
Debit and credit – – David Albrecht
Wow, David and Bill, thank you so much!
Bill, you’re a great interviewer! I appreciate you initiating this. Was fun talking with you about it. 🙂
David, you’re very kind in your praises about the video. I’d love to do more and you are inspiring me to get on it and do them sooner than later!
Most of all, I am deeply honored that you wrote this post and thrilled that you enjoyed the book so much that you have two copies and keep one so handy!
You’re wonderful,
Michelle
[…] Time to start thinking about it. Here’s an interview that talks about getting started: David Albrecht’s blog post Sheridan (MACPA) Interviews Michelle Golden […]
Thanks so much for the kind words and this terrific post, David. You’re good — I haven’t even had a chance to write about the video on *our* blog yet! 🙂
Michelle really knows her stuff and brings a level-headed perspective to the social media discussion. She’s definitely worth listening to. And as we’ve feared, while many professionals are still trying to wrap their arms around social media, the strategies are already evolving. (Mobile, anyone?) Change is happening faster and with increasing disruption. I’m getting dizzy …
Bill,
You do such great work. I’m sorry I don’t feature it more.
Thanks for noticing that I wrote this post.
Dave