How to Use Microsoft Copilot for CPA Firm Marketing

According to ChatGPT, “Microsoft Copilot is an AI-powered code completion tool developed by GitHub in collaboration with OpenAI. It is based on OpenAI’s GPT (Generative Pre-trained Transformer) technology and is trained on a vast amount of public code repositories, making it capable of generating code snippets that align with the task at hand.”

What challenges does Copilot solve for accounting firm marketers?

Not only can it help you craft content, it also can analyze audience data and trends to help ensure you’re crafting relevant and engaging content for your audience.

In addition, it can distribute content across multiple platforms, such as your social media channels, increasing efficiency and effectiveness. Plus, when it comes to marketing campaigns, it can automate data aggregation and analysis to help you measure campaign effectiveness.

There are other marketing benefits as well, including audience insights and segmentation, SEO strategies, brand management and reputation monitoring, project management, and market research and competitive analysis.

5 Copilot Prompt Best Practices

Before writing prompts, take some time to understand prompt-writing best practices to save you time and reduce frustration. Here are five best practices to help you craft effective marketing prompts.

1. Clearly Define Objectives: Begin by clearly outlining the objectives of the marketing content you want Copilot to generate. Whether it’s creating social media posts, writing blog articles, or drafting ad copy, define the purpose and desired outcome upfront.
2. Provide Detailed Instructions: Give Copilot specific instructions on the type of content you need. Include details such as target audience, desired tone (e.g., professional, conversational, persuasive), preferred length, and any key points or keywords to incorporate.
3. Offer Context and Background: Provide context about your brand, product, or service to help Copilot understand the subject matter. Share relevant information about your industry, competitors, unique selling points, and any recent trends or developments.
4. Encourage Creativity and Originality: While providing guidance is important, allow room for Copilot to generate creative and original content. Avoid overly restrictive prompts that stifle innovation. Instead, inspire Copilot with open-ended questions or prompts that spark creativity.
5. Iterate and Refine: Review the content generated by Copilot and provide feedback to refine future prompts. Identify what works well and what needs improvement and adjust your prompts accordingly.

Copilot Prompts in Action

Below are prompts you can use to expedite your firm’s marketing efforts. The text inside brackets is a suggested topic. When crafting prompts, brackets are not needed.

Content Creation

This tool can help you write blogs, schedule content, develop a content calendar, and more. Here are some prompts to set you up for success.

• Prompt: Write a 400-word blog post about [the benefits of outsourcing your accounting] for [small- to mid-sized companies] in [the Northeast].
• Prompt: Develop a 3-month content calendar for our blog including topics such as [payroll pain points for seasonal companies, business expenses for realtors, etc.]

Email Marketing

Once Copilot is integrated with your email software, you can use it to create email templates and personalized content.

• Prompt: Write a 2-paragraph promotional email about our new [outsourced payroll services]; incorporate three bullet points about its benefits; use this link for reference [insert link to your payroll webpage]; personalize the email using the first-name field; include a call to action

Social Media

After marketing content has been approved, you need to tell the world about it—enter social media. Copilot can help you craft engaging posts, as well as schedule it to your social media accounts.

• Prompt: Craft a week’s worth of social media posts for LinkedIn, Facebook, and Instagram about our [tax planning services for dental practices]; reference this webpage [insert link]; add a call to action for each post; include relevant hashtags.

Search Engine Optimization (SEO)

For your content be found on search engines, you need search engine optimization; and this tool can help you do that.

• Prompt: Suggest SEO improvements for this article [include a link]; use this [focused keyword phrase]; also write a 160-character, including spaces, meta description incorporating [focused keyword phrase].

Advertising

If you plan to include advertising into your marketing initiatives, leverage AI to help you create engaging and action-ready ads for any platform.

• Prompt: Generate three versions of ad copy for [this service] at [insert link]; make the headlines 30 characters or less, including spaces; the descriptions 90 characters or less, including spaces; include a call to action.

Buyer Persona

Identifying your target market is an excellent way to help you stay focused in your marketing initiatives and content development. Here’s a prompt to help you craft a buyer persona for your target market. Once pain points have been identified, create content that addresses each one.

• Prompt: Develop a detailed buyer persona for our target market, including [industry, age, location, revenue, gender]; include accounting or business pain points that customer faces.

Video Script Writing

If you haven’t incorporated video into marketing initiatives, AI tools can help. Here’s how to craft a video script for one of your service lines.

• Prompt: Write a 15-second video script [between two people looking for business tax services in their area]; use this reference [insert service webpage link].

Competitive Analysis

Maybe you want to break into a new market, geography, or industry. Copilot can help you conduct a competitive analysis.

• Prompt: Conduct a competitive analysis for [XYZ product category or industry/service line] in [location]

Your Marketing Wingman

If you need help with marketing, consider incorporating Copilot into your marketing arsenal for increased efficiency and creativity. With tailored prompts, you can unlock its potential to streamline content creation, refine SEO strategies, and amplify campaign effectiveness.

Let Copilot be your wingman in navigating the complexities of modern marketing.