Should Accountants and Bookkeepers Be Running Their Own Webinars?

As professionals in accounting and bookkeeping, we are no strangers to continuing professional development (CPD) requirements. Especially post COVID, we’ve all adapted to attending webinars instead of in-person workshops, which has been incredibly convenient. Sitting in our offices (or homes), we can easily meet our CPD needs and continue our education. But have you ever thought about being on the other side—hosting your own webinar?

Many accountants I’ve spoken to are interested in the idea but hesitate due to uncertainty about where to start. Having recently run a webinar on this very topic, I want to share with you three main reasons why I believe accountants, bookkeepers, and professionals in the service industry should run their own webinars.

1. You position yourself as an expert

Hosting a webinar positions you as an authority in your field. Imagine you have the option to choose between two professionals—let's say lawyers. If you've attended a webinar run by one of them, you'd likely choose that lawyer because you've already established a connection. The same applies to accountants and bookkeepers. Running webinars gives potential clients a chance to connect with you even before you meet them. By sharing your knowledge, you’re not just educating your audience; you’re building trust and showing your expertise.

2. Find new clients beyond your area

One of the great things about webinars is that they allow you to expand your reach far beyond your local area. For example, if you’re based in Melbourne and someone from Western Australia attends your webinar and likes what they hear, they may become a client. In fact, I’ve experienced this myself—an accountant from Sydney attended one of our webinars and has since become a regular referral partner for our bookkeeping services. That’s the power of connecting through webinars—you never know where those connections will lead!

3. A short and effective way of marketing

Webinars are an efficient way to market your services. You can offer them as paid events, providing educational value, or host free sessions, although studies show that attendees tend to value paid events more than free ones. Even a small fee increases engagement, attendance, and perceived value. For instance, we ran a few webinars targeted at the medical industry, teaching participants how to manage their bookkeeping, and gained clients from those sessions. The topic you choose should be something you’re passionate about, as your enthusiasm will shine through and help you connect more naturally with your audience.

So those are my top three reasons why you should consider running your own webinars: to establish yourself as an expert, to expand your client base beyond your local area and to market your services effectively. Running webinars is not as hard as it may sound. If you’re interested in learning more, I’ve included a link here to our webinar that goes into detail on how to host your own successful webinars. Best of luck to you, and remember—your passion and expertise are your greatest assets – use them!