No CPA needed to see these bad numbers.
For over two decades, QuickBooks had offered an optional benefit program called ProAdvisor. It was built as a loyalty program that rewarded accountants for things they probably already did for their business anyway (enrolling new clients, completing training courses, etc.). In principle, the program was great: Sign-up was easy, rewards were meaningful and the redesigned point-earning structure was straightforward. The only problem? Nobody signed up for it.
Don’t talk to them like, well, accountants.
Through numerous interviews with QuickBooks users, we heard the same request: Talk to us like people. We discovered that recent communication from ProAdvisor had relied heavily on wonky lecturing, sterile messaging and even professional stereotypes. To convince users to return to ProAdvisor, we needed to do something that would seriously subvert their expectations. And as the big QuickBooks annual conference approached, we knew it was our chance to make it clear that this wasn't the ProAdvisor these accountants had come to know and ignore.
ProAdvisor Proverb #18: The pursuit of order is its own reward.
To reposition ProAdvisor enrollment as a badge of honor for QuickBooks users, we inducted members into our secret order of accounting masters: The Society of ProAdvisory. Cryptic campaign messaging was displayed through dashboard cards within QuickBooks, and social media influencers received premium brand kits to help spread the word. To bolster the aura of mystery and intrigue, we developed an Illuminati-inspired visual identity and accountant-themed wisdom (“ProAdvisor Proverbs”) for a themed microsite. During the QBConnect conference, we created a secret lounge just for Society members, filled with exclusive giveaways, accountant-themed drinks and, most importantly, a clear sense that the ProAdvisor had achieved a higher order of accounting enlightenment.
We knew we’d hit the mark when hundreds of social media shoutouts started rolling in from conference attendees who couldn’t help but show their ProAdvisor pride.
Being a member of the #QuickBooks Society of ProAdvisory can be pretty badass! #QBConnect2019 #ProAdvisor
In all, how successful were we? Well, ProAdvisor Proverb #61 says, "Balance every success with equal celebration." And we had a BIG celebration.
