Key facts
- Small firms are owned by one or two CPAs; firms over 50 people have managing partners and a firm administrator.
- Never write between February and mid April, when partners are buried in tax returns.
- At a 3-partner firm, the partners decide together and one usually handles technology and vendors.
- At a 40-person firm, a firm administrator or operations manager often runs software, HR and facilities.
- FilterPick industry, title and place.
- RevealReveal the people who fit.
- SendBuzz Send on paid plans.
The tax calendar runs everything
| Months | What the firm is doing | Good time to write? |
|---|---|---|
| January | Preparing for the rush, onboarding returns | Early January only |
| February to mid April | Individual and business tax deadlines | No |
| May to August | Recovering, planning, advisory work | Yes, the best window |
| September to October | Extension deadlines | Light touch |
| November to December | Year-end planning with clients | Yes |
Partners and the firm administrator
At a 3-partner firm, the partners decide together and one usually handles technology and vendors. At a 40-person firm, a firm administrator or operations manager often runs software, HR and facilities. Write to the managing partner about growth and to the administrator about operations.
The Buzzlist filters for accounting firms
Copy these into Find. Each row is a filter as the app names it.
| Filter | Set it to |
|---|---|
| Industry & keywords: industry | Accounting |
| Industry & keywords: NAICS codes | 541211, 541219 |
| Job titles | Managing Partner, CPA, Firm Administrator |
| Seniority level | Owner, Partner |
| Company size | 1 to 10 employees, 11 to 50 employees, 51 to 100 employees |
| Location | Your states, cities, or ZIP codes with a 5 to 100 mile radius |
NAICS 541219 adds bookkeeping and tax preparation offices that are not CPA firms. Leave it out if you only want CPAs.
On paid plans you can type the same list as one sentence, and Buzz ranks who fits best. Plans and prices.
What firm owners care about
- Hiring and keeping staff accountants.
- Moving from tax prep to higher value advisory work.
- Capacity during deadlines.
- Client churn and pricing.
Mistakes in CPA lists
- Emailing in March.
- Mixing seasonal tax prep storefronts with CPA firms.
- Writing to staff accountants who cannot buy.
- Ignoring that many partners are close to retirement and thinking about succession.
Is the accounting firms data any good?
CPA firms tend to run managed email on their own domain, which usually gives clear check results. Paid plans show the status where the data has it, and catch-all domains are labeled.
On paid plans, standard verification is included, and a hard bounce through Buzz Send gives the contact back.
Questions about accounting firms data
When is the worst time to contact accountants?
February to mid April, during tax season. September and October extension deadlines are also busy.
What NAICS code do CPA firms use?
NAICS 541211, Offices of Certified Public Accountants. 541219 covers other accounting services such as bookkeeping.
Who chooses software at an accounting firm?
At small firms one partner. At larger firms a firm administrator or IT lead, with partners signing off.
How do accountants get new clients?
Mostly by referral. Our answer page on how accountants get new clients covers the rest.
