A New Challenge: Supporting Sales Growth for Small Businesses through Tax Accounting and Advertising Strategies

My father ran a tax accounting office in Shintomi-cho, Chuo-ku. Growing up in that environment, tax and accounting naturally became familiar to me.

During my student days, I vaguely wanted to work internationally. After graduating from Rikkyo University, I joined Mizuno Corporation and was assigned to the Public Relations and Advertising Division. In my third year at the company, during the year of the Seoul Olympics, I had my first overseas business trip. I worked on promoting the excellence of Mizuno's Runbird shoes, utilizing advisory staff for our PR. Witnessing Carl Lewis and Florence Griffith-Joyner win gold medals in the 100-meter sprint brought significant PR effects up close.

At the age of 29, I transferred to Helene Curtis Japan Co., Ltd., where I worked in the marketing department as a brand manager for hair care quasi-drug and cosmetic products. This was where I first experienced the full spectrum of marketing, from product planning to sales promotion, and I found it fascinating.

Later, at 33, I joined the international advertising agency McCann Erickson, where I worked in the account service division as an account director, overseeing the marketing activities of clients. My clients were many international companies in industries such as healthcare, automotive, imaging, credit cards, and disposable contact lenses. The process of developing comprehensive communication strategies, including consumer research, strategic planning, creative, media, and sales promotions, was incredibly exciting. A comprehensive communication strategy involves determining when (When), at which touchpoints (Where), what (What), how (How), and how much (How much) to engage with consumers.

During my 20 years at McCann Erickson, I realized how much effective communication strategy contributes to sales growth. In an era where it is difficult to differentiate from competitors, communication provides a definite competitive advantage.

At 52, I decided to become a certified tax accountant, following in my father's footsteps. I wanted to stay active and engaged in business for the rest of my life. I left McCann Erickson and spent six years to pass the certified tax accountant exams. I passed the five subjects: bookkeeping theory, financial statements theory, corporation tax act, consumption tax act, and national tax collection act, and obtained my certified tax accountant qualification in March 2021.

I opened my tax accounting office in April 2021. If I were to find my office's unique selling proposition (USP), I could confidently say that my office can support clients' sales growth by leveraging both tax accounting services and advertising strategy expertise. I have never heard of or met another certified tax accountant with a background in the account service division of an international advertising agency.

While large companies use advertising agencies to further enhance their sales promotions, my main clients are small businesses with fewer than ten employees. Typically, in small businesses, the president themselves often handles marketing and advertising, relying primarily on intuition, and often ignoring a strategic marketing approach. Advertising agencies primarily serve large companies and do not find small businesses profitable, so they do not work with them. For small businesses with limited advertising budgets, the services of advertising agencies are out of reach.

However, I am different. I want to use my marketing experience and knowledge from advertising agencies to support the sales growth of small businesses. I believe that advertising strategies proven successful at large international companies can also be applied to small businesses.

The other day, a lady from a newspaper company gave me a telephone call. She had seen my website and said it looked promising. "I've heard that when small business owners consult certified tax accountants about advertising, they are often advised against it. But I believe that you, Nakajima-san, are a certified tax accountant who can meet the needs of clients," she said.

With my office's unique selling proposition of offering tax accounting services along with advising on advertising strategy, I believe that even small businesses can have the same marketing power as large companies.

(Shinji Nakajima / Certified Tax Accountant)