Successful Accountants’ Blog
10 mistakes to avoid when you are pitching for work
The ten mistakes I share below are based on the lessons I have learned from personal experience during which I was wearing one or other of the following four hats: 1 - A partner (in the past) in two large firms of accountants where I was responsible
Debunked: Is blogging really a good idea for accountants?
If you've been thinking about blogging, or you've been advised you should do it (or to pay someone else to do it for you) you may find this interview of interest. I was approached to share my views on the subject by a journalist who had seen
Why are you so focused on doing compliance work for clients?
What is the real reason you are in practice as an accountant? This is a question many accountants struggle to answer when I ask them. Why do you do what you do? What is the first thing that comes to mind as to your motivation to be
Don’t let yourself be lulled into inaction
During my talks about the future for accountants I sometimes share a famous quote from Bill Gates. Before repeating it here, let me just offer some context. There has long been a tendency to over-hype new ideas and initiatives. Some accountants jump on the bandwagon early which
They’re not ‘soft skills’ for accountants, they’re Key Business Skills
I know that my own career success owes more to the development of non-technical skills than it does to my knowledge and application of accounting and tax law. How do we gain our technical skills? No one is born a great auditor, tax adviser or accountant. We
Book review: The Numbers Business – Recommended
I had mixed emotions when I read Della Hudson's book, The Numbers Business. On the plus side it is a superb guide to growing a successful cloud accountancy practice from scratch. I also felt a degree of envy and frustration. There's a part of me that thinks
The accountant of tomorrow will….
A Thomson Reuters survey of 350 UK accountants in June 2018 revealed six key areas to consider "as you step into the next decade". I have added my own commentary and views to the headline topics below: 1. Accept business model change The accountants believe that compliance
Preparing for the future the right way. Slowly.
Another day, another commentator bemoaning what they perceive as accountants’ resistance to change. I don’t see it that way at all. Busy accountants running busy firms have to prioritise. And preparing for the future is not a priority (yet). The accountants I talk with are tightly focused
What happens when a client wants to sell up?
This is another piece in the series of what to do when clients want help with something that goes beyond your level of knowledge and experience. Imagine you've had a business client for some time. The owner trusts you and appreciates your advice. They tell you that
Debunked: Building brand awareness for your accountancy practice
Think about ten top accountancy brands. Or at least the ones you can remember. How many of those do you think your typical client would be able to name - or would even recognise? Once you move outside of the accountancy and finance professions, brand awareness drops
What are the options when you need help with client work?
When you need additional help with client work in your office, do you look beyond the idea of simply recruiting a new member of staff? Many of the smaller accountants I speak with are struggling to do everything themselves. And those who have regular help, want more but
Don’t write off AI. Embrace it. And prepare for the future. It’s inevitable
When we go to see a local GP we expect them to fulfil 3 primary roles. We need them to diagnose our problems, to prescribe solutions and to care for us. There is a direct parallel with the role of accountants. There is also a similar prospect of patients/clients
What are you really ‘selling’ as an Accountant?
What are you selling as an accountant? This is a simple enough question, and knowing the right answer could make a profound difference to the success of your practice. Let’s start with what you’re NOT selling. As I explained in a recent blog post, You’re not selling
What’s the best way for an accountant to win new clients?
Many of the accountants I speak with ask me the same question. How can they best attract new clients? I will rarely offer advice however until I have found out enough about the accountant, their firm, their services, their likes and dislikes and what they have tried
Debunked: Instead of growing your practice, help it to evolve
There is an old adage that says if your practice fails to grow it will stagnate. Is that true actually? I think, it depends on what one means by ‘grow’. Grow the client base? Turnover? Profits? Range of services? Efficiency? I prefer the word 'evolve' as I'll
