Successful Accountants’ Blog
Debunked: 12 misconceptions about networking
I've addressed the subject of Networking many times before on this blog. I make no apology for returning to the topic as it's a key business skill for accountants who want more clients. And also for those seeking their first clients too. Networking is not something covered by our
10 ways to get paid for additional work
Lots of accountants I work with used to struggle to charge what they feel they're worth for the work they do. Sadly I can't just wave a magic wand to change things. Mostly what's required is an increase in confidence and improved communication. It sounds easier than
How many of the 5 types of advisory services can you provide to clients?
Most smaller practitioners are focused on offering a compliance focused service to clients. Lots of people are saying you must start offering advisory services; and plenty of accountants think they already do this to a degree. In my talks I often reference 5 types of non-compliance service
10 reasons accountants struggle to prioritise what really matters
When we discussed how to prioritise key tasks effectively, at a recent meeting of The Inner Circle for Accountants, we started by identifying why prioritisation is a challenge. Here are the top ten reasons we noted: Absence of any real plan as to what key tasks need
Is increased automation a threat or an opportunity for accountants?
Having been asked this question recently I thought I’d share my reply here. Do you see increased automation as a threat or an opportunity for accountants? Let’s start by clarifying what we mean by ‘automation’. For the purpose of this blog post I suggest that automation means
If you cannot ‘close the sale’ you’ll struggle to win new clients
In an ideal world, you would simply tell people that you are an accountant and your ideal prospects would then find you and ask to become your clients. Life isn’t like that. Even when these people do find out about your practice you need to have a
The Digital Firm – a review and summary
This blog post contains something I rarely do. It references a book I have read and want to recommend to accountants who are looking to the future. The Digital Firm is written by an accountant, Will Farnell, who also published it in 2018. The book is subtitled:
What’s the first thing you need to find out from a new client?
When you are approached by a prospective new client it is tempting to simply give them what they say they want. Most often this will be a fee quote to help them with their annual compliance obligations. As this area of work becomes more commoditised so you need to
Why are you excited about the future for accountants
I was asked this question in the context of the new talk I started presenting earlier this year: 'The rise of Robo-accountants - and how to beat them' In fact I don't think I have ever said that I am 'excited' about the future for accountants and
The real reasons you need to do business advice properly
Why are so many consultants telling accountants that they need to start providing advisory services to clients? You've been doing this for years haven't you? Or else your clients don't want, don't need or can't afford to pay for such services. Hmm. Have you really been doing this
What do you mean when you talk about the ‘Rise of Robo-Accountants’?
Contrary to many predictions I've seen, you are not at risk of being replaced by a robot. Equally I do believe that the rise of Robo-Accountants is going to have a big impact on what you do in your firm - but not overnight. My newest talk
Ten reasons people think accountants are boring…
A good few years ago I spent some time researching why so many people assume accountants are boring. I distilled their views down to ten key reasons which it seems I have not shared on this blog previously. So here they are for posterity, in no particular order! Accountancy
Debunked: The biggest influence on your ability to retain clients
Accountants have a distinct advantage over most other service professionals. Your clients need your help on an ongoing basis, at least once a year and often more frequently than this. When we discuss the lifetime value of clients at meetings of The Inner Circle for Accountants we have to consider
Key ways to improve profitability
At last week's meeting of The Inner Circle for Accountants our headline discussion topic was: "Improving the profitability of your practice" I offered an early observation that “If you don’t have profitable clients, you don’t have a profitable practice”. What I mean by this is that if your clients do not
The key change that can reduce your clients’ last minute-itus
How many of your clients only do things at the last minute? Too many, I'd bet. You're not alone though as "Clients' last minute-itus" is a common complaint I hear about from accountants all over the UK. The question then is how to avoid this? Before we can determine the
