Successful Accountants’ Blog
Debunked: Can you really rely on referrals to sustain or grow your practice?
Most established accountants running their own firms claim to get most of their new clients via referrals. I see at least three potential flaws with this perception. Firstly, it’s rarely based on empirical evidence. Often it is simply an easy answer to the question: 'Where do most
How to avoid premature evaluation and premature elaboration
Imagine being in pain and going to your doctor for some help. Within moments of your arrival the doctor starts telling you, very enthusiastically, how similar your pain is to their previous patient, what is wrong with you and what medicine you need to take. How would
Where are you based? Home, garden, garage, or high street?
In the past I believe that a majority of established accountants ran their offices from commercial premises. But is that still true or even necessary? The purpose of this article is twofold. Firstly to support those who are happy with their current choice. And secondly to encourage
How to overcome the distraction of D-grade clients
You are not alone if you get frustrated by some of your clients. In fact, it's very rare for me to hear from accountants who love ALL of their clients. If you do, this isn't the blog post for you. It's more for those who have one
The marketing distractions accountants should avoid
Before setting out those marketing distractions that I believe accountants should avoid I need to offer some context. Over 20 years ago, the start of the century(!) was when I began presenting talks to accountants about practice related matters. I quickly learned to avoid any mention of
Seven ways for general practice accountants to improve their marketing efforts
Not everyone wants to follow the widely promoted advice that you will benefit more from advertising, marketing, networking and referrals if you focus your attention on trying to reach a specific group of people. The idea being that we can then let everyone else continue trying to
How to boost the tax capabilities of a general practice
Every now and then I hear about general practice firms of accountants that want to boost their abilities to help clients with more complex tax maters. And a couple of my newer mentoring clients have also asked for my thoughts here. This has been a challenge for
4 classic mistakes accountants need to avoid when prospects call
Do you assume you know what (new) callers will want from you? Are you able to distinguish real prospective clients without devoting too much time to the others? Do you operate like other professionals or by reference to wishful thinking? These are key challenges for all of
Improving the first impression of your online and website profiles
I have never ‘swiped’ someone’s profile picture, as online dating didn’t exist when I met my wife in the 1980s. The whole concept of swiping is quite alien to me. I was curious though, so a while back, I asked a single friend to show me how
Being Known, Liked and Trusted is not enough!
You have probably heard the suggestion that it’s important to help people get to 'know, like and trust' you. Only then will they buy from you. Only then will they even consider becoming your client. This idea originated in the book ‘Endless Referrals’, written by Bob Burg,
What is the best way for an accountant to win new clients?
Many of the accountants who approach me start with variations on the same question: How can I attract new clients? How can I grow my practice? What can I do to get more clients? I need more clients, what should I do? I never know if it
Don’t make this marketing mistake especially if you are reliant on referrals
I am frequently surprised when apparently successful accountants tell me that they know they should start being active on social media. And that they want to beef up their marketing activity. Both such aspirations typically reflect a belief in the mystical power of generic marketing and the
What do you REALLY need to sell as an accountant?
What do you really need to sell 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 2018 blog post, You
15 quick tips to grow and build your practice
This week I am sharing with you 15 of the key points I referenced during a recent conversation with an accountant who wanted to know what they should be doing in year 3 of their newish practice. Background The accountant had booked a one-off focused mentoring call,
How to stop letting dilatory clients bully you
Every February I hear tales of woe from accountants who have worked late into the night during the days and weeks leading up to the tax return filing deadline. Many are resigned to this and some even seem to enjoy the adrenaline rush. Most though resent the
