Successful Accountants’ Blog
Why I gave up giving tax advice
This is a very different blog post to usual. I hope it will be of interest to accountants and tax advisers generally even though it does not contain any of my usual insights, guidance and advice. Thirteen years ago, in July 2008, I authored the lead comment
Why you need to build your personal brand – and how to make this work for you
What do people say about you when you’re not in the room? What would you like them to say? Few accountants seem to think this through. If you are clear about what you want people to say though you are likely to find success a lot faster
30 reasons people change their accountants and what this means for you
The following list is a salutary lesson in what NOT to do if you want to keep your clients. You could also use it as a checklist to have counterpoints to raise in each case when talking to prospective new clients. If they are moving from a
Why you’ll find more success if you have an angle
Too many accountants struggle to distinguish themselves from their competition. This is a shame as it is what makes each of us different that makes us memorable and the reason why we are referred and recommended. And then why we are engaged by clients. Challenge this if
Why you need to tell people who you are – beyond being an accountant
No one is 'just an accountant'. And you know that already. But how clear do you make this on your website, your online profiles and when you are networking? Lots of accountants make the mistake of assuming they only need to evidence their credibility as an accountant.
The most common mistake accountants make that loses them key referrals
I wonder if you make an all too common mistake. We all hope that clients will want us to provide a range of services to them. And we hope that clients will recommend and refer us to other prospective clients too… But, as I frequently point out,
Don’t waste your money on Pay Per Click – try this instead
Because of the subjects I write about, the blogs I read and how many accountants write to me, I see loads of Accountants' Pay per Click (Adwords) adverts. And most of them are evidently a waste of money. If you use Pay per Click (PPC) you’re hoping that your
Five fundamental marketing tips for accountants
I was asked recently for my top five marketing tips for accountants and so I had a quick look at the marketing related posts on this blog. In so doing I realised how much has changed over the years. When I first started mentoring accountants I had
This book will help boost your non-technical (soft) skills
You might think that business is all about facts and figures. In truth, as the world and business get more uncertain and complex, successful leaders need to embrace soft skills to get the best out of their people and themselves. These are the opening words on the
20 ways accountants can become more efficient
It is rare for an accountant to tell me outright that they want to be more efficient. But this wish is often implied by other things they say. Often their concerns are focused on time management issues, a desire to overcome procrastination, a need for more and
The real reasons you need to do business advice properly
If you’ve been around a while I am sure that you find the constant articles, posts and commentators telling accountants you have to move into advisory services both boring and repetitive. I’ve been debunking the hype here for well over ten years. Many commentators have also been naively forecasting
What if none of your clients wants anything more from you?
Unlike some commentators, I entirely accept that many accountants have some clients who want nothing more than a basic compliance service. And that you get very frustrated to be told by consultants that you should offer your clients "advisory services". After all, you know your clients don't
Want to charge more and do more for new clients?
When I ask accountants about the level of fees they would ideally like to earn from new clients, they often struggle to give an answer. Some can't even agree as to the minimum fees they (and their colleagues, if any) would charge for each type of new
What does it mean to provide advisory services?
We have all heard the projections that compliance work is dying and that accountants must move into advisory services. This is not a new phenomenon. It started long before the pandemic. I first debunked the hype in 2009 so it really isn't new. What has changed though
The importance of people skills and KBS generally
Today I share with you the transcript of a recent conversation with Joanna Gaudoin. I hope you will enjoy reading her perspective on a number of issues I have previously addressed on this blog. In summary Joanna's view is that your marketing, business development and career development
