3 questions you must answer before spending time and money seeking out new clients

By |2023-11-08T17:38:44+00:00November 7th, 2023|Accountants, Business development|

l am regularly approached by accountants who want to know how they can get more clients. And many more accountants are asking each other similar questions in groups on facebook. Invariably they want to know if social media is worthwhile, where to advertise, what marketing activities to pursue, what networking activities might be worthwhile,

Why your future clients could be very different to your current clients – and what you need to do about it

By |2023-11-05T17:32:11+00:00October 31st, 2023|Accountants, Business Strategy|

You’re not alone if you’re fed up of hearing commentators, software vendors and app developers tell you what your clients are thinking. Not that they know of course. They are speculating and many are simply repeating what they have heard others say; and then mistakenly think these messages resonate with you. I’m not in

The referrals reality check: Why great work alone isn’t enough and 5 questions clients secretly ask before making referrals

By |2023-11-05T17:18:15+00:00September 26th, 2023|Accountants, Business Strategy|

Besides having the longest title I have ever used, this post does two things.  Firstly I will debunk the idea that as long as you do great work and deliver outstanding value to your clients, they’ll tell everyone they know and you'll get loads of good new clients. The second element of

Can you express your strengths as impactful insights – or do you sound just like every other accountant?

By |2023-09-06T08:09:49+01:00September 6th, 2023|Accountants, Business development|

A common mistake made by lots of accountants is to accept the common assumption that accountants are pretty much interchangeable. This is a common misconception based largely, I think, on the fact that the output of an accountant's work is often pretty much the same in terms of accounts and tax returns. If you

Unmasking the marketing bullies: how to spot and avoid their tactics

By |2023-08-14T10:21:25+01:00August 15th, 2023|Accountants, Lead generation, Marketing and promotion|

Regular readers will know that, on this blog I share, what I hope is, constructive and unbiased advice for accountants in practice. Today I offer you a cautionary warning about what have been termed ‘marketing bullies’. The Believable Approach A few years back, after I spoke at Accountex, I recall being touched by one

Beyond buzzwords and hype: Discovering what truly differentiates you from your competitors

By |2023-08-07T16:26:48+01:00August 8th, 2023|Accountants, Marketing and promotion, Networking, Referrals|

It's another day, and I've seen another poorly thought through piece of advice for accountants to identify their USP. I have long disagreed with this generic idea of trying to identify your Unique Selling Point (USP) or your Unique Sales Proposition (USP). Instead I recommend a much more practical and realistic way for accountants

How’s business? – Don’t fall into the easy trap when you reply

By |2023-07-31T10:36:03+01:00August 1st, 2023|Accountants, Business messaging and branding, Networking, Referrals, Reputation, Sole practitioners|

If you’re either a busy accountant and/or a regular at networking events, you probably get asked this question (How's business?") all of the time. You may also be asked by friends and family, ex-colleagues and prospective clients as well as by suppliers, associates and potential advocates. How carefully have you thought about the way

First impressions count but here’s proof that they’re not enough and what to do to fix things

By |2023-07-24T18:44:45+01:00July 25th, 2023|Accountants, Networking, Referrals, Sole practitioners|

Some years ago I enjoyed a very long private business networking lunch. The whole group seemed to enjoy the event - perhaps because many of us had known each other for a while . One of the attendees I had not met previously was a chartered surveyor. After we’d spent a few hours together the

How to deliver advisory services for maximum success

By |2023-07-18T09:26:25+01:00July 18th, 2023|Accountants, Business Strategy, Client servikce, Key Business skills, Sole practitioners|

'How to deliver advisory services for maximum success' is the sub-title of a superb new book for accountants that I read recently. I'll share the author and title later in this post. Let's just say that I wish I had written this book, as I am already recommending it to accountants, without reservation. In

Confidence is key but not if it’s based on naivety or, worse, deceit

By |2023-07-11T10:45:05+01:00July 11th, 2023|Accountants, Client servikce, Dependability and trust, Sole practitioners|

This true story helps to emphasise a key point - that may be relevant to your attitude with clients, colleagues and/or how you relate to staff with more specialised knowledge than you have yourself. Years ago, shortly after I had joined a new firm I remember an audit partner telling me about two tax

The Barista’s wisdom: Insights for Accountants, Bookkeepers, and Tax Advisers

By |2023-07-03T18:25:00+01:00July 4th, 2023|Accountants, Experience and expertise, Sole practitioners|

Some years ago, while on holiday with my wife, we stopped at a distinct and unique coffee shop where my experience prompted this blog post with lessons for accountants, bookkeepers and tax advisers.  Espressolab was a fantastic little place where a range of bespoke coffees were also being roasted in a laboratory style environment.

Silencing the inner critic: How to conquer imposter syndrome and bring on more new clients for your practice

By |2023-06-20T09:12:07+01:00June 20th, 2023|Accountants, Key Business skills, Referrals, Sole practitioners|

I hope this post will be of general interest even though it is intended primarily for those accountants in practice who have a degree of imposter syndrome or who struggle with low self-worth or low self-esteem. Such struggles invariably impact self confidence and this can have a negative impact on the prospect of receiving

What is the key to accountants’ survival in the AI era?

By |2023-06-13T10:09:07+01:00June 13th, 2023|Accountants, Client servikce, Dependability and trust, Experience and expertise, Key Business skills, Networking, Referrals, Reputation, Sole practitioners, STANDING OUT|

One of the biggest changes to be heralded by the introduction of AI so far as accountants are concerned, links to one of my long-term messages for accountants. How can you stand out from the competition? And, as a result, win more of the business you really want? Even before the launch

What can you do if you’re working too hard? Here are ten practical tips

By |2023-06-05T11:08:51+01:00June 6th, 2023|Accountants, Client servikce, Productivity, Sole practitioners|

These days many accountants feel as if they are working harder than ever just to stand still. And that feeling seems worse if they are looking to actively grow their practice. The pressures and stresses of modern life are partly a function of newer forms of communication. Thirty years ago clients either wrote letters

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