I have long advised audiences and clients that claiming to have a Unique Sales Proposition (USP) is typically a mistake - as the word 'unique' means 'unlike any other'. Rarely do I ever encounter accountants with genuinely 'unique' offerings for clients. And it will be counter-productive to assert that something about your
There is a popular old adage: If you carry on doing what you’ve always done, you’ll carry on getting what you’ve always got. Its origin is unknown and it is typically attributed to either Henry Ford, Tony Robbins, Susan Jeffers or Jessie Potter. Typically the statement is used to discourage people from
In recent years a number of commentators have suggested that we need to adopt a new mindset. Instead of distinguishing our marketing and sales activities dependent on whether our focus is 'B to B', or 'B to C', they want us to recognise that, today, everything is 'H to H'. The idea
Most accountants are justly proud of their technical skills. It is also common to find that some accountants undervalue the importance of ensuring that they have all the business skills they require to be profitable in the short-term and successful in the longer-term. What’s your position? Are you one of those accountants who
A little knowledge is a dangerous thing. Increased knowledge can be worrying and a lot of knowledge is empowering. This is something it took me years to learn when I was in practice. Think about your own knowledge of how a specific tax rule works. One you don't have cause to think
Throughout my career it was the case that trainee accountants studied a wide range of technical topics. We were tested on what we had learned and on how we would apply our accumulated knowledge in practice. Then, typically after qualifying, we found out from our managers and partners that we needed to
What does CPD mean to you? Do you consider CPD to be short-hand for post-qualification technical update courses? Ahead of Accountex 2019 I referenced the wide range of free CPD that would again be available at this major annual event, now in it’s 8th year in London. A couple of other commentators
Accountancy firms need to evolve to address the changes that the future heralds. What changes? Well, there’s lots coming but the changes that will most impact your life and your practice depend on many factors. It is just daft, if not lazy, to suggest that the same issues will affect ‘all’ accountants
Weird question? I know. But stay with me for a moment. For as long as I can remember accountants have treated CPD as being synonymous with technical training - by which I mean technical updates and courses intended to explain new rules and regulations. And surely we have to prioritise such training?
What are your top skills? The key question though is not what YOU think they are, but what other people believe you are good at. What do your contacts and connections say when they reference and recommend you? And what do your clients say? A few years ago I had a surprise
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 my blog was highly ranked
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 in practice as an accountant?
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 learn by working alongside experienced
Most general practitioner accountants I talk with (and I talk with a lot of them) are, obviously, generalists rather than specialists. They started out as general practitioners and stay that way as their client base has always been quite disparate. Many of those who specialise do so only because they originally trained
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 professional training. But it has
It is rare for an accountant to tell me that they want to be more efficient. But it is often implied by other things they say. Often their concerns are focused on time management issues, a need for more and better systems or for another person to whom they can delegate work. Improving efficiency invariably leads
Everyone who knows me recognises my enthusiastic nature. When I was younger I may even have been a touch too enthusiastic. I now recognise that it can unnerve those around you if you are evidently more enthusiastic than everyone else. That was an important lesson for me some years back. So now, older and wiser,
I recently heard John Hardy the Founder of FASTER Health and Fitness introduce his business. He mentioned he throught there were similarities with accountants. I have taken what he said and adapted it to provide some lessons for accountants from the business side of personal training and fitness. 1 Personality John has noted that a
This week's blog post is derived from the response I received from a recent attendee at one of my talks. She had been very enthusiastic so I asked her what she had learned specifically. This is her reply: Things I took away from yesterday: That it’s OK to be on the quiet side at networking
Duncan Brodie is a former Finance Director who helps accountants build successful careers. I've known him a while and feel his views are worth sharing here. Duncan's views will be especially helpful to you if you are nearly or recently qualified. As he explains: Once upon a time a professional accounting qualification almost guaranteed that
The top ranked personal skill or expertise on my Linkedin profile is currently 'strategy'. It has been moving up the list over the last year. I am flattered that hundreds of people have endorsed me for ANY skills and expertise on Linkedin. Until recently 'Accounting' was top - presumably by reference to my background in
Around 25 years ago I wrote a series of articles for a now defunct magazine called 'Career Accountant'. I had cause to reflect back on these recently when adapting my keynote talk on the importance of STANDING OUT from the crowd. I was speaking to a group of young professionals and my presentation was on the
During the judging process for the upcoming British Accountancy Awards I spoke with fellow judge, Spencer Wright who is the Managing Partner of award winning accountancy firm, Dains. Later I mentioned my conviction that partners need to create a powerful professional impact so that they STAND OUT from the crowd. I asked Spencer what advice
This post is quite distinct from most of the others on this blog. Instead of focusing on accountants in practice, what follows is intended to help those accountants looking to develop their career. I am often asked for my advice in this connection so have gathered here some of my top tips and links. 1
Not everyone likes seeing trite quotes that purport to inspire us to motivate us. Actually I do like them - in moderation. I'm not a fan of a quote a day, though I do have two calendars that offer me this option. If only I remembered to move them on every day.... For now here
