Despite the title of this post I should first stress that it is rarely a good idea to come across as a salesperson when you are trying to promote your services. The best accountants know that they must first build rapport and confidence so that prospects like and trust them. Many a business coach
I’ve addressed the subject of Networking many times 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 become
I was delighted and proud to see my niece in a local production of the musical theatre show ‘Kinky Boots’ last week. It's a show I've not seen before but I did watch the film a while back so I had some idea of the storyline. And I've heard some of the most popular
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,
Let’s be realistic. If you did some work for a client but they weren’t happy because you made a big mess of it, would you insist on charging them extra to correct your mistake? I hope you wouldn’t even consider trying to charge extra to resolve a mistake of your own making. To my
Before delving into the strategies that can help you win and maintain clients for your accountancy practice, I must manage your expectations. There's no magic bullet or hidden secret that will replace everything you already know about client relationships. What follows therefore are fundamental principles that, if you keep them in mind,
There is no doubt in my mind. The more focused you can be as regards your ideal clients the more chance there is that they will recognise you as an accountant they should approach. And, if you have a clear focus, the easier it will be for other people you know to recognise when
How much time do you spend checking out UFOs? No. Not Unidentified Flying Objects, but Unplanned Fanciful Opportunities? Those tempting ideas that may solve your problems but which have appeared out of the blue. They could be really valuable, or they could just be a timesuck. These are different from those 'squirrel'
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
Some accountants just want to work for anyone who can afford them and who will engage them. Some accountants have more specific aspirations. And some accountants have very specific prospective clients in mind. All are perfectly reasonable approaches - as long as you do more than simply hope and dream. I see an awful
Ask ten accountants how they secure most of their new clients and at least eight will say referrals and recommendations. Sometimes this is because they have a good flow of new clients and/or have actively cultivated and encouraged such mentions among clients and contacts. Mostly though it is because they don't actually secure many
