One of the most common questions about Linkedin that I hear from accountants is along the lines of, how can they get...
Networking Articles
How to get the most from Accountex – or any big accounting exhibition
Whether you’re heading to Accountex this week or attending any other big accounting event, here are a dozen of my top...
Beyond buzzwords and hype: Discovering what truly differentiates you from your competitors
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...
How’s business? – Don’t fall into the easy trap when you reply
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...
First impressions count but here’s proof that they’re not enough and what to do to fix things
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...
What is the key to accountants’ survival in the AI era?
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?...
6 ways to show you’re not just another accountant
Imagine you are at an accountancy conference along with dozens, maybe hundreds of accountants from other practices or who run their own firms. Now imagine I have asked you to look around the room at those other accountants and to indicate whether you feel that you...
Some accountants undermine their credibility. Do you?
One of the accountants I mentor has long been proud of how efficiently they look after their own business affairs. Others though are embarrassed at their inefficiencies. And there are some who do not appear to give any thought as to how they are perceived. Some of...
Avoid this mistake if you want more 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, ‘hope’ is not a...
What’s better than saying that your business grows through referrals?
Are you like many of the accountants I meet who claim that most of their best new clients come through referrals? This is certainly great when it's true. But when I dig a little deeper I find that it's often not quite as accurate a statement as the accountants...
What’s the first thing you need to find out from a new client?
When you are approached by a prospective new client it is tempting to simply give them what they say they want. Often this will be a fee quote to help them with their annual compliance obligations. As this area of work continues to become more commoditised, so will...
How to choose where to promote and market your practice
I have referenced what I call the 5Ms of marketing an accountancy practice before. This blog post is related to the fourth M. That is, which Media should you use to get your chosen Messages to your chosen Market? The answer to the question depends on where you are...
Debunked: The ‘one thing’ you MUST do. There are 5 if you really want to be successful
A popular approach to getting your attention (and often your money) is to tell you that there is ‘one thing’ you must do to achieve your ambitions and succeed. I see this all over the place, in blogs, articles, videos and social media posts. Those who suggest there...
How’s your self confidence and experience?
In my experience many accountants have more potential to succeed than they themselves believe. They are better accountants than they are prepared to admit. And they deserve to be more successful than they have so far managed to be. Could this be true of you too?...
Make it easier for people to remember what you do
We know, don’t we, that good communication is important in business. In my view, one of the most fundamental pieces of communication is how we talk about what we do. There are many challenges to be overcome here. We want to avoid sounding just like everyone else in...
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...
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...