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
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' 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
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
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.
A journalist once asked me “What is the worst mistake accountants can make when they are trying to ‘close’ a prospective client?” Normally I have prepared for the most likely questions I will be asked when I am being interviewed. This one was not on my list as it was not closely related to
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
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
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
Seven years is a long time, isn't it? Back in March 2016, a research student was asking accountants how much of their business comes from social media. She asked me too as I was already known for being more active than most, I was already highly ranked online for accountants but also cynical about
This is probably one of the most valuable tips I share during 1-2-1 mentoring sessions. It’s not just relevant to sole practitioners though. Every client facing partner needs to know their BATASFI when negotiating fees with clients. Indeed it’s equally relevant to service providers way beyond the accountancy profession. I even know some accountants
One of the topics that often comes up is the challenge of prioritising anything (non-billable) you might think you want to do when there is client work that could be done. Certainly, some of the accountants I work with tell me that they struggle to make time to prioritise developing, building and promoting their
This personal list simply reflects my experience and views. None of these qualities are about efficiency vs inefficiency, nor about old-style vs new-style and it’s certainly not about qualified vs unqualified. You may think some of the qualities listed below are obvious – but you may also be surprised how easy it is to
I hate being asked questions like that. Well, not 'hate' exactly. It's one of those questions when I know my reply will start with 'It depends'. The question implicitly assumes that all accountants are the same. And, as I frequently point out - that's just not true. In the context of the question, some
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 are in any way special and different from
Many of the sole practitioners who contact me are feeling isolated, frustrated and/or overwhelmed. During our initial conversations I always ask what has prompted them to get in touch 'now'. The details will vary but typically there will have been a catalyst - even if they were only prompted to get in touch 'at
About 25 years ago a long-standing client told me that she had a new boyfriend who was a Russian. Could I give him some tax advice related to his business interests? He was willing pay thousands of pounds for tax advice. As a firm we didn't have any Russian clients and I think the
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 the accountants in this category may, unintentionally,
Many accountants claim that they secure much of their new work through word of mouth referrals. This suggests that clients are making positive comments about their accountants. They may do that if they're particularly happy but in the same way any unhappy clients will be quick to complain about their accountants. I've heard a
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 strategy. What do
My advice here re building and promoting your firm's brand is controversial. And of course there will be some exceptions. But I would urge you to read this post with an open mind before deciding whether or not YOUR firm really is one of those exceptions. Let's start with ten top accountancy brands. As
Over the years, my conversations with sole practitioner accountants reveal that many are "happy enough" once their practice is generating sufficient income for them. They have reached the stage where they feel comfortable, some might say, complacent. ‘Happy enough’ is hardly an enthusiastic summation of how things are going as it can imply a
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 the need to distinguish
I’m often struck by the difficulty many accountants have when trying to identify what’s special about their firm or practice. Many assume that they do nothing different to any other accountant. Others have been persuaded they need to claim to have a USP. But, when asked, most accountants make the same hackneyed claims as
Have you ever thought you 'should' be doing more on social media and on Linkedin, but are not sure how or what to do? Or maybe you are very active online but are not getting the business benefits you really want? Are you envious or skeptical about the the results others appear to be
