sandi smith leyva, author at 卡塔尔世界杯常规比赛时间 - page 27 of 28

5 mistakes to avoid when seeking new clients

business development for sole practitioners and small firms.

by sandi smith, cpa / special to 卡塔尔世界杯常规比赛时间

if you’re a sole practitioner or small-firm operator, you’re probably very good at what you do — or you wouldn’t be in business today. but when it comes to marketing and selling yourself, well, many of us didn’t voluntarily sign up for that part.

as a matter of fact, some of us are resisting — kicking and screaming — marketing ourselves. so no wonder, for some of us, business is slow or not growing at the rate we’d like.

more for soloists and small firms from sandi smith at 卡塔尔世界杯常规比赛时间: the top 12 business card blunders accountants make • seven tips to keep the clients you have • how to attract clients like a magnet • eleven easy ways to deliver more value to clients • five things accountants take for granted that costs them revenue • what’s in your new client funnel? • what’s in your welcome kit for new prospects? • five fun and easy ways to wow your clients • six ways to give yourself a raise • strategies to stop losing business to competitors

we all hope we will have enough referrals so that we will never have to sell ourselves. but in the last few years, referrals, even for those with huge followings, have slowed down. it’s past time that we work on more fully developing the marketing and selling function of our businesses.

as you do, here are five mistakes to avoid: read more →

outlook & analysis

the top 12 business card blunders accountants make

how many of these common errors or omissions can you find on your business card?

by sandi smith, cpa

the lowly business card: we don’t give it a second thought before we get the thing printed up, and we just do what everyone else does.

many people, new in business, get the business cards printed before they’re really ready to, which causes many of the mistakes i list below. experienced or new, you’re missing huge opportunities to let your business card take some of the work off your shoulders. we may take it for granted, but i feel that your business card is one of your most important pieces of marketing collateral, and the most under-utilized.

here are my suggestions for how to get your business card working as hard as you do. if you want to play along, pull out your business card, and see if your card is guilty of any of these first four no-no’s. read more →

outlook & analysis

the ten most common mistakes on accounting firm websites

you only have eight seconds to make a first impression. don’t waste it.

by sandi smith, cpa

you can indeed get more business, more clients, and more profits from your web site. but not if you make these common mistakes!

sandi smith

whether creating a new site or updating your existing site, here are some common pitfalls to avoid. read more →

management

why 9% of firms flourish even in bad times

a four-pronged approach to weathering any economic storm.

by sandi smith, cpa

according to an article published in harvard business review, three scientists, ranjay gulati, nitin nohria, and franz wohlgezogen, conducted a study to discover the strategies that generated the most – and the least – profits in lean times.

more small-firm success tips at 卡塔尔世界杯常规比赛时间: ‘there is no such thing as a time problem’ • 15 off-the-hook ideas for accountants to dream big • 3 money leaks that may need plugging in your business • seven tips to keep the clients you have • how to attract clients like a magnet • eleven easy ways to deliver more value to clients • five things accountants take for granted that costs them revenue • what’s in your new client funnel? • what’s in your welcome kit for new prospects? • five fun and easy ways to wow your clients • six ways to give yourself a raise • strategies to stop losing business to competitors • five tips to manage your ‘overwhelm’ level • easy ideas for a quick business boost • four new mega-trend marketing strategies • how to stop leaving money on the table

first, here’s a list of sure-fire ways to kill your business: read more →

management

‘there is no such thing as a time problem’

it’s a management problem and here are three solutions.

by sandi smith, cpa
accountant’s accelerator

i know it’s a bold statement and a lot of you will disagree. but please have an open mind and hear me out.

time is the great equalizer. we all have the same number of hours in a day, yet some entrepreneurs, many of them self-made, become wildly successful, while others languish. only one in twenty business owners in the u.s. (2002 numbers) make it past $1 million in annual revenues. i believe the way they use their time is a big factor in their success or failure.

here are three better explanations of your time problem:

outlook & analysis

15 off-the-hook ideas for accountants to dream big

start your business ‘bucket list’ today.

by sandi smith, cpa
卡塔尔世界杯常规比赛时间 / accountant’s accelerator

do you have a business bucket list?

did you see the movie “the bucket list?” morgan freeman and jack nicholson played men who didn’t have too long to live. they each wrote up a bucket list, a list of things they wanted to do or accomplish before they kicked the bucket (as we say in the south).

why not apply the concept to your business? you can do this whether you have your own business or a job, although you have a bit more control when you’re the boss. what do you want to do before you retire or sell your business?

here are some ideas: read more →

management

3 money leaks that may need plugging in your business

why we do it and what to do about it.

by sandi smith, cpa
accountant’s accelerator

everyone is looking on the income statement to find places to cut their business expenses. but the best place to look is not on a report.

it’s in the habits, processes, and procedures that you and your team do through your work day. it’s also in the mindsets, the inner game you bring to your work.

here are my top three money leak sources for you to look at and see what you can find:

read more →

outlook & analysis

how to attract clients like a magnet

10 tips to build an irresistible reputation.

by sandi smith, cpa
accountant’s accelerator

if you’re an expert at something, don’t be the best-kept secret on your block. get the word out about what you can offer others, and one way to do that easily, especially if you’re an accountant, is to build your reputation.

here are 10 quick tips to boost yours.

1. get credentialed, certified, or educated. a good credential, and the cpa is pretty much the gold standard, will get you instant credibility with your prospects and clients. you are simply treated better and respected more when you’ve earned a credential that others recognize.

more from sandi smith at 卡塔尔世界杯常规比赛时间:

• eleven easy ways to deliver more value to clients • five things accountants take for granted that costs them revenue
• what’s in your new client funnel?
• what’s in your welcome kit for new prospects?
• five fun and easy ways to wow your clients
• six ways to give yourself a raise
• strategies to stop losing business to competitors
• five tips to manage your ‘overwhelm’ level
• easy ideas for a quick business boost
• four new mega-trend marketing strategies
• how to stop leaving money on the table

2. create a results-oriented biography. let people know what you’ve accomplished so far in your career and what you’re capable of doing for them by writing a great bio that represents you well. read more →

growth strategies

eleven easy ways to deliver more value to clients

(and add to revenues.)

by sandi smith

as you build your relationships with your clients, it’s always a good thing to see how you can serve them even better.

here are eleven ways you can add value to your existing services which will enable you to stand out from the competition, serve the client better, and put more green in your bank account.

as you go through the list, check them off to see which ones you are doing, and which ones sound good to add to your business.

1. offer add-on peace of mind services

if you are in the information business, offer to run or set up a backup system, store a backup of what you just did, or otherwise keep copies of your work so that the client does not have to worry about recovery issues. if you offer products, this may translate into an insured package that can be tracked and monitored. what kind of safety net can you think of to create for your clients?

marketing & sales

nine networking tips to speed sales and referrals

keep in mind: it takes up to six months before people get to know you well enough to refer you.

by sandi smith, cpa
卡塔尔世界杯常规比赛时间 / accountant’s accelerator

networking is an essential part of building your business. whether you network locally, nationally, or internationally, there are some tips that are common to all businesses.

more from sandi smith at 卡塔尔世界杯常规比赛时间:

• five things accountants take for granted that costs them revenue
• what’s in your new client funnel?
• what’s in your welcome kit for new prospects?
• five fun and easy ways to wow your clients
• six ways to give yourself a raise
• strategies to stop losing business to competitors
• five tips to manage your ‘overwhelm’ level
• easy ideas for a quick business boost
• four new mega-trend marketing strategies
• how to stop leaving money on the table

1. be crystal clear about what you do and how people can use you. also know exactly who your ideal client is in case you’re asked. if you don’t do this, you’ll leave people scratching their heads about you and they won’t know how to connect with you even if they wanted to.

client service opportunities

five things accountants take for granted that costs them real money

what we know that clients don’t even know they need.

by sandi leyva

i’m pretty sure that i am not the only accountant who has made the following mistakes with clients. here are a couple of ideas to help us remember what we know that the client doesn’t and why it costs us when we forget.

more sandi leyva: what’s in your new client funnel? | what’s in your welcome kit for new prospects? | five fun and easy ways to wow your clients | six ways to give yourself a raise | strategies to stop losing business to competitors | five tips to manage your ‘overwhelm’ level | easy ideas for a quick business boost | four new mega-trend marketing strategies | how to stop leaving money on the table

1. clients do not know how to evaluate our technical skills.

outlook & analysis

what’s in your new client funnel?

three simple questions to test your revenue forecast.

by sandi smith, cpa
accountant’s accelerator

you may have heard about the marketing funnel before. there are lots of variations, and i want to cover it in a way that helps us examine our mix of products, services, and prices.

the funnel can be pictured like a big “v.” at the top, wide-open part, there are a lot of prospects interested in your services and products. at the bottom, narrow part, there are a few select customers who buy the most from you.

see more from sandi smith at 卡塔尔世界杯常规比赛时间 (log in now or 2022世界杯足球排名 membership here):

what’s in your welcome kit for new prospects?
five fun and easy ways to wow your clients
six ways to give yourself a raise
strategies to stop losing business to competitors
five tips to manage your ‘overwhelm’ level
easy ideas for a quick business boost
four new mega-trend marketing strategies
how to stop leaving money on the table

near the top, you will have all of your lowest-cost offerings, perhaps those under $100. in the middle, your medium-priced products and services will be positioned, and at the narrow, bottom, you will have your most expensive offerings.

the funnel is a fairly simple concept; however, we can glean quite a bit if we ask ourselves these questions: read more →

outlook & analysis

what’s in your welcome kit for new prospects?

eight must-have’s and 10 more new ideas.

by sandi smith, cpa
accountant’s accelerator

if you’ve spent any time at all in business talking with prospects on the phone or in person, then you probably have a list of benefits or advantages that you like to mention about your company to every prospect. you may have a very structured way of going about this, and you may not.

in any case, building a prospect kit will help you become even more consistent in the presentation of your company’s strong points to prospects. and, it’s absolutely essential as you move into larger and larger business deals.

see more from sandi smith at 卡塔尔世界杯常规比赛时间 (log in now or 2022世界杯足球排名 membership here):

five fun and easy ways to wow your clients: use all five senses.
six ways to give yourself a raise: start by knowing your “opportunity number.”
strategies to stop losing business to competitors: stop being a “best-kept” secret to prospects.
five tips to manage your ‘overwhelm’ level: how to make a tough day into a great day.
easy ideas for a quick business boost: reach for the low-hanging fruit.
four new mega-trend marketing strategies: serve your clients better and watch your practice revenues grow.
how to stop leaving money on the table: most cpa firms miss 60% of their potential revenues. here’s how to start fixing the problem.

a prospect kit is a sales tool that you can use to communicate information about your business to prospects.

here’s a list of the most basic items that can go in an initial prospect kit: read more →

here’s what you’re looking for: sandi smith leyva