why accounting? your clients want to know

“people don’t buy what you do, they buy why you do it.”

by hitendra patil
pransform, inc.

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we are used to getting asked “what do you do for living?” but when someone asks “why,”we have to dig deeper to answer that question.

celebrity author simon sinek wrote a revolutionary book called “start with why.” he says, based on complex research results, “people don’t buy what you do, they buy why you do it.” he further adds – “those who know their why are the ones who lead.”

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same game, same name, different rules

nine questions cpas need to ask before hiring a public relations agency. by bruce w. marcus professional services marketing 3.0 there was a time when all you needed was a roll of nickels and a phone booth, and you were … continued

11 questions you should be asking

a few easy-to-ask, feel-good questions can get a client or prospect comfortable and talking. it’s up to you to know how to listen and how to find ways to help.

from bob burg,
author, “endless referrals.” 

1. how did you get your start in the “widget” business?

2. what do you enjoy most about what you do?

3. what separates your company from your competition?

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two steps to easy cross-sells

start with a spreadsheet.

by sandi smith, cpa
accountant’s accelerator

here’s a great spreadsheet exercise you can do to identify what i call “low-hanging fruit,” which means added revenue that will not take too much time or money to go after.

open excel, and start a worksheet from the sales numbers in your accounting system.

more at 卡塔尔世界杯常规比赛时间 for soloists and small firms:    the hot new tech product for automated data entry  |  five value-add service areas to take you beyond bookkeeping  |  six money-making strategies to take you beyond quickbooks   | 10 ways to add a “money maker” hour to your day   |  11 sources of wealth we can celebrate   |  nine value-adds to command a higher fee   |  how to design your business around your strengths

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don’t confuse marketing with a true growth strategy

practice growth is a delicate balance of art, science, intuition and diligence. one thing it isn’t, however, is marketing.

by gale crosley
crosley+company

marketing can be a powerful lever to fuel business expansion. but alone, it will not take you where you want to go. marketing helps till the soil of growth. at the end of the day, however, tilled soil with no seeds taking root is pretty much a useless pile of dirt.

well-intentioned firms often invest a great deal of money in marketing and wonder why it doesn’t result in growth. one reason is that what they’re really spending on is unrelated marketing activities (or tactics) rather than on growth strategies.

it’s an essential distinction that can make all the difference in your efforts.

in this report:

  • the three elements at the foundation of growth strategies
  • three steps to create a comprehensive strategy

recommended reading:

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five value-add service areas to take you beyond bookkeeping

by sandi smith, cpa
accountant’s accelerator

every business needs to do some level of bookkeeping for a couple of reasons:

1) various government agencies require reporting and payments based on the company’s results.

2) the owner needs a certain amount of information to manage their business and keep it profitable.

many business owners hire us grudgingly for compliance work because they have to. and they consider what they pay us as an overhead expense that is a required cost.

but what if we could turn that perception around?

more at 卡塔尔世界杯常规比赛时间 for soloists and small firms:  six money-making strategies to take you beyond quickbooks   | proactive ways to get more referrals   |  the three biggest money leaks in your practice   |  new client opportunities with mobile apps   |  six questions to launch your summer strategy sessions   |  what most accountants miss in the five simple steps to get more clients   |  10 ways to add a “money maker” hour to your day   |  11 sources of wealth we can celebrate   |  nine value-adds to command a higher fee   |  how to design your business around your strengths

here are five areas to consider offering beyond bookkeeping that will help your clients see you as a good investment rather than as an expense. read more →

proactive ways to get more referrals

by sandi smith leyva, cpa
accountant’s accelerator

there are many great things about getting referrals.  first, referrals have a built-in trust that helps you move through the sales process faster.  second, there’s almost no marketing cost involved.  third, they tend to make a better long-term client.

unfortunately, many business owners take a reactive approach to referrals, waiting until they come to them, rather than a more profitable approach, which is to proactively maximize referrals. here are five proactive ways to boost referrals: read more →