how well do you know your potential customers?
by jody padar
from success to significance: the radical cpa guide
so, you’re in your new role. now what?
more on radicalism: 3 challenges in shifting to product management | tips from a veteran product manager | productized 1099s the new vision way | karbon builds a practice management platform on steroids
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it’s time to get organized and start rolling your plans out to the team. here are the first steps to take in your new position as product manager.
develop an organizational chart. create a visual representation of who’s who in your firm and the roles they serve. this will be a key reference for you as you move forward – plus it’s nice to get fancy with it and put it up where everyone in the office can see. if you have virtual employees, put it somewhere that is easily accessible, or use it as a screen saver!
create a roadmap. this is a living, breathing document that includes your firm’s priorities and accountability system. once you do this, you’re going to love it, i promise. you could hire a consultant to do this, or you could do it yourself with your team. back in the day we used to call this strategic planning. now we’re building a business model with an emphasis on product management. and guess what? our cpa services are the product. let that sink in.
know your customer. this may seem obvious, and maybe you’re even sick of hearing it. but the truth is, many cpas never really needed to know and understand their customers in the old-school firm model. we knew what it was we sold, but we tried to sell it to every customer who looked our way. now, we’re taking the time to know our customers and create something special for them.
it’s time to realize that our customers are more sophisticated and have buying power. they don’t have to continue to come to you just because their mom or dad did. location no longer matters. they will find someone more suited to their needs. believe me when i say that it’s crucial you find out
- what your customer wants and needs,
- how they consume their information,
- how they like to communicate,
- what their values are,
- how they spend their time.
knowing all this will help you come up with services and products that make their life easier. because ultimately, that’s what our customers want, right? they want it to be easy and they want to save and grow their money. do you ask your customers these questions? for example, i always talk about how i use skype regularly, and old-school firm owners freak out, saying their customers would never do that. really? have you asked them?
create customer personas. this is about hyperspecializing. this is about marketing to and serving your customers the best possible impact to transform their lives. once you figure out how you are going to productize your services, think about the customers you are going to serve. it’s time to get specific. people always talk about niches, but a lot of people don’t really understand them. you can go through your firm, and you can define what your typical customer looks like without necessarily even saying, “okay, my niche is medical practice.”
but this is more of a proactive approach. this is about the customers who aren’t your customers yet. at new vision, we looked at about 10 or so personalities of our current customer base and created personas around them. what is a persona, you ask? it’s fleshing out a person’s preferences, lifestyle and any other identifying characteristics that describe who they are and what they value. typically, my elevator speech is, “okay, we serve small business owners, zero to $10 million.” what does a small business owner look like in our zero to $10 million range? they vary, but are specific.
our personas are different than saying, “okay, we take everyone who walks in the door.” our personas dictate who we serve. we then have very specific products that we sell to them based on who they are. it’s a flavor of a complete accounting and tax package based on the customer.
embrace the idea of a product. as a cpa, we have been groomed to sell hours. say goodbye to this mindset. we are now productizing a service. products are the essential building blocks of any company. after all, it’s the positive financial contribution and superior market performance of these products (and portfolios) that make the firm’s long-term survival a competitive advantage. as a product manager, you are a guide who will ensure that your products are assets. you need to tend and nurture them so they produce a long-term financial return.
get a little lovey with your product. does anyone in your firm today think and love the solution they sell? i believe cpas care about their customers, but i don’t believe they have an affection for their services. an hour is an hour is an hour. imagine the culture that is created when you can love the productized services you create. why is there love? one reason: you know in your heart that your solution matches their needs perfectly because it was created just for them. and they respond with equal love and referrals too!
decide what it is you’re selling. whoever is creating products with technical tax or audit expertise will need to include a comprehensive understanding of the product’s functionality and capability. the product manager must understand the customer’s problem and needs and how the solution can solve that problem. this is where it’s so important to connect with the tax geek or audit master on your team. but remember, the product manager does not need to have the deep technical expertise. that can be left to the subject matter expert.
this also includes the technology used in the products you manage. software systems, labor needs, processes and communication components are included as well. how will your product be used by your customers? it also encompasses pricing models and marketing techniques as well as sales and distribution channels.
the market in which your product is placed is equally important. you must know your domain and be able to demonstrate your knowledge and experience. basically, you must know who you are selling to, where they frequent and how the product’s impact will affect your customer’s life. you must walk the talk. you must know the many aspects of your targeted industry, such as its jargon, technology and landscape – as well as other functions specifically related to your product. this can be broadly thought of as environmental domain.
where will the productized services be marketed and sold? who is the right customer? what are the alternative products in the marketplace? you need to have this information and understand it well to be perceived as an industry expert. hello, thought leadership!