the awesome 8 beyond compliance.
by rob nixon
the old model suggests that most of the work that accountants do is history writing.
more on strategy: growth is all about the clients | why average project value matters | do your clients want more? | the bizarre habits of accountants | 12 traits of a better you | 8 ways to become super-efficient | sales is like workflow management | how to dominate the internet | marketing objectives determine marketing amount
exclusively for pro members. log in here or 2022世界杯足球排名 today.
writing up the past and presenting it is a timeframe that it is not relevant anymore. clients want additional help and if you take the view that by being proactive and really helping your clients, you can become a history maker.
accountants have so much to offer if they just get proactive. after surveying thousands of clients of all types of industries i have narrowed it down to eight key areas (over and above compliance services) in which clients want help. we call them “the awesome 8.”
if you just ask the right questions and listen carefully you’ll hear your clients saying:
“help me to grow my revenue and my wealth.”
“help me to improve my profitability.”
“help me to understand and free up my cash flow.”
“help me to protect my assets for future generations.”
“help me to minimize tax.”
“help me with succession planning or with the sale of my business.”
“help me to be financially retired.”
“help me to structure my business so i can leave a legacy.”
your skills and services (that clients have not bought yet) can do these things. if you do not possess the skills, tools, products or processes in your firm, then seek them out via our network – go to www.proactiveaccountants.net for more information.
offering the awesome 8 services really does help your client to define their future, create wealth, build a better lifestyle and create a legacy. by just offering history writing services, which (although important and must be done) is a grudge purchase, you are not really helping your clients at all.
to get your firm into a position to offer additional value-added services to clients and prospects, i see there are five distinct steps to make it happen.
- get specialized coaching (by my coaching team of course) to guide you on how to do it – this is new territory and you should only follow those who have already done it with others.
- get better with what you have got – sort out workflow, wip, debtors, write-offs, pricing, people, systems etc.
- free up capacity – hire more people or reduce labor intensity by being more efficient.
- develop your product/service offering – look at your range of services and productize them or seek external help to do so.
- market and sell your services – get active by marketing and selling to existing and prospective clients.
start making history today. call all of your clients and go visit them. offer something new. your clients will be better off for it and you’ll be rewarded accordingly – unless you price your services the old way, time x rate.