if you can help, why wouldn’t you?
by ed mendlowitz
call me before you do anything: the art of accounting
part of my success in getting new business was getting additional work from existing clients.
more: when time-based pricing works | the clients that got away | upselling made painless | boosting a fixed fee substantially | creative ways to retain staff | what cpas can learn from lawyers and doctors | advising cheapskates | getting bonuses from clients | be an accountant, not a salesperson for other things | when clients don’t know
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i was always good at this, and i think it was because of my attitude of helping the client beyond what the routine services were. early on i felt queasy about mentioning that there would be an additional fee for the extra services, but after a few times, i got over that.
as accountants and tax preparers we become aware of many important life-altering issues, and we should call them to our clients’ attention. i know many of us feel that we don’t want to appear as if we are trying to generate fees, but we shouldn’t feel like that.
suppose you went to a dentist for a regular cleaning and you were not told that you need a periodontal consultation. how would you feel? or if you finally brought your car in for servicing and weren’t told that all your hoses should be
changed. how would you feel? suppose you went to an attorney for a prenuptial agreement, and he or she did not tell you to revise your will and your pension beneficiary designations. how would you feel?
well, suppose a client came to you for the preparation of their tax return, and you did not tell them their investments weren’t on track for them to accomplish their goals, or that their life insurance was inadequate based upon their
stated needs? how do you think they would feel if you did not alert them to financial issues arising from your knowledge of their situation based on their tax return, and tell them you could help solve their problems?
offering clients additional services is a good deed. the fact that you also will charge them for the advice doesn’t lessen the value of the suggestions. the extra telephone call, away from the hubbub of tax season, will be a great favor for the client and should create a feeling of goodwill. also, in some instances, you can even ask the client if they know of anyone else in their circumstances to whom you could be referred. in many cases, increasing clients’ awareness of services that they truly need fosters a feeling that you are more than just a tax preparer, but a trusted adviser who transcends tax preparation.
i feel i owe it to my clients to “sell” them additional services – and so should you!
one response to “creating a cross-selling culture”
rj sacbuoy
these are good points and they all go back to trust. to use your auto service analogy, there are many mechanics that offer a “complimentary 100-point inspection” when you get your oil changed or tires rotated. sometimes these inspections point out needed service. sometimes they’re simply fishing expeditions to bolster the selling of services a customer doesn’t need (but the service manager does need if they are working on commission). tax professionals are a lot like auto mechanics – if you trust yours, you’ll trust them when they cross-sell. if you don’t, you won’t.