survey: how firms market cas offerings

illustration of different types of people connectedflipped referrals, facebook groups, competitor reviews and more.

by hitendra patil
client accounting services: the definitive success guide

among firms offering client accounting services, the chief means for gaining new cas business are proactively seeking referrals and the firm’s website, each at 48 percent. networking at local/regional/national events follows at 35 percent.

more: how to decide on your firm’s cas pricing | cas pricing and the accounting profession | designing your firm’s cas processes | how to create your firm’s cas team | the technology stack you need for cas | communicating cas to clients and prospects
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the other marketing methods deployed by cas firms are:

  • search engine optimization: 14 percent
  • influencer or social media marketing: 11 percent
  • content marketing and thought leadership: 10 percent
  • paid advertising in local, regional, national or internet media: 9 percent
  • we’ve assigned it to a specific person or team: 8 percent
  • webinars, events, or podcasts: 6 percent
  • outbound telemarketing and emails: 5 percent

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how to decide on your firm’s cas pricing

businessman and tablet with the word "pricing" above.make sure your midlevel offering is as profitable as possible.

by hitendra patil
the definitive success guide to client accounting services

when your prospects shop for client accounting services, what they find out about pricing methods and trends defines their expectations. if you follow very different approaches to price your cas offering, it will take significant effort on your part to educate the prospects (and existing clients) about why you are pricing cas the way you are.

more: cas pricing and the accounting profession | how cas communications are different | your firm’s processes can set you apart | technology and your cas clients | top five cas killers and how to overcome them | 21 ways to adjust your practice in 2021
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as they say, it’s easier to ride the horse in the direction it’s going. it is good to first conform to the perceptions of prospects when it comes to your cas pricing. once you ride the horse, you can direct it to the destination you want to take it to. once you conform to the pricing method (not the dollar value) expectations of the prospect, their anxiety and perception of risk (what value will they receive in the price they are willing to pay) reduce. after that, they are more open to evaluating the choices you present to them.
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how to price client accounting services

price and value balanced on scale above a tablet computerpushing the profit per person.

by hitendra patil
the definitive success guide to client accounting services

pricing your services correctly to ensure reasonable profitability is a major decision you will make in your client accounting services practice.

more: how cas communications are different | how to write your cas engagement letter | 12 signs it’s time to outsource | will 2021 be your cash-flow year? | identifying the right clients for cas | cas is, first, a communication challenge
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our survey results revealed how cas firms price their cas offering:

  • the topmost method of pricing cas offering was fixed/flat fee, used by 41 percent of the respondents.
  • the next most common method of pricing cas was a mixed method of pricing (a mix of hourly, fixed and value pricing), charged by 36 percent of respondents.
  • hourly billing method was used by 33 percent of respondents.
  • about 28 percent of respondents used value pricing as the method for cas pricing.

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how cas communications are different

woman and man meeting in an officehelp clients make decisions, don’t just report on what happened.

by hitendra patil
the definitive success guide to client accounting services

a successful client accounting services practice requires increased interactions with clients. your usual non-cas methods of client communications are not sufficient to meet the demands and expectations of your cas clients. you must leverage new tech tools to reach out, communicate and collaborate with clients more frequently.

more: how to write your cas engagement letter | designing your firm’s cas processes | how to create your firm’s cas team | the technology stack you need for cas | communicating cas to clients and prospects | how to communicate the value of cas | don’t wear a mask
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some accounting software can help you automate client notifications (by email/text) based on customized triggers set up in the software. similarly, automated payroll software can keep clients informed automatically. mobile apps of core accounting software are becoming a necessity to deliver client service and communications.

why?
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how to write your cas engagement letter

woman holding paper at deskdefine not just what, but also when.

by hitendra patil
accountaneur: the entrepreneurial accountant

“people think of us (accountants) as the compliance agents – the necessary evil.”

this sentence haunts me even today, after hearing it nearly 15 years ago from a multi-award-winning, highly experienced cpa.

more: designing your firm’s cas processes | your firm’s processes can set you apart | technology and your cas clients | top five cas killers and how to overcome them | 21 ways to adjust your practice in 2021 | how to become an outsourced/virtual cfo
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perception!

has the accounting profession’s brand been (predominantly) perceived as “compliance” only?
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designing your firm’s cas processes

process touch screen showing workflow designyou might find yourself working backward.

by hitendra patil
accountaneur: the entrepreneurial accountant

we have examined how you can enhance your firm’s internal processes and what factors influence those processes. in this post, we will focus more on cas-specific processes that can give you competitive advantages. however, this post is not about the technicalities of accounting processes. as a professional accountant, you already know the accounting fundamentals required to create your processes for each of the segments of the services you provide.

more: your firm’s processes can set you apart | 12 signs it’s time to outsource | will 2021 be your cash-flow year? | identifying the right clients for cas | cas is, first, a communication challenge
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are client accounting services processes different than what you have been doing until now? yes, and no.
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your firm’s processes can set you apart

not just in operations, but client experience.

by hitendra patil
the definitive success guide to client accounting services

if you were to define in three sentences how your firm is different, what would those three sentences be? write them down.

more: 12 signs it’s time to outsource | how to create your firm’s cas team | the technology stack you need for cas | communicating cas to clients and prospects | how to communicate the value of cas | don’t wear a mask | the 8-step method for launching client accounting services | what cas is … and is not | client accounting services: the definitive guide
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read those the next day and judge for yourself if your competitors can say the exact same three sentences to differentiate their firms. if yes, you will see why this is a significant challenge for your firm’s growth aspirations.
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12 signs it’s time to outsource

four businessmen standing on world mapalso: seven covid-driven client needs.

by hitendra patil
accountaneur: the entrepreneurial accountant

when you are the key person to make things happen at your firm, you want to invest as much time in “business development” (not just marketing and sales) as humanly possible. your firm’s growth will make you feel that producing and delivering your services is an essential core business function for you, but some of it is not.

more: how to create your firm’s cas team | technology and your cas clients | top five cas killers and how to overcome them | 21 ways to adjust your practice in 2021
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freeing up yourself to spend more time focusing on the things that add value to your practice and help set it apart from the competition is the most essential differentiating growth strategy you will ever deploy. the same principle applies to your experienced, talented staff.
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how to create your firm’s cas team

plus how to boost their skillsets.

by hitendra patil
accountaneur: the entrepreneurial accountant

“we do not have the staffing for client accounting services.”

non-cas firms cite this as the topmost reason for not being able to offer cas. nothing could be further from the truth.

more: technology and your cas clients | will 2021 be your cash-flow year? | identifying the right clients for cas | cas is, first, a communication challenge | which of your existing clients are cas-fit? | client accounting services: the definitive guide
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experience of firms that offer cas, including that of small firms with fewer than five staff members, proves beyond doubt that you do not need more staff to start offering cas. even solo practitioners provide cas. the only thing you need to begin your cas journey is to be ruthless, relentless and fearless to leverage newer and cloud technologies. automation, integration and even artificial intelligence make it easier, faster and cheaper to perform some repetitive, time-consuming work of accounting firms.
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technology and your cas clients

smiling businesswoman working at desktwo different approaches.

by hitendra patil
the definitive success guide to client accounting services

client accounting services essentially requires an ability for your firm to be able to best serve the needs of all your clients. in other words, your firm’s technology stack, services, processes and pricing packages need to cater to businesses of different sizes, turnovers, as well as various levels of tech-savviness of the business owners and their employees. in yet other words, your firm should have the ability to do part of the accounting work or all the work your clients offload to your firm.

more: will 2021 be your cash-flow year? | the technology stack you need for cas | communicating cas to clients and prospects | how to communicate the value of cas | don’t wear a mask
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when clients do part of the work

in such cases, you want the technology stack to be as standardized as possible to avoid costly, error-prone and time-consuming need to deal with a variety of software. at the same time, when clients do part of the work, you must seek to implement collaborative technology on the cloud to eliminate duplication of data entry and mailing/emailing information back and forth between your firm and clients.
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will 2021 be your cash-flow year?

your cas offering must include a cash-flow management component.

by hitendra patil
accountaneur: the entrepreneurial accountant

if 2020 put businesses in financial icu, 2021 will be a year of rehabilitation. before one gets there, the road to recovery is often long and arduous.

more: the technology stack you need for cas | top five cas killers and how to overcome them | 21 ways to adjust your practice in 2021 | how to become an outsourced/virtual cfo | the services that cas clients want | six reasons cas is king
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business owners who are masters of their craft are not necessarily the experts of accounting and financial management. that is your expertise, professional accountants.
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the technology stack you need for cas

5 key points in making your choices.

by hitendra patil
accountaneur: the entrepreneurial accountant

your firm’s current processes/procedures adapted to your current technology stack, or vice versa. trying to fit client accounting services into your existing technology stack may become a challenge for you – not just from a procedural point of view but also from a profitability point of view. if your current technology stack is still more of desktop software, it could be nearly impossible for you to offer cas as profitably as potentially possible with non-desktop solutions.

more: top five cas killers and how to overcome them | identifying the right clients for cas | cas is, first, a communication challenge | which of your existing clients are cas-fit? | the services that cas clients need | who’s afraid of client accounting services?
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cas does not need a technological transformation

before you start thinking, “oh gosh, this is going to be a hugely expensive technological overhaul of my firm,” stop. cas does need you to adapt to an optimal technology mix, but it does not mean you just throw away your current technology and bring in entirely new technology. cas does not need a technological transformation of your firm. depending upon your existing technology stack, it may only require some reorganization, integration and adjustment.
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top five cas killers and how to overcome them

industrial metal number 5how many of these are you telling yourself?

by hitendra patil
the definitive success guide to client accounting services

why fall in the same trap that other firms have fallen into during their client accounting services journey? if you know what those traps are, you will save significant money and time in establishing your cas practice.

more: identifying the right clients for cas | communicating cas to clients and prospects | 21 ways to adjust your practice in 2021 | which of your existing clients are cas-fit? | the 8-step method for launching client accounting services | how to develop the cas mindset | client accounting services: the definitive guide
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fortunately, the cpatrendlines cas survey identified which are the top five cas killers, for firms of different sizes, that the accounting profession has experienced.
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