what to do when you lose your biggest client

and why aren’t more cpas asking the same question?

here at 卡塔尔世界杯常规比赛时间, ed mendlowitz answers some of the toughest questions practitioners can throw at him. he’s the right one to ask. after more than 40 years in the business – building his own practice, running the firm, and eventually selling it to a major regional firm, withumsmith+brown, where he remains a senior partner and consultant to professional services clients – he has the answers. we’re happy to have him at 卡塔尔世界杯常规比赛时间. send your questions for ed here, or chime in with comments below.

meanwhile, browse more from ed here:  congratulations! you bought a tax practice. now what?  |  how accountants can keep the business when a client wants to sell theirs  |  10 reasons clients don’t pay, and what to do about it  |  13 reasons timesheets will never die  |  

— rick telberg
president / ceo

question: i have an established practice and just lost my largest client and need to get new business to make up for the loss. how do i go about getting additional clients?

answer: funny, cpas aren’t asking me about marketing. maybe it’s because 1) they are too busy working so aren’t thinking about marketing, 2) they really don’t like to sell; 3) they feel uncomfortable about asking existing clients for referrals and especially so if they feel they aren’t doing as good a job servicing the client as they should be; 4) they would like new business but don’t seem to want to go out of their way to get it unless it is a referral, or 5) they don’t know what “marketing” is.