- Organic growth of your firm and why it is still important
- The steps to becoming a trusted advisor with your clients so they are long-term clients and pay more
- The importance of finding other firm owners to mastermind and go over issues with
- Even with the “Firm of the Future” tag, she has loftier goals she aspires to. David and Shelley discuss those near the end
- Allman Johnson CPA’s
- Interview with LiveCA - “Mushy” points
- Interview with Darren Root - “RootWorks”
- Find other owners who are in the same position as you [same size]
- Find a community that fosters a Mastermind [she recommends Rootworks]
- Be open to discussion and listening to others [everyone’s there to help and learn]
- Their daily struggles
- Their big plans for the future
- What’s going on in their personal life that might affect the financial picture
- Set up clients on a “fixed fee” per month so they “aren’t afraid to call you.” Let them feel comfortable with discussing issues without worrying about a large bill.
- Include regular check-in discussion points: Monthly, quarterly, semi-annually, etc.
- Have contact points where you dissect everything a client mentions. They might mention something they think is small (like combining equipment) but you need to step in and prove you’re both knowledgeable and there to help.
- Slowly getting clients into “value-based” pricing (a la Ron Baker)
- Making sure everything about a client is updated in a client file so they can continue to act as a trusted advisor
- Tracking the service lines to see which are the most profitable
- Testing many ways to stay profitable and stay on scope simultaneously
- Doing more with social media
- Working to not get pressured to focus so much on marketing rather than being patient with organic growth. “It’s fun to do marketing but you also need to look at the organic side: Which client of mine needs attention right now?”
“CPAs are many things. They are chief financial officers for Fortune 500 companies and advisors to small neighborhood businesses. They work for public accounting firms, both small and large. They are well-respected strategic business advisors and decision-makers. They act as consultants on many issues, including taxes and accounting. A CPA, or Certified Public Accountant, is a trusted financial advisor who helps individuals, businesses, and other organizations plan and reach their financial goals. Whatever those goals-saving for a new home, opening a new office, or planning a multi-billion dollar merger-CPAs can help.” - Shelley JohnsonRelated Articles: