subject: Become a Rainmaker: Forgotten Sales Secrets for Your Accounting or CPA Business [print this page] Become a Rainmaker: Forgotten Sales Secrets for Your Accounting or CPA Business
While the economy may be shuddering tentatively back to health, times are still dreadful. While economists assert that the recession is done with lots of CPAs are still clambering to stay afloat. If your business is going to grow and endure in these difficult times you ought to ask a forthright question, and you should revisit it every day: What have you done lately to improve your accounting and CPA practice?
I'm the first to accept that while the CPA sites I pass so much time explaining give you a wonderful edge, it isn't enough to hang your firm on. It takes time and effort to gather new revenue and make sales.
Commit to your marketing. Fully explore your market. Your firm needs to answer certain questions to understand your markets.
* What do your clients need?
* How should a prospect be approached?
* What are you looking for in your clients?
Gale Crosley, CPA and accounting business growth guru, states, "The key competency to winning business is knowing how to discover and build value at the client level."
How? It's all about getting face to face and asking the right questions. It's unlikely that the client even knows exactly what he needs, but if you really listen they'll give you plenty of what Crosley calls "contextual clues".
Ask questions relating to the client and the organization they represent, like how long they've been there and what they are trying to do in the organization. Does the organization provide adequate resources? Get personal by asking how their job could be easier and what their top areas of focus are.
The key to success isn't the questions, it's the answers. Most people are eager to talk about their businesses. All you need to do is get them started. Train yourself to really listen for clues that will tell you what the client really needs from an accountant. If you're long term goal is to keep the client don't just look for chances to increase your billable hours. Look for ways that you can really help the client run his business more smoothly.
Theres a special term for people who are good at this. We call them rainmakers.
Most firms have at least one good rainmaker. Some are fortunate enough to have a great one. These are the folks that you should go out and watch.
Great rainmakers learn through what appears to be just small talk. A great rainmaker can gather personal details that can lead to bigger opportunities down the line and a bigger bottom line for the company.
Take what you learn from these meetings and apply it to your own clients. Try to get into your clients head. Learn what drives the decisions they make.
The process is a simple one and if you persist you'll soon learn to step beyond idle chit-chat and begin to identify what the client needs and how they think.
When you figure out the "how," you'll be able to insert solutions into a conversation and gain the confidence of your client.
Taking the time to do this will give you new tools for getting through the recession.
What exactly do you need to do, then, to keep your business strong? . It's simple really. Find out the vital methods and processes required to be competitive. Really listen for signals about the customer's needs and motivations.
Lastly, take your place as your company's new rainmaker.
