Eight reasons why accounting firms need to work on internal communications first. by Bruce W. Marcus Professional Services Marketing 3.0 A terrific definition of chaos is when a client asks two different people in your firm the same question — … Continued
And 25 best practices to make a merely good managing partner into a great managing partner.
By Marc Rosenberg, CPA
Author of “CPA Firm Management and Governance.”
An increasing number of firms are asking: Do we want the firm managed by a leader, which for a CPA firm is the managing partner, or managed by one or more committees of partners? The fact is, most firms are choosing a strong leader – the managing partner.
More on CPA firm leadership and management: What a Managing Partner Is… and Is Not • When Is It Time to Shift Your Firm from Partnership-style to Corporate-style Governance? • De-Bunking the Myth about Niche Marketing for Tax and Accounting Firms • Practice Development Is No Longer an Optional Activity • 10 Good Ways the Achieve Partner Accountability • Pick Your Partners Right to Begin With
But too many firms still lack a clear understanding of what a managing partner is. Based on years of research, we have compiled a comprehensive managing partner job description. And we’re including the 25 best practices that make today’s best managing partners great.
MANAGING PARTNER JOB DESCRIPTION READ MORE →
And a couple more ideas for high performing firms.
by Ed Mendlowitz
Tax Season Opportunity Guide
If you have staff, have happy, cheerful, helpful people. Don’t surround yourself with downers and nay-sayers. Make sure they are team players.
Part of this is your firm’s culture. It takes work to get people to work together and to focus on doing what it takes to service the client fully, properly and timely. Everyone working together gets it done. You need to create that atmosphere.
Here are three things that might help:
Five motivation tips from the masters.
By Sandi Smith, CPA
Accountant’s Accelerator
Here are a few of the best lessons I’ve received from the masters. Although tried and true, their stories and hardships keep me energized, upbeat, and thinking bigger.
1. Don’t give up
More for soloists and small firms: Seven Ways to Wow Your Prospect • Rev Up Your Revenue with These Two Daily Rituals • 10 Tips for Creating More Energy this Tax Season • Take a Cue from Venture Capitalists: Your Firm Needs a Brain Trust Trinity • Accountants, Do You Know Your Opportunity Number? • Five Ideas to Overcome Client Price-Sensitivity • 5 Mistakes to Avoid When Seeking New Clients • 3 Steps to Start Running on Millionaire Time • The Missing Ingredient in Your Marketing That Will Make All the Difference • On the Road to a Stress-Free Life: Identify Your Character Strengths •
Washington brinksmanship spells big crunch for preparers. Join the survey; get the updates.
by Rick Telberg
CPA Trendlines Research
With Tax Season 2013 delayed by last-minute code changes, staffing problems and software glitches, the mood of the profession is turning markedly sour.
“IRS delays will cause confusion and errors, and many upset clients,” says Charles Postal at Santos Postal, a five-partner firm in Rockville, Md. “More extensions will depress cash flow.”
At the same, Postal adds, “Clients will have more tax needs, but the struggling economy will depress their ability and desire to pay for services.”
In order to battle the business pressures, Postal’s firm is “pushing back on fees, using standardized billing by product rather than hours, and adding on charges for technology, audit and tax notice insurance.”