Success Begins With Accountability

8 key questions to get you started.

By Martin Bissett

The secret to overcoming failure to correctly implement a successful business development strategy is by “winning your first client” and this starts by being accountable to someone for your performance.

MORE ON SELLING: Selling vs. Attracting to Build Relationships | When Selling, Don’t Chase New Fees, Attract Them | Selling Accounting Services Doesn’t Have to Be Hard! | ‘Selling’ Isn’t a Dirty Word | 8 Factors in Practice Development Success | In Sales, Perception Is Reality | Success Begins With Accountability | Do You Realize You’re Failing? | Winning Your First Client

Now that “someone” may be your fellow partners in the firm. If you are a senior manager, that may be the partner to whom you report.

If you’re a sole practitioner or if you don’t find being accountable to your partners helpful, then you can be accountable to your life partner, spouse or another person you wouldn’t want to see you fail. READ MORE →

Do You Realize You’re Failing?

Be proactive, rather than waiting for business to come to you.

By Martin Bissett

Have you noticed all of those titles in the local bookstore or at the airport offering us the “key” to this and the “key” to that, the “six keys” to one thing, and the “four keys” to another?

It also seems that every book is a “game-changer” now, to the point where it is difficult to understand what the game is anymore, never mind how to play it.

MORE ON SELLING: Selling vs. Attracting to Build Relationships | When Selling, Don’t Chase New Fees, Attract Them | Selling Accounting Services Doesn’t Have to Be Hard! | ‘Selling’ Isn’t a Dirty Word | 8 Factors in Practice Development Success | In Sales, Perception Is Reality | Success Begins With Accountability | Do You Realize You’re Failing? | Winning Your First Client

When it comes to winning new work in professional services, we must first build a relationship. The game hasn’t changed at all in that respect. READ MORE →

9 Ways to Increase Sales through ‘Power Networking’

Confident businesswoman handing man a business card in networking sessionThese tips work for boosting referrals, too.

By Sandi Smith Leyva
The Accountant’s Accelerator

Networking is an essential part of building your business.

MORE ON SMALL-FIRM GROWTH STRATEGIES: 5 Things You Know That Clients Don’t | 3 Ways to Test Your Revenue Forecast | 8 Must-Haves for a Prospect Kit | Whip Out the Wow Factor for Clients | How to Work the Same Hours and Make More Money | If You’re a ‘Best-Kept Secret’ Cut It Out! | 5 Ways to Turn a Tough Day Into a Great One | Take Advantage of 4 Key Marketing Strategies  | Four Ways to Stop Leaving Money on the Table

Whether you network locally, nationally or internationally, there are some tips that are common to all businesses: READ MORE →

Winning Your First Client

Screen Shot 2015-01-16 at 8.11.40 AMWhy your first sale is to yourself.

By Martin Bissett

Winning your first client is all about understanding why someone would buy from you before you ever speak to them, before you ever meet them before you ever start the preparation for talking to them.

MORE: Martin Bissett is the author of: Winning Your First Client | Passport to Partnership | Meet Your New Best Client and | Business Development on a Budget

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5 Tips for Hiring a Great Sales Rep

shark salesman dollarphotoclub_52093671And avoiding disaster.

As a firm owner, you can’t risk putting a dent in your reputation with a poor salesperson.

But how and where do you find a good salesperson?

Successful CPA firms tell CPA Trendlines of five ways:

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21 Painless Ways to Network, Even for Accountants

Business Colleagues Eating Meal Together and Discussing WorkGot the personality of an actuary? No problem.

So, many CPA firms have been launching soft skills training to help their professionals meet people, network better, and, hopefully, land more business.

Trainer and facilitator Arnold Sanow, MBA, CSP, reminds us that Dale Carnegie once won a major sale by being a great conversationalist – without saying more than a few words.
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Reality Check: Achieving World-Class Growth Requires Real-World Intelligence

Why you can’t believe your own press clippings.

By Gale Crosley, CPA
Crosley+Co

Ever run a race and immediately sense that you got off to an exceptionally fast start? It’s a good feeling, but if your goal is to beat out the competition there’s really only one way to know for sure how you’re doing. And that’s by marking your progress toward the finish line relative to the other racers.

The same can be said of efforts to grow your firm. To gauge your progress you have to get outside your own four walls and see how you measure up to the competition. READ MORE →

10 Ways to Get New 1040 Clients

Ed Mendlowitz CPA The Practice Doctor Q and A
Send Ed your questions

And 5 ways to get more business tax clients.

QUESTION: I need a few more clients for tax season. Any suggestions?

RESPONSE: Since we will be getting ready for tax season now is a good time to address this. Here are two checklists, one for individual returns, the other for business client returns.

CHECKLIST: 10 WAYS TO GET NEW INDIVIDUAL TAX CLIENTS READ MORE →