When I teach topics like deepening client relationships and delivering exceptional client service, I discuss the importance of proactively meeting with clients outside of your regular engagement to further your relationship, identify any potential service issues and uncover new opportununities to add value. Participants nod their heads in agreement and some even approach this discussion [...]
When potential clients are listening to you explain your services, there is always one burning question on their minds. When prospective employees are evaluating your firm as a possible place to work, they have the same burning question. And when you’re trying to convince people to adopt a new way of doing something, they also [...]
Last month, I had the great privilege to hear motivational speaker W Mitchell speak to my local NSA (National Speakers Association) chapter. Mitchell, as he likes to be called, was a tremendous inspiration and made many great points throughout his talk. But, something that he asked during the introductions portion of the program really struck [...]
In last week’s blog post, Michelle Baca presented the first four steps for developing winning proposals, which focused on the internal preparation of your proposals. This week, Krista Remer will complete the series on proposals by sharing steps five through seven with a focus on how to actually deliver your proposal and then follow up [...]
Have you noticed that at nearly every major accounting conference, there seems to be a session on how to develop effective proposals? It also happens to be one of the topics that we are asked most frequently to offer our advice on. Because this continues to be on the minds of our clients, we wanted [...]
If you have followed my social media journey, you’ll remember my initial reticence to spend time on Facebook. Even though Facebook has over 400 million users, 50% of whom are logged in on any given day, I have avoided investing professional resources in the platform because I thought it was mostly to be used for [...]
Over the past year, IRS Section 7216 has been a hot topic. Since it went into effect on January 1, 2009, there have been many questions, concerns, and confusion over the legal implications to tax preparers. The intent was to prohibit tax preparers from “knowingly or recklessly” disclosing or using tax related information other than [...]
According to the 2009 AICPA PCPS CPA Firm Top Issues survey (http://tinyurl.com/ydx8alr), the most significant concern facing CPA firms today is client retention. This is certainly a shift from previous years, where the quest to find and retain talent were the top concerns of the profession. Clearly, this is due to the recession, increasing competition [...]
It’s hard to believe, but our blog, Inspired Ideas, celebrates its first birthday today. In the inaugural post, I shared my epiphany about the power of social networking – in particular my exposure to the LinkedIn platform (www.LinkedIn.com) – and how I really believed that the groundswell of web-based networking and communications tools would drive [...]
Mark your calendars! We've got a summer packed with webinars on topics to take your firm to the next level, from business model shifts, succession planning, and strategies to improve delegation! Check out our full line up here.
Join us on May 31st from 10:00-11:40am CT to Building a Truly Progressive, Talent Forward Firm for ideas to shift your firm's culture and identify new strategic priorities to inspire, empower, and retain your top talent. Register for the webinar here.
