Posts Tagged ‘communication’
Becoming the First Call
For years, accountants have been told to go out and build a network to contribute to growth through the leads and referrals gained through those connections. However, I think a different and much more important reason to build a network is to better serve your clients. In the accounting profession, networking can be an…
Read MoreThis One Step Can Shift Your Entire Client Experience Program Into Gear
What would you say if I asked you to describe your firm’s client experience program? If your answer is providing great service, the occasional client survey, or maybe a blank stare, your firm could be at risk. I recently sat down with Mitch Reno from Rehmann to talk about his work in client experience. …
Read MoreLove Your People? Implement Pipeline Meetings to Reduce Staff Burnout.
For so many firms, the stress of having more work than people has become overwhelming. Traditionally, a surplus of work was a good problem to have, but let’s be honest; it is the root cause of burnout. More and more people in the accounting industry are looking for other opportunities or leaving the profession altogether.…
Read MoreTop 4 Trends Shaping Accounting Firms in 2021
The unique challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic have created what will be lasting changes for accounting firms in regard to business development and marketing. For many firms, these events forced a faster evolution of marketing than they expected or planned for. Firms of all sizes made adjustments, adding or amplifying marketing and business development activities,…
Read More5 Steps to Successfully Promote Your Firm’s Webinar
You’ve done the hard work of designing and planning a virtual event. You are likely featuring thought leadership or other great content that highlights your firm’s knowledge and people. Now, it’s time to shift the energy you’ve put into planning and focus on how you are going to get the word out! While you’re…
Read MoreCommunication Should Be at the Top of Your Reopening Strategy
Communities and states are beginning to reopen their economies under various levels of restriction. As CPA firms consider their reopening strategies and timelines, employee safety is of the utmost importance. Once that is managed, however, the next most critical component of a successful reopening is the quality (and quantity) of communication with employees and…
Read MoreMistakes Happen. Now What?
A while back I learned a valuable lesson that continues to shape the way I communicate with my clients to this day. In a nutshell, two of my vendors let me down at a time when I had little bandwidth for error. Following these experiences, I fired one vendor but have held onto the other…
Read MoreAsk Better Questions, Get Better Engagement
Never ASSUME, because when you ASSUME, you make an ASS of U and ME. This catch-phrase was popularized by writer Jerry Belson in the 1970s sitcom The Odd Couple, and its message is truer today than ever before. In a world that demands instant answers and has little patience for the Socratic method, asking good…
Read More4 Tips for Better Team Meetings
Ask any super efficient manager about their tips for success and weekly meetings will always be on their list. “Rather than being productivity killers, well-crafted meetings can help raise productivity and achieve an open culture within teams[1],” says Jerene Ang of HumanResourcesOnline. Team meetings are a rite of passage for a productive work week because…
Read MoreHow To Build Your Firm’s Brand Standards in 3 Easy Steps
Branding can be an elusive concept. For many, a company’s brand is usually associated with a visual element, like a logo. Retail giants like Target, Amazon and Best Buy have all created brands that go beyond the logo by associating their name with the assurance they give to their customers. In professional services, a brand…
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