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From the monthly archives:

November 2009

Just One Thing…

Just think….. if you (+ your team) could do one thing to reach out to clients and targets every day.  Or even every week. What difference could this make to your Firm?

All it takes is: Just one thing.

A client touch. An interaction with a target. For example:

  • An email invite for coffee – “Hi + coffee”.
  • Popping a relevant marketing flyer in the post or out via email.
  • A call to say “Hi”.  No agenda.  No requests.  Just thinking about your client.
  • Adding contacts via LinkedIn. (+ getting back in touch)
  • Registering for a networking event. (+ attending)
  • Checking newsfeeds for recent articles on your clients and targets.  A reason to get in touch.  To say “congratulations” or “disappointed to hear…how can we help?”.
  • A quick search through Twitter for mentions of your specialism and (ideally) cries for help.  (Use advanced search option to restrict to UK search results.)  Tweet with offers of help if you can.
  • Picking up the phone to a client for a quick update chat.
  • A congratulatory note to a local company that won that recent award.
  • Reconnecting with old colleagues or Uni friends – search on LinkedIn.
  • Seek feedback from clients on your service so far – where good, seek referrals; where bad, address pronto.
  • Ensure you have a coordinated calendar of Firm events – fire out invites (in good time).
  • Think of old clients.  Ex clients.  Near misses on tender lists and proposals.  Those that said NO… now it might be a YES.
  • Write an article.  Something that can demonstrate your expertise and keep your name front of mind with clients and targets – post online or submit to local papers.
  • Say Thanks to your long-term clients.  Appreciate them.  Cherish their loyalty.

Monday Morning Focus: Review the above list.  Add to it by all means but make sure that you do a least one thing today and every day.  Share with your team.  At the very least do one thing every week.  Keep it going and enjoy the results.

Remember, all it takes is just one thing.

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Applying Design Thinking to an Accountancy Firm

Design Thinking brings about a new way of thinking about client interactions and experiences of working with your firm.

Applying design thinking to an accountancy firm might result in:

  • First impressions – the look and feel of the office reception. Any nice surprises? e.g. the offer of a lavishly made cup of coffee and freshly made cookies?
  • Meeting rooms that inspire creativity and a sense of possibilities – flip charts, colour markers, giant stickies, sharpies, building blocks, play-dough etc
  • Reports and correspondence that are sleek, unfussy and easy to understand (+ recycled of course – or the offer that all correspondence can be sent in digital form only)
  • An ethos that seeks to (and actually manages to) exceed expectations in terms of timetable for delivery and quality of work. Going the extra mile to achieve a WOW service.
  • A Firm that has a social purpose. A social object. Something that binds its team and its clients together for a higher purpose e.g. a proportion of its profits being reinvested in local aspiring companies?
  • Constantly reinventing services. Always fresh. Always invigorating. Clients leave an interaction with your Firm feeling that they are at the cutting edge.
  • Seeking feedback on a continual loop. Was that report good? Easy to understand? Was the presentation good? Did you like the use of graphics? Was that strategy meeting useful? Any suggested improvements? Note comments – then reinvent.
  • Asking better questions. Eliciting new insights. Moving forward with new (potentially game-changing) ideas for clients.
  • Flexible one-size-fits-NONE approach to client work. Assume nothing. Possibility seeking. Yet a turn-key system for internal things that work / need doing e.g. adminstration.
  • Building a porfolio of clients that turn into fans. Where ideas can cross-pollinate. A support network. A tribe. A community.

Think about it…

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Future Face of Accountancy

28 November 2009

Here are 7 potential changes on the horizon for the accountancy profession driven by changing markets: Speed to market becomes even more important.  Innovate; deliver cool services to clients then innovate some more. Deepening specialisms.  Experts rule and become highly marketable. Death of timesheets and time-based billing.  (Good riddance.) Hub and spoke accountancy firms emerge.  Hub consisting of [...]

Adding Value to Clients?

26 November 2009

It’s becoming a buzz phrase in professional services to say “We add value to our clients” but what does this really mean? Many point to technical expertise.  I think it’s more than being an expert. Technical expertise is getting ever closer to being a ‘given’ – relatively unimportant in deciding whether you should be appointed [...]

Get Out of the Office (More!)

25 November 2009

If you want to maintain your existing client base and build your accountancy practice further you’ll need to get out of the office (more). Here are some suggestions: “Hi + Coffee” – Ping a note to your clients and get out there for a brief business catch-up.  Half an hour over a coffee. No agenda [...]

How to become a BIG IDEAS accountant?

24 November 2009
Thumbnail image for How to become a BIG IDEAS accountant?

Businesses are increasingly putting innovation at the top of the business growth agenda.  This puts increased pressure on accountants to become more innovative in their approach and thinking. But how is this possible when the accountancy profession is so hard-wired toward left brain process driven, analytical thinking? The good news is that anyone can become a BIG [...]

Better Client Calls

23 November 2009

What was the reason for your last call to a client? Likely, it is when you needed some information to be processed or collated or even to chase up that unpaid bill? Given this, what do you think goes through your clients’ minds when your telephone number flashes up on their ringing telephone?  A sense [...]

Marketing by doing cool stuff

22 November 2009

You can market your brand and pay hard cash for the privilege.  Or you could develop cool services and do cool stuff for clients and society and let this do the marketing for you. This is the choice.  (+ the challenge).

Develop a Traveller Mindset in your Office

Thumbnail image for Develop a Traveller Mindset in your Office 21 November 2009

How can you spot new break-through opportunities or areas for improvement within your office or department? Developing a traveller mindset within your office may hold the key… Remember the last time you went somewhere new – perhaps on holiday, on a business trip or simply to the other side of town?  Recall how you felt.  [...]

How to make the uninteresting INTERESTING!

20 November 2009

This could have been just another talk.  Yet more instructions to customers.  Drilled out 5+ times per day.  Formalities spelled out.  Dull.  Uninteresting. Or you can choose to change it.  Make the otherwise uninteresting INTERESTING!  Re:think.  Make it an experience. Think about it…

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