Accountants are very protective of their clients. They watch over them like a hen over her chicks…and that’s why they are the most trusted advisor.
So when an accountant is looking at offering advisory services to their clients and they find that they just don’t have the time or the expertise to do so, they must find a way of delivering these services and also marketing these services as well.
It’s now time for the accountant to consider a joint venture with a business strategist that has not only the appropriate coaching skills, but also marketing skills to ensure that the clients (and potential clients) of the practice are aware of the service offering and also the benefits that they can expect to derive from the service.
As I mentioned in my previous blog…accountants are continually giving advice their clients in an ad hoc manner, they often don’t get paid for this advice. And for those accountants that do offer advisory services, most admit that they offer this service on an ad hoc basis at best. And have a think about the advisory services that accountants offer their clients. They are more analytical than advisory. The so called advisory from accountants identifies problems in the client’s business BUT they don’t offer a solution…and that’s the difference… and that’s why business owners don’t want to pay for that service. There is no REAL benefit.
If accountants do not have the time to deliver business advisory services to their clients (that really do need it), then they need to look at engaging the services of a business/marketing strategist to do this for them. The business strategist could offer a complete done-for-you package. And a joint venture could be the best way to do this as there would be no expense for the accounting in providing this service.
The next step for the accountant is to find a business strategist that can ensure that they will deliver. Here are the eight essential qualities that accountants need to look for in a business strategist:-
1. Ensure that the business strategist has actually had some business experience. Have they ever owned their own business (or businesses) and was that business (or businesses) successful?
2. You need to know how many businesses that the strategist has successfully coached and also need to know some of the results achieved.
3. Seek testimonials from the strategist and check them out.
4. Does the coach offer a risk free guarantee or, more importantly a results guarantee?
5. Ask the coach this question. Out of a score of 10…how do you rate your ability to put together a marketing/ business plan?
6. Can the business strategist assist with the marketing of the accounting practice?
7. Ask the business strategist to show how they put together the customised marketing roadmap for the business owner.
8. The accountant must ask the business strategist if they have a system for the delivery of their advisory services – most important for measuring and managing the results.
Peter Lawson
www.bizconnectionsjointventures.com
- The top 4 business concerns for accountants in 2017 – Part 3 - 18 January 2017
- The top 4 business concerns for accountants in 2016 – and how to overcome them - 15 December 2016
- Go from surviving to thriving in 2017! - 19 October 2016
