Mike Crook is the Managing Director of the award-winning marketing agency PracticeWeb which has worked exclusively with accounting firms for more than 20 years. Under his leadership, PracticeWeb has gone from strength to strength, from winning awards for their results focused digital marketing, to entering into powerful partnerships with fintech firms and with the ACCA. Mike has almost two decades of experience under his belt as a digital marketing and business transformation strategist, with clients including HSBC, Zurich Financial, Peugeot and Triumph Motorcycles. He is an expert in every aspect of digital marketing from brand building to website development, with a particular interest in the power of market research, test driven marketing and data to deliver results. Shownotes: How marketing has changed to become more complex and more data driven over the years The downside for buyers in the B2B space who are hit with so many marketing messages from professional firms What marketing actually means for accounting firms and what good marketing should do What you need to be the best choice for people looking for your services How much professional firms rate marketing and where it lies as a priority for most accountants The biggest excuse accounting firms give for not investing in marketing, and how it doesn't hold up under scrutiny Why accounting firms who claim to grow by referral might be making a big mistake What accounting firms get wrong when it comes to investing in marketing, and where money gets wasted How some marketing agencies and experts sell their services and methods as silver bullets but with one important thing missing The dangers for accounting firms of of starting a marketing campaign or strategy and thinking short term only What accounting firms are missing out on by not investing in digital marketing How inhouse marketers in accounting firms struggle to internally sell the benefits of marketing The steps to turning marketing into tangible targets and activities The advantages of being data driven with digital marketing for accounting firms Why the smart accounting firms invest in marketing earlier rather than later Key considerations for an accounting firm to hire in external marketing resource and expertise to grow How the marketing strategy acts as a roadmap for accounting firms to execute on for growth How everyone in a professional firm can contribute to the marketing efforts Contact Mike here: https://www.practiceweb.co.uk/ (Website and blog) https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelcrook/ (Mike on LinkedIn)

Accounting Influencers

Tips to Help Accounting Firms Gain ROI from Marketing

Mike Crook is the Managing Director of the award-winning marketing agency PracticeWeb which has worked exclusively with accounting firms for more than 20 years. Under his leadership, PracticeWeb has gone from strength to strength, from winning awards for their results focused digital marketing, to entering into powerful partnerships with fintech firms and with the ACCA. Mike has almost two decades of experience under his belt as a digital marketing and business transformation strategist, with clients including HSBC, Zurich Financial, Peugeot and Triumph Motorcycles. He is an expert in every aspect of digital marketing from brand building to website development, with a particular interest in the power of market research, test driven marketing and data to deliver results. Shownotes: How marketing has changed to become more complex and more data driven over the years The downside for buyers in the B2B space who are hit with so many marketing messages from professional firms What marketing actually means for accounting firms and what good marketing should do What you need to be the best choice for people looking for your services How much professional firms rate marketing and where it lies as a priority for most accountants The biggest excuse accounting firms give for not investing in marketing, and how it doesn't hold up under scrutiny Why accounting firms who claim to grow by referral might be making a big mistake What accounting firms get wrong when it comes to investing in marketing, and where money gets wasted How some marketing agencies and experts sell their services and methods as silver bullets but with one important thing missing The dangers for accounting firms of of starting a marketing campaign or strategy and thinking short term only What accounting firms are missing out on by not investing in digital marketing How inhouse marketers in accounting firms struggle to internally sell the benefits of marketing The steps to turning marketing into tangible targets and activities The advantages of being data driven with digital marketing for accounting firms Why the smart accounting firms invest in marketing earlier rather than later Key considerations for an accounting firm to hire in external marketing resource and expertise to grow How the marketing strategy acts as a roadmap for accounting firms to execute on for growth How everyone in a professional firm can contribute to the marketing efforts Contact Mike here: Website and blog (https://www.practiceweb.co.uk/) Mike on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelcrook/)

Gale Crosley was selected one of the 10 Most Recommended Consultants in the Inside Public Accounting BEST OF THE BEST for the fourteenth year, and one of the Top 100 Most Influential People in Accounting by Accounting Today for the thirteenth consecutive year. She consults with mid-market accounting firms, assisting managing partners, partners, and marketing directors, to effectively increase their firm’s revenues. Gale’s 35 plus years of experience features a unique combination as a practicing CPA at Arthur Andersen, PwC, and a local CPA firm. She has also held senior management roles in business development and marketing in the cutting edge technology environment with IBM, MCI and several start-up technology companies. Shownotes: Why the most significant changes in the accounting profession have occurred in the last 5-7 years How growth and technology are connected in the accounting world How the cloud really changed the game for accounting firm growth What is stopping accounting firms from innovating and adopting new technology How the covid world has impacted further the deep changes that were happening in professional firms How accountants and CPAs cope with change compared to the rest of the world How covid has affected the technology firms rely on to grow revenue Why accountants no longer have to be face to face with prospects to win new business Why the networking and referral approach to winning business is outdated The new phase of referral generation for accountants and CPAs in a covid world How a growth consultant transforms an accounting firm The key skills many accountants lack in moving from technicians to consultants and advisors Who the real competition are for accounting firms who want to grow The areas where accounting firms are losing market share and missing out on growth due to external competition The danger signs of complacency with accounting firms behaving like fat cats Shout out to Bill Reeb and Tommye Barie of the Success Institute Contact Gale here: Website and blog (https://www.crosleycompany.com/) Gale on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/galecrosley/)

Growth Insights for Accounting Firms in Tough Times

Tommye Barie is a recently retired partner of one of the 100 largest full-service accounting and consulting firms in the US. Her thought leadership on culture, strategy and innovation led to Tommye being recognized as one of the 100 most influential people in the accounting profession, as published in Accounting Today. She is a past Chair of the Board of the American Institute of CPAs and is actively involved in the international accounting profession. She currently represents the United States as a board member of the International Federation of Accountants (IFAC). The IFAC is a global organization supporting the development of and promoting the adoption and implementation of high-quality international standards. Bill Reeb is a CPA and has been consulting for three decades in the areas of strategy, leadership and change management. He d became a CPA in 1986. An award-winning public speaker, Bill and his partner, Dom Cingoranelli, have co-authored Securing the Future: Building Your Firm’s Succession Plan and Securing the Future: Implementing Your Firm’s Succession Plan. Bill is past Chair of the Board of the AICPA, is a current and past member of the Board of Directors and Council, and past Commissioner on the National Accreditation Commission. He also serves as an advisory board member to several organizations, including CPAFMA. Accounting Today has recognized his efforts by listing him as one of the Top 100 Most Influential CPAs. CPA Magazine has named him as one of the Top 100 Most Influential Practitioners, and Inside Public Accounting has listed him as one of the top 10 most recommended CPA firm consultants. Shownotes: Proof that accountants are actually 'people people' and why accountants are actually NOT unique in what they do The problem of accountability in professional firms and the importance of knowing who your real boss is The biggest shortcoming in professional firms of any size The vital role of competences for people development in accounting firms The problem caused by accounting fee-earners being technically strong or soft skills strong, but not both What will happen to those accountants who are not willing or able to be coached or developed in their firm Why people's goals should be tied to performance in an accounting firm The big reason most accountants don't know how to manage people The 5 core skills that modern day accountants need to be successful What gets 70% of accountants promoted and what makes 80% of them fail The role of culture in developing a coaching, development mentality in accounting firms The one thing that makes you money in your accounting role Why 'not having the time' is a bad excuse for professionals who avoid doing what needs doing in a firm The difference between subjective and objective goals for accounting professionals What leaders in professional firms are really responsible for Exactly what accountability means when leading and managing your people Why self motivation doesn't work in professional firms who want to grow What makes performance evaluations or development reviews fail in professional service firms The biggest challenge accounting firms face in developing their people The two main areas that require investment in the future for accounting firms to succeed Why technology is now a key component of the accounting qualification, at least in the US Why accountants must move from the data and information space to the knowledge and decision space Why the accounting profession is the greatest there is What causes complacency and lack of change in accounting firms Tommye has always placed importance on leveraging her leadership skills and experiences to influence the lives of young professionals. Throughout her career she has mentored and guided women and men in her own firm and in the many firms she has worked with throughout the United States. Bill enjoys a number of hobbies. He is an avid golfer and skier but spends the majority of...

People Development Best Practice for Accounting Firms

Malcolm Smith has a background in science and marketing which gives him unique insights into how businesses negotiate, transact and develop. Today he employs this considerable expertise through a portfolio of non-executive directorships and owned businesses. He is a keynote lecturer on Leadership, Project Management, Negotiation, Influencing and Consultative Selling at London Business School, Cass Business School, Oxford University SAID Business School and Cambridge University Judge Business School. Shownotes: How accountancy compares to other sectors in commoditising its offering, and what is driving that move The main reason accountants charge by the hour and why they shouldn't How even the revered doctors and general medical practitioners have become commoditised through availability of knowledge Why accounting compliance has become less valued in the eyes of clients The major downside for accountants of becoming commoditised and undifferentiated How advanced tech like AI can allow you to be profitable as a commodity in accounting The dangers of 'proximity bias' that causes accountants to undervalue their skills Tips for accounting firms to expand their core offerings into advising and consulting services An example of what 'proactive brilliance' looks like for an accountant The best way to find out what your 'value-adds' are as an accounting firm The benefits of asking your clients why they choose you and building your accounting firm's proposition around the answers The three value disciplines in a professional firm that allow you to charge premium fees The biggest cost in running an accounting firm, and why your fees need to reflect that The big mistake poor negotiators make when handling fee conversations with their accounting clients or prospects Why non-F2F negotiation is more difficult than being in the same room as people The biggest issue for accountants when negotiating on video platforms like zoom The importance of the 'opening position' for accountants when negotiating deals and setting fees The dangers of using 'round numbers' when setting and negotiating your accounting or consulting fees Negotiation tips for accounting firms, especially in a virtual, non-F2F world The problem many accountants make in giving away unilateral concessions in negotiations How accounting professionals can get much better and more confident in handling common sales objections Why accountants should always quote money rather than hours for a particular job or service The importance for accountants to never invoice the negotiated amount. Malcolm was Speaker of the Year for Vistage International in 2007, 2011 and 2015 and has won the Outperformer Award every year since 2004. He scored the last goal ever at Eastville Stadium, Bristol UK) before it became an IKEA store. Contact him here: Website and blog (https://www.mindgamestraining.co.uk) LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/malcolmjamessmith)

Negotiating & Pricing Strategies for Accountants & CPAs

Geraldine Carter is the founder of She Thinks Big Coaching, where she helps CPAs get out of the accounting rut. She is also the host of the podcast "Smart Strategy for CPAs". Her cashflow forecasting models have resulted in millions of dollars for climate change efforts. Shownotes: How the tsunami of covid has affected the world of accountants and CPAs Why NOW is actually a great time to be an accountant How coachable accountants are as a breed and how receptive they are to change What attracts accountants and CPAs to the accounting profession and why it attracts certain types of people The number one biggest challenge accountants and CPAs are facing right now The 'tall poppy syndrome' - why some accountants and CPAs are reluctant to stand out What makes most accounting firms look and sound the same, and have the same kind of websites claiming the same things Does complacency (having a recurring fee business model) play a part in accountants being reluctant to change? The main trap that accountants and CPAs get into that causes inertia and lack of growth The problems that arise when accountants and CPAs don't think like business owners with their clients The definition of a framework and why they are so important for accountants to best serve their clients The mistake accountants and CPAs make by giving away so much expertise Why a lack of process and framework for accountants and CPAs stops them from properly adding value to clients How accountants and CPAs can enhance the value they offer clients by a factor of 5 to 10 What getting your life back from working way to many hours looks like for accountants and CPAs How a framework helps accountants and CPAs position advisory services beyond low margin compliance work The main thing clients want from accountants and CPAs that most professionals get wrong The risks larger accounting firms are facing in not empowering younger talent to be more entrepreneurial The restraints that stifle the growth of professional firms Advice for leaders in accounting firms to better develop and keep their entrepreneurial talent Shout out to Rob Brown's TEDx talk on YouTube 'The Personal Brand of You' The danger for accountants and CPAs of competitors being able to copy or claim the same things they do What accountants and CPAs need to do to stand out as experts in their chosen verticals, niches or sectors How accountants and CPAs can identify their best verticals, niches or specialist areas to work in In her free time, Geraldine can be found mountain biking forested trails or running after her two small children in her hometown of Missoula, Montana USA. Contact her here: Website and blog (https://shethinksbigcoaching.com/) LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/geraldine-carter)

The Power of Frameworks to Help Accountants Sell More

Barbara Koenen is the author of the book Beyond Billable Hours and Global Head of Business Development and Marketing at Ince, a legal and professional services provider with more than 900 employees globally. She is based in Dubai and has 10 years of business development and marketing experience in the professional services industry. She writes regular blog posts on her website www.beyondbillablehours.com and is very passionate about helping fee earners in professional services firms to thrive as she knows how hard it is to focus on things beyond billable hours. Shownotes: The difference between marketing, sales and business development for accounting professionals Why sales and selling are such difficult words for professionals like accountants and lawyers The #1 reason professional service firms should build the selling skills and culture of their people The problem for professionals who can bill fees but not generate new revenues in a professional firm An explanation for why accountants and lawyers don't think like business people Thoughts on how coachable professionals like accountants, CPAs and lawyers are 'as a breed' Why almost everyone in professional services should be 'hands on' with business development The need for a business development plan or strategy and why not every tactic will succeed to bring in new work How a different approach to winning business is required by different professionals depending on a number of factors A great example of why some accountants and professionals should not go to networking events to win business Sound advice for young accountants and lawyers who want to make partner in a professional firm The importance of setting goals to grow your professional firm, either corporately or as an individual accountant What to do as a career ambitious accountant if your personal goals do not align with your firm's goals Why starting early in your accounting or professional career with business development is much better than waiting The relevance of writing out a business development or work winning plan and why 'in your head' is not good enough Great questions accountants should ask themselves in devising a business development strategy The key reasons why professionals are technically good but struggle to sell and promote themselves as individuals What developing a reputation in your business community or market looks like for an accountant looking to be successful Where the inspiration for the book 'Beyond Billable Hours' came from How so much money is wasted in accounting firms on the wrong kind of professional and business development activities How the covid pandemic has changed the way accountants and other professionals win new business Where the 'low hanging fruit' really is for accountants and CPAs who want to develop new business opportunities Barbara is a mother of 20-month old Olivier, born on Christmas Day, and she is expecting another boy around Christmas. She is a keen golfer, sailor and skier and she loves to cook and bake. Contact her here: Website and blog (http://www.beyondbillablehours.com) LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/barbara-koenen-geerdink-231a4613)

Better Business Development Strategies for Accountants

Tim Williams roams the globe in search of “next practices” in the world of professional services. As the founder of Ignition Consulting Group, he teaches leaders of professional services firms the principles and practices of effective positioning and pricing strategy. His assignments have taken him literally around the world, where he has worked with advertising agencies, law firms, accounting firms and business associations on every continent. Tim is author of two books, the latest of which is “Positioning for Professionals: How Professional Service Firms Can Differentiate Their Way to Success.” He is serves as one of LinkedIn’s global influencers, where several hundred thousand followers regularly read his articles on positioning and pricing strategy. Shownotes: Why law firms are to blame for the billable hour and charge out time sheets Why getting pricing right is so critical for profitability in accounting firms The four factors that improve margins in an accounting firm The biggest reason professionals like accountants struggle with pricing Why most professional firms don't actually have a revenue model but a cost structure, which is not the same The ideal revenue model that represents the future of pricing for accounting firms The difference between creativity in accounting and creativity in pricing accountancy services Why the billable hour is a sub-optimal way of pricing for accountants Why costing is a science but pricing is an art The different pricing options available to accountants and the merits of each The major problem with the term 'value pricing' Evidence that the world is shifting towards a subscription economy The main reason why an accountant should always offer a client options How accountants have ceded power to buyers over the years by educating them wrongly on pricing One of the worst things accounting firms do when it comes to pricing Are you selling activities, efforts and inputs or outcomes, results and outputs? What it means for your accounting firm if your prospects or clients are shopping or choosing you on price An excellent metric to decide whether your accounting firm is pricing correctly How accountants can change the dialogue around pricing with existing clients Tips for pricing outcomes or results that are out of your control or influence How your positioning in the marketplace affects your ability to price optimally Shout out to pricing experts Ron Baker and Mark Wickersham What accountants must consider to avoid becoming trapped on the 'hourly rate treadmill' Although Tim started his career on New York’s Madison Avenue, today he finds it much more rewarding living in the Rocky Mountains, where he spends his spare time in Utah’s red rock country hiking with his wife and two Airedales. Contact Tim here: Website and blog (http://www.ignitiongroup.com/) LinkedIn (http://www.linkedin.com/in/TimWilliamsICG)

Smarter Pricing Strategies for Accountants & CPAs

Ty Hendrickson is a CPA, sales expert, and co-founder of The Sales Seed where she helps accounting firms grow through the integration of sales principles. She worked as an accountant at firms ranging from small to large prior to moving into the accounting technology sector successfully building sales training programs for both Wolters Kluwer and Bloomberg BNA achieving record sales successes. Shownotes: Why accountants struggle with salling and what it takes to become more comfortable with the word 'sales' A simple question to challenge accountants with who feel that selling should not be part of their job Why firms with marketing and business development resource should still expect their people to win work The reasons why accountants and other technically smart professionals can be good at selling The key differences between marketing, business development and sales for accountants Why marketing people in a professional firm should actually not be selling Who is the best person in an accounting firm to actually be doing the selling and closing Questions an accountant should ask themselves to develop a work winning or business development strategy How to strike a balance between finding business for yourself and for others in your accounting firm What dictates how coachable and willing to learn an accountant or CPA can be around winning new business The importance of sales frameworks to help accountants be more confident and effective in selling Why working in specialty areas, sectors or niches actually makes new clients easier to find A 5 step sales process that will help accountants, CPAs and service professionals win business The real difficulty accountants have in identifying a niche or target client to go after How the business development and networking game has changed how professionals win business The big problem with LinkedIn and what accountants should actually doing on there Warmer ways for accountants to reach prospects than cold calling Top tips to get prospects to switch from their current accounting advisors to you and your firm Why compliance is still necessary for accountants but advisory services are much easier and more profitable to sell The importance of the right culture in a professional firm to give people the support they need to sell Why poor culture is a big reason professional firms are struggling with recruitment and retention How leaders in accounting firms can identify and support more junior people who want to do business development Why just trying to grow more revenues from an existing client roster or portfolio is not the best way to grow Why your value is not the products and services you deliver The factors that should help an accountant define their ideal client Ty is a contributing expert in the accounting industry and has spoken at conferences and events hosted by Accounting & Financial Women’s Association, Association for Accounting Marketers, Alliott Group, CPAmerica, CCH User Conference and more. You can find her articles and insights featured in CPA Trendlines and the AFWA blog. Ty is based in Lexington, KY where she lives with her CPA husband and her two red-headed sons. Contact Ty here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tyhendrickson/ If you want to kick-start your business development activities, download our free guide on how to add 100 new prospects in just 1 month here: https://thesalesseed.com/100-prospects-1-month

What Accountants & CPAs Need to Win More Clients

Paul Dunn holds a Lifetime Service Award to the Accounting Profession in the UK and he’s been honoured as a Social Innovation Fellow in Singapore. He first rocked the Profession through the radical Accountants’ Boot Camp where over 17,000 Accountants found new ways to work with clients. He’s in Forbes Magazine with Sir Richard Branson as a ‘disrupter’ in business and his ‘Firm of the Future’ book, (with Ron Baker) is known as a breakthrough tool for professional firms. AccountingWeb honoured Paul with their Inaugural ‘Outstanding Contribution to the Profession Award. Shownotes: How the globally successful Accountants Bootcamp was born in 1992 and what has changed since Why it took a pandemic like covid to show the true value accountants can provide for their clients The one thing that makes many accountants struggle to be trusted advisors The most important thing accountants should be 'doubling down on' in these turbulent times How accountants need to recognise the shift from value to values that the pandemic has caused How income follows impact and profit follows purpose The primary thing good accountants should be doing for their clients instead of merely reporting history How effective the movement started by Ron Baker and others has been in moving accountants away from the billable hour What makes leadership so critical in uncertain times The three types of leaders who have emerged in all businesses, not just accounting firms What it takes to lead a fulfilling life and make a difference in the world Shout out to Steve Pipe, another accounting legend and dedicated servant to the profession Why there are no silver bullets any more with accounting software How alarmingly little entrepreneurs know about the numbers in a business, which is why they need accountants. Paul is the co-founder of Accountants for Good and the revolutionary B1G1, enabling businesses to connect in new ways creating over 209 Million giving impacts globally. He is based in Singapore and makes a point of running 5K every day. Contact Paul here: Website and blog (http://www.AccountantsforGood.com) LinkedIn (http://www.linkedin.com/in/paulb1g1)

Lessons Learned from a Lifetime in the Accounting World

Employer Branding Strategies for Growing Accounting Firms

Tim Williams roams the globe in search of “next practices” in the world of professional services. As the founder of Ignition Consulting Group, he teaches leaders of professional services firms the principles and practices of effective positioning and pricing strategy. His assignments have taken him literally around the world, where he has worked with advertising agencies, law firms, accounting firms and business associations on every continent. Tim is author of two books, the latest of which is “Positioning for Professionals: How Professional Service Firms Can Differentiate Their Way to Success.” He is serves as one of LinkedIn’s global influencers, where several hundred thousand followers regularly read his articles on positioning and pricing strategy. Shownotes: Why accountants and other professionals struggle with the terms 'selling' and 'marketing' What all professional service firms have in common when it comes to positioning Why accounting leaders should think of their own brand like their do a client The reason why good marketing makes selling easy in accounting firms What happens to a professional firm if they don't get their market positioning right The fallacy in accounting firm positioning to being everything to everyone Why it's so difficult for humans and professional firms not to copy others Differentiation - easy or not for accounting firms to truly achieve this? An example of Michelangelo to illustrate how accounting firms should view positioning How most accounting leaders get their positioning strategy all wrong The importance of being 'best in class' for a premium positioning in the marketplace Why 'full service' and 'wide range of experience' are such meaningless phrases for accounting firms The top motivator in why one accounting firm gets selected or hired over another What proactive accounting firms do over those who just claim to be proactive Why professional firms are in both the magic business and the logic business The meaning of 'disintermediation' of professional firms How specialising and narrowing your accounting firm's focus takes courage Why introducing more products and services can actually damage an accounting firm's market position The two things that accountants are really selling if they want premium positioning Why billing by the hour imposes a ceiling on profits for accounting firms Why consulting and advising is so rewarding for service professionals like accountants and consultants Shout out to Ron Baker as the 'best in class' expert on the topic of pricing and killing the billable hour Advice on saying 'no' which is the cornerstone of premium market positioning for accountants Although Tim started his career on New York’s Madison Avenue, today he finds it much more rewarding living in the Rocky Mountains, where he spends his spare time in Utah’s red rock country hiking with his wife and two Airedales. Contact Tim here: Website and blog (http://www.ignitiongroup.com) LinkedIn (http://www.linkedin.com/in/TimWilliamsICG)

Positioning & Differentiation Tips for Accounting Firms

  Tim Williams roams the globe in search of “next practices” in the world of professional services. As the founder of Ignition Consulting Group, he teaches leaders of professional services firms the principles and practices of effective positioning and pricing strategy. His assignments have taken him literally around the world, where he has worked with advertising agencies, law firms, accounting firms and business associations on every continent. Tim is author of two books, the latest of which is “Positioning for Professionals: How Professional Service Firms Can Differentiate Their Way to Success.” He is serves as one of LinkedIn’s global influencers, where several hundred thousand followers regularly read his articles on positioning and pricing strategy. Shownotes: Why accountants and other professionals struggle with the terms 'selling' and 'marketing' What all professional service firms have in common when it comes to positioning Why accounting leaders should think of their own brand like their do a client The reason why good marketing makes selling easy in accounting firms What happens to a professional firm if they don't get their market positioning right The fallacy in accounting firm positioning to being everything to everyone Why it's so difficult for humans and professional firms not to copy others Differentiation - easy or not for accounting firms to truly achieve this? An example of Michelangelo to illustrate how accounting firms should view positioning How most accounting leaders get their positioning strategy all wrong The importance of being 'best in class' for a premium positioning in the marketplace Why 'full service' and 'wide range of experience' are such meaningless phrases for accounting firms The top motivator in why one accounting firm gets selected or hired over another What proactive accounting firms do over those who just claim to be proactive Why professional firms are in both the magic business and the logic business The meaning of 'disintermediation' of professional firms How specialising and narrowing your accounting firm's focus takes courage Why introducing more products and services can actually damage an accounting firm's market position The two things that accountants are really selling if they want premium positioning Why billing by the hour imposes a ceiling on profits for accounting firms Why consulting and advising is so rewarding for service professionals like accountants and consultants Shout out to Ron Baker as the 'best in class' expert on the topic of pricing and killing the billable hour Advice on saying 'no' which is the cornerstone of premium market positioning for accountants Although Tim started his career on New York’s Madison Avenue, today he finds it much more rewarding living in the Rocky Mountains, where he spends his spare time in Utah’s red rock country hiking with his wife and two Airedales. Contact Tim here: Website and blog (http://www.ignitiongroup.com) LinkedIn (http://www.linkedin.com/in/TimWilliamsICG)

MC Carter is the CEO of digital marketing agency, Practice Paradox. Dubbed “the father of modern marketing for accountants”, MC is the pioneer, globally, in advising accountants about modern marketing including blogging and social media. Since founding Practice Paradox in 2009, MC has guided the growth strategies of hundreds of now very successful accounting firms, globally. Shownotes: Despite downward pressure on compliance, still not many accounting firms want to do the non-compliance advisory services It's counter-intuitive, but accounting should revolve more around people than numbers The big problem for the accountants who say they're proactive but are really not FFAM - the secret weapon for accountants who want more advisory business A very practical definition for advisory that should help accountants sell it better Why compliance will never be dead, and how the compliance vz advisory debate is not helpful for accountants The reason why accountants struggle so much with marketing How accountants can overcome their aversion to sales and marketing Beware the 'pony-tail' marketers and silver bullet vendors who sell the wrong things to accountants What makes marketing such a challenge in any business Calling out software, tech and marketing vendors who don't always have the accountant's best interests The biggest mistakes accountants and accounting firms make with their marketing The 3 traits of accountants and accounting firms who really get marketing right The problem with most of the content that accounting firms put out Getting into the mind of a small business client - why it's like being a parent What progressive accounting firms do that most others don't when it comes to marketing and growth How marketing has changed over the years, particularly with the era of digital The dangers of 'interruption marketing' that many accounting firms rely on The critical feature of 'inbound' marketing methods that attract leads to your accounting firm The key challenge for most accounting firms in resourcing their marketing efforts The myth of the 'full-stack marketer' who is good at every marketing specialties What accounting firms should NOT do first when wanting to push marketing and generate leads Why most accounting firms fail to give a strong brief to their marketing function or advisors The three essential things required to bring about lasting change in any area of your life Google 'the professionalism paradox' and find out why boring branding hurts accountants Why accountants are the true trusted advisor for businesses in these troubled times When not working, MC plays cricket and lives a barefoot beach lifestyle with wife Isabella, teenage son Ned, daughter Milly and dog Jimmy in Queensland, Australia. Contact MC here: Website and blog (https://practiceparadox.com.au/) LinkedIn (https://au.linkedin.com/in/getmc)

Digital Marketing Success Strategies for Accounting Firms

Rob Brown interviews world class accounting leaders and global accounting influencers about what makes good accounting firms great.

hubhopper

Accounting Influencers

hubhopper