When it comes to selling things, the human tendency to package can make life simpler. When you’re marketing yourself and trying to sign on new clients, you’ll want to take full advantage of aspect of human psychology. Bundle air force together and suddenly a new client will be bringing you as much business as two or three clients in the past.
When it comes to buying things, packages are attractive because they seem to simplify the client’s life. If an insurance company offers me a package deal on car insurance, home owner’s insurance, and life insurance, suddenly I have so many fewer decisions to make-and I don’t have to deal with three different insurance agents. I might save some cash, but even if I don’t, I save aggravation and time, and most people value their time as much as their cash. Costco or BJ’s Club are excellent examples of packaging in the retail world, and the number of people that flock to these giant stores indicate the popularity of packaging. Quick food places have the value meal, which is a package of a sandwich, fries and a taste.
What is also vital is to place forward different packages, i.e. to give the client options. When I first started out, I offered piecemeal air force at standard rates. Then I realized that clients work in a different way. Many people like options. They don’t want to be “forced” into taking a touch that doesn’t suit them. They want the option of small, medium and large. Going to the example I gave of the restaurant, they have a small value meal, medium or large.
“Small, medium, or large” doesn’t reasonably work for accounting air force. The opinion I use to distinguish between levels of service is this: the more accessibility to me and to my staff a package offers the client, the higher the fees. So while we can custom tailor the service package to fit their needs, nonetheless the air force are packaged based on frequency.
In addition to packaging your air force, you should consider thwart-selling. Many years ago I learnt while attending a seminar by the legendary peddler Jay Abrahams that there are 3 ways to grow your practice:
1) Increase number of new clients
2) Increase the fees paid by each client
3) Increase the frequency of buy or sell the same client more air force
Thwart selling is the way the CPA practitioner increases the frequency of buy.
When you have a relationship with the client, you can place forward them other air force that will help the client. How does one go about finding out the air force that your clients need? Not to oversimplify it, but really, the best way to find out is by asking. We recently conducted a survey and we called up most of my business clients to question them how we were scoring and what else we could do that could help them. It’s really very instructive to hear the clients’ perspective on things. I have also found this to be one of the best ways to find out other air force we should be providing.
Here’s a partial list of bonus air force to place forward:
? Financial plotting or wealth management air force
? QuickBooks consulting – Outsourced accounting (A couple of years, we packaged our QuickBooks consulting air force as either a 10-hour package or a 20-hour package, to be used in one year.)
? Audit protection
? Business consulting
? Business valuation air force
? Payroll air force
? Controllership air force
Using this list as a early point, talk to your clients and find out what air force they need that you could place forward. Specialize in what your target clients want, and you’re just about certain to grow your practice.
Tags: Come, Cross, Deals, Good, Grow, Leverage, Package, Packages, Practice, Sell, Services, Things