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.
Posts Tagged ‘Grow’
Good Things Come In Packages: How To Leverage Package Deals And Cross Sell Services To Grow Your CPA Practice
Saturday, June 12th, 2010Grow Your CPA Firm Using Killer Marketing Materials
Tuesday, June 8th, 2010Truth be told, you don’t have to be an award winning copywriter to make effectual marketing materials for your CPA practice. I found out a number of years back that even the “pros” use templates to make ads and sales letters that get results.
Previous to I share my template, it is vital to first know some of the objections that may be going on in the mind of the prospect when they see your advertising. You will want to make sure the marketing piece you make overcomes these objections.
These objections could include:
? You don’t know my problem.
? How do I know you are qualified?
? I don’t believe you.
? I don’t need it right now.
? It won’t work for me.
? What happens if I don’t like it?
? I can’t meet the expense of it.
Here is my 12-point template to follow to make effectual material pieces:
1) Get attention
If the headline doesn’t catch the prospect’s attention, the rest of the letter will not be read. Here’s an example of a excellent headline: “Some Small Business Owners Pay A Lot More Tax Than Others; Will You Pay Too Much In 2009?”
2) Identify the problem
After you have gotten the reader’s attention, you need to gain their interest by spelling out their problem. The reader should say to themselves “yeah, that’s exactly how I feel” when he or she reads your sales letter. This practice in the marketing world is called “problem – agitate.”
3) Provide the solution
In this section, you will introduce yourself and your air force. You spot yourself as the solution to their problem.
4) Present your credentials
This is the time and opportunity to toot your own horn. A few things you may consider to place here are the part of time you have been in this area of expertise, as well as vital awards or recognition.
For myself, I talk about my credentials, including the fact that I am author of a book and a list of magazines I have appeared in.
5) Show the benefits
Help your prospects know what they will gain from your air force.
6) Give social proof
Provide testimonials from real clients as evidence that your claims are right.
7) Make your place forward
Have a specific place forward-more specific than your general air force. 
Give a guarantee
Guarantees help overcome the objection “What if it doesn’t work?”
9) Inject scarcity
Make sure the reader understands this place forward isn’t going to be available forever. This helps to encourage them to take action now.
10) Call to action
Tell prospects clearly and specifically what to do in order to take you up on your place forward.
11) Give a warning
What will the prospects miss out on if they don’t take action now?
12) Close with a reminder
Sure, twelve steps are a small more work than slapping down your name, address, and phone number in an image ad. But if you are serious about growing your CPA practice, it is vital to implement effectual CPA marketing techniques.
From hereon, when you want to make effectual CPA firm marketing materials, follow the 12-point template that I have just mutual with you.
Tweet To Grow Your Small Business
Sunday, March 7th, 2010We all know about social media sites and how they can help you to develop your small business. The up-to-the-minute in the crowd is Twitter. This site has started playing around since 2006 and have gained immense popularity due to its microblogging and mobile blogging air force. You can publish text messages with up to 140 characters instantly. Thus, there is no need to write a 400 words blog post or articles to let people know about your business. You can simply write a byline and share your business updates and announcements, links, opinion through Twitter. In fact, it is beyond networking and answering your client’s queries. Be it a gray engineering firm or building and construction company, a proper peep can earn you a number of followers.
You can start tweeting as soon as you have open an account. But previous to posting any comments, links, or business information, remember that in such social media platforms you are your brand. It is you through whom your followers will come to know about your business. Sharing content that are offensive or irrelevant will not only hamper your image but also ruin your company’s image. Like any other social networking sites, your post feature plays a fantastic role on Twitter.
It is also advisable to share some personal information on Twitter. Most of the people go through similar experiences in life and people out there are permanently interested to know what the other did in a similar situation. It is also right about entrepreneurs. Other business owners too like to study about the various struggles that you have gone through as an entrepreneur. This makes you more likable as they can easily relate with you. So start wiring about your own experiences too.
In addition, get in-touch with new people on Twitter with similar wellbeing. Look for relevant topics that you can peep about. Also retweet information that you found appealing in your own network. When you retweet one’s post, chances are high that hsmall businesse/ she will also do the same for you. This will help you both to earn a small extra exposure.
Now that you know what to peep, the question arises why should do it? There are several social media sites that provide similar air force. Then why Twitter? Well, the answer is reasonably simple. Though you can use other social networking sites to post your business information, Twitter has outsmarted them with its metrics and tracking features.
It is very simple to footstep your data on Twitter. Apart from tracking your total numbers of followers, you can also footstep the number of times your follower’s post were mutual as well as their number of answers. In addition, Twitter enables you to footstep certain complex calculations like the Twitter Feature Score. With this feature you can determine whether or not a particular account is worth following. You can even footstep your total number of sales as well as the number of times your account is mentioned on Twitter. The feature called “URL shortener” helps you to footstep when your content appears on the site.