Maximize Your Effectiveness in Landing Clients

CPA Technology Advisor offers practical advice:

CEOs need business advice, but don’t often get it from their CPAs because the CPAs don’t get enough advisory work to develop the necessary skills.
If you are “advisory-minded,” you can lure compliance work away from competitors. Clients don’t understand the value of audits.
A very low price can be a red flag to a prospect.
Don’t prepare proposals that look like contracts, i.e., avoid penalty clauses and other legal issues in your proposals.
Clients want good service and good pricing, but they also want a personal relationship.
Avoid quick estimates. They may cause suspicion.
For smaller client prospects, ask about personal planning and goals. For medium-sized prospects, also provide information about special services such as budgeting, succession planning, etc. For larger clients, also position yourself as advisor to the CFO.