How To Get Staff Involved In Business Development - Accounting ...

We all know instinctively that any accounting practice would generate more revenue if the staff had both the skill and motivation to proactively look for business opportunities.

Unfortunately, most attempts to engage them in the process meet with failure.? There are lots of reasons for this.? Sometimes it is because they can?t relate to what?s required, or it?s because this isn?t what they signed up for, or it is too far removed from what their everyday duties are, or they can?t see what?s in it for them, or it represents change, and we all know how difficult this can be for many people.

It goes without saying that if a given staff person clearly expresses their preference NOT to be involved, there is no upside in forcing them to do so.

With thanks to Jan in Chicago ? and Bill in Miami who has also had success ? here?s a technique that has been proven to work, especially in the October ? November time frame ?

First, you cull through your client list and isolate business/organizational clients.? From those you select, a) those you don?t frequently talk with and, b) those your staff regularly talks with.? These two lists may have considerable overlap.

Create a three column list that contains the client name, the name of the appropriate contact person and the preferred telephone number to reach them.

Then poll your staff and find those who would be willing to phone a client and say, in effect, the following (use your own words):

?Mr. Maclin?? Hi, this is Beth over at Snow, Slush and Sleet and Barbara [the name of the partner Mr. Maclin knows and typically deals with] has asked me to give you a call.? The reason is that we want to look ahead and ensure we do everything we can to minimize your taxes in 2013.? I?d like to ask you a few questions that should tell us if we should take a closer look.? Is that OK?? [she says yes]

Are you planning any significant capital expenditures in 2013?
Are you potentially acquiring another business or adding a major product line or activity?
Are you thinking of selling the business or otherwise downsizing?
Are you planning to aggressively grow or expand in 2013??

If Mr. Maclin answers in the affirmative to any of these, Beth would continue ?

?Can you give me an idea of (e.g.) the business you may acquire ? revenue or size?? [he does and Beth makes some notes]? Mr. Maclin, I appreciate your time.? I?m going to give this information to Jeremy and he?ll quickly review your file with it in mind.? If he feels you two should talk further, he or I will contact you a day and time can be set up.? If not, I?ll phone you back and tell you everything looks OK.?

Why is this a good process?? First of all, from the client?s perspective, it is a demonstration of your interest in their welfare and is additionally a high quality communication or ?touch? between your firm and the client.

From the staff person?s perspective, it is easy to explain to them that this process provides a very real potential benefit to the client.? They are helping, not ?selling.??? Further, it is easy to reward staff for their participation.? For example, if they obtain positive responses to at least one of the questions from five separate clients they receive a gift certificate for two to a local, high end restaurant.

The process is good for the accountant because it delivers good client service, helps identify staff having an interest in acquiring new skills and more directly contributing to the firm?s success, identifies opportunities for project, planning and consulting work and, ultimately, becomes a high probability source of additive revenue.

Many firms send out a year end planning letter that talks about things the clients can do before December 31st and also touches upon considerations they may find relevant for the upcoming year.? Unfortunately, we all know many clients never read them.? This telephone based process gets right in their face, but does so on the basis of you trying to do something that provides a benefit to them.? Needless to say, the two methodologies can be combined.

Neither Jan nor Bill has ever had a client push back or otherwise become upset about being contacted as described above.

If you have a staff person who is really into this and appears to have a talent for it you can easily have them contact many clients for several partners.? Because they are only fact gathering, he or she doesn?t have to know anything about the client unless there is something special, e.g. Beth is told that, ?this one is a non-profit, so just ask them X, not Y and Z.?

This is a very easy and effective means to accomplish several desirable goals with one action.?? Do you have a staff person who could be effective doing this?? Check it out ? write a script or create a bulletized list of ?talking points,? then do a little role playing.? If still in doubt, try a couple of test calls and then make a determination.? As some wag once said, if you?re going to try cross-country skiing, start with a small country.

As always, please send me any feedback or thoughts and let me know how this worked for you.

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Source: http://www.acctbizblog.com/discussion-of-the-method/how-to-get-staff-involved-in-business-development.php

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