The Abundant Accountant: Leads, Sales & Business Growth for Accounting, Tax and Bookkeeping Professionals

Have you ever connected with a potential client, and thought that they were going to enroll in your services, and when the time came to commit, they chose someone else? There’s a fine line between making the perfect connection, and talking too much and losing the sale. It’s happened to me many times: I felt a connection with a client, and thought they felt a connection with me. Then, it happened. I talked too much, and lost the sale.   It even happened to me last month! A client asked me a question, and I got excited answering it, and started talking about myself too much. No matter what specific services you’re offering, you’ve got to learn to read the cues that your client is giving you to tell you if they are ready to buy or not. Once you learn to read those cues, and master the art of being quiet and listening to your client, you’ll find yourself closing an abundance of new sales and bringing in new clients.  If you’re struggling with talking too much, and overselling your clients, then this week’s episode of The Abundant Accountant Podcast is a MUST listen! Enjoy, and thank you for listening and tuning into The Abundant Accountant Podcast! To share your thoughts: Email The Pitch Queen @ hello@thepitchqueen.com Share The Abundant Accountant Podcast on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, & LinkedIn  To help the show out: Please leave an honest review on iTunes. Your ratings and reviews really help and I read each one. Subscribe to the show on iTunes. Here are a few key secrets we talked about in this episode: Michelle introduces herself and the topic of today’s episode: not overselling your clients. We hear this all the time: people who thought that a client was going to enroll with them, and then they lost the sale! You think you have a connection, but it got lost somewhere along the way. The question you need to determine is how do you draw the line, and when do you stop talking to close the sale? 90 percent of selling is conviction and only 10 percent is persuasion. If you already have the right solution for your client, it's really easy to influence a positive outcome of the sales conversation. People want to know that they are working with the best! “When you're confident in what you offer, and you're confident in your fees, and you're confident in your services, and you're confident in the results you can deliver, that confident acts as an influence to your prospects sitting in front of you.” Don’t forget that confident doesn’t mean cocky. Certainty will lead to influence. Whoever talks the least asks the best questions and is the real winner. When your client talks a lot, that is a good sign! The person in front of you is the person you're here to help and serve. Prepare ahead so you can understand where you are leading people in your sales conversations. If you’re talking too much, you’re not listening to what your client’s needs are. When you’re not talking, your client is telling you key information about themselves that you need to know! If a client tells you they are ready to work with you, stop selling and ask for the sale! Learn to listen for those cues so you’re not overselling your clients and know when to ask them to work with you so you can close the deal. There are multiple ways you can force yourself to stop talking: count to ten, take a drink of coffee, or ask clarifying questions. If they ask “how can we get started,” that is your cue! Stop talking and ask them which form of payment will work best, Visa or Mastercard? Don’t be hesitant to ask for payment. Having a sales process in place helps you to not give away your time for free.   Learn More & Connect With Me Here! Read The Abundant Accountant Blog Join us on Facebook Follow Michelle on LinkedIn   P.S. Do You want to MAKE MORE MONEY, WORK FEWER HOURS? Join me so you can unlock the secrets to growing a profitable accounting firm with less stress by joining our upcoming Abundant Accountants Masterclass! You will learn: The easiest ways to sift through clients and get to the RIGHT ones! Proven tactics to actually get paid instead of giving away FREE advice! How to stop competing on price FOREVER! Join our Abundant Accountants Masterclass today! Love the show? Subscribe, rate, review, and share! Here’s How » Join the Abundant Accountant Community today: theabundantaccountant.com LinkedIn Twitter Instagram Facebook YouTube

Have you ever had a client balk at your pricing? That leaves you wondering how you can find clients that are ready to pay you for the incredible value that you have to provide for them? Dominique Molina is the Founder and President of the American Institute of Certified Tax Planners.  She is a best-selling author and a frequent television guest and media expert on tax issues. She has previously been named as one of the “Top 40 Under 40 Most Influential Accounting Professionals” by CPA Practice Advisor Magazine.   When you have high net worth clients, you can have fewer clients, but make more money! That sounds like a dream come true, doesn’t it? We’re here to tell you that it is possible! Making sure that you are working with high net worth clients allows you to provide incredible value to fewer clients. This means that you can work fewer hours, and make more money! But did you know that your actions can repel these high net worth clients? Here are 3 behaviors that can drive them away: You don’t have a high-value offer that sets you apart from other accountants You haven’t identified the market you’re going after You don’t know how those high net worth clients make buying decisions Never fear, though! These behaviors can be turned around so that you attract an abundance of the right kind of clients!  In this episode of The Abundant Accountant Podcast, The Pitch Queen along with Dominique Molina talk about three things you may be doing in your business that repel high net worth clients, and four things that you can do to attract them to your business. Enjoy, and thank you for listening and tuning into The Abundant Accountant Podcast! To share your thoughts: Email The Pitch Queen @ hello@thepitchqueen.com Share The Abundant Accountant Podcast on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, & LinkedIn  To help the show out: Please leave an honest written review on iTunes. Your ratings and reviews really help and I read each one. Subscribe to the show on iTunes. Be sure to join us on August 15, 2019 for our next amazing episode! Over the last 18 months, I’ve been perfecting something called the Selling Without Ever Selling System. Up until now only my high-end clients have had access to this information. But I’m so excited about this that I’m offering you a free coaching session so I can share this information with you too.  This system is all about getting your IDEAL clients coming to YOU and finally getting paid what you’re worth so you can build your dream practice and still have the time and money to enjoy your family and kids. If you’re tired of waiting around for business, relying on busy seasons, or guessing at what works, this free coaching session is for YOU. Learn more at theabundantcall.com. Here are a few key secrets we talked about in this episode: Michelle Introduces Dominique Molina and her business. Dominique shares that she currently only serves 26 clients, but that they are all high net worth clients! Her business strategy helps her attract the type of clients that she wants! Everyone wants high net worth clients, but there is an art to attracting them! So many accountants and CPAs don’t realize it, but their behavior may be repelling the clients that they desperately want to attract. Dominique shares three ways that you may be repelling these clients, and four ways to attract high net worth clients.  Repellant #1: You don’t offer a high enough value service.  What sets you apart from every other accountant/bookkeeper/CPA out there? If you don’t have a high-value offer, you don’t have something to pull them in! Value is about the end results; what someone is getting from you! Repellant #2: You don’t have your ideal market identified.  Most accountants start their own firm, and their ideal client is anyone with a heartbeat and is breathing! However, that changes when you realize that you want to define your income and hours. Knowing what kind of person you want to serve helps you to sell effectively to them. If you want high net worth clients, you have to KNOW them, so that you can identify them when you see them. Don’t know your ideal client? Reverse engineer them! Get to know everything about them. Repellant #3: you don’t know how your ideal client makes buying decisions.  If you’re selling a $25,000 services package, a $25 off coupon will not appeal to these high net worth clients. These high net worth clients rely on relationships, so that they can get to know and trust the value that you have to offer. Once you understand how they purchase, you can lead with that value. There are four things that you can do to attract these high net worth clients.  Attraction #1: have a high-value offering. If you serve a specific niche and save them 6 figures in taxes each year, that is a high-value offer that sets you apart from all other accountants. Attraction #2: know your ideal market.  Attraction #3: know how your ideal client makes purchasing decisions, and adjust accordingly. Make sure that your words match what you’re portraying: if you’re bringing a high-value proposition to your client, they will research you, so don’t have a $25 coupon on your site to entice the low-level client. Attraction #4: Know where your ideal clients are; what conferences they attend, what their needs are. Once you know them, and know who they are and how to reach them, you can serve them effectively. Should I give away advice for free? NO! You do not have to give away your work for free.  Many accountants give a free consultation and offer incredible value during that consult to “prove” their worth. You do not have to give away knowledge for free. Ask smart questions that prove your worth, and charge for a follow-up strategy session. Don’t be alone; don’t be a lone wolf. Find someone who markets to the same type of client, and win together! Learn More & Connect With Me Here! Read The Abundant Accountant Blog Certified Tax Coach website Dominique’s Facebook page Join us on Facebook Follow Michelle on LinkedIn P.S. Over the last 18 months, I’ve been perfecting something called the Selling Without Ever Selling System. Up until now only my high-end clients have had access to this information. But I’m so excited about this that I’m offering you a free coaching session so I can share this information with you too.  This system is all about getting your IDEAL clients coming to YOU and finally getting paid what you’re worth so you can build your dream practice and still have the time and money to enjoy your family and kids. If you’re tired of waiting around for business, relying on busy seasons, or guessing at what works, this free coaching session is for YOU. Learn more at theabundantcall.com. Love the show? Subscribe, rate, review, and share! Here’s How » Join the Abundant Accountant Community today: theabundantaccountant.com LinkedIn Twitter Instagram Facebook YouTube

Do your clients pay upfront, or do they pay after you’ve done the work? Charging your clients in full before you do any of the work can help your firm be a more efficient and effective for your business. When I was talking to one of my recent accounting students, I was shocked to find out that he had more than $60,000 in accounts receivable! He found himself spending so much time chasing down clients for payment, when he could have been serving them and increasing his value in the services he was providing. If you’re charging after you complete the work for a client, I’d encourage you to consider changing to require payment in full before any work has even begun. It can be a tricky transition, but you can take baby steps towards dwindling down your receivables to zero When I worked with my last company, FITzee Foods, I had a brick and mortar location, and when we were working with the contractors, I had to pay 50% before the plans would be taken to the city for approval, and I had to pay the other 50% before the construction would begin. Following a 50/50 system can baby step your clients into paying in full before the work starts, and you’ll ultimately be able to spend more time serving your clients and getting them better results vs chasing them down after sending invoices out! If you’re tired of chasing clients down for payment, then this week’s episode of The Abundant Accountant Podcast is a MUST listen! Enjoy, and thank you for listening and tuning into The Abundant Accountant Podcast! To share your thoughts: Email The Pitch Queen @ hello@thepitchqueen.com Share The Abundant Accountant Podcast on Facebook, & LinkedIn To help the show out: Please leave an honest review on iTunes. Your ratings and reviews really help and I read each one. Subscribe to the show on iTunes. Be sure to join us on August 1st for our next amazing episode! Do You want to MAKE MORE MONEY, WORK FEWER HOURS? Join me so you can unlock the secrets to growing a profitable accounting firm with less stress by joining our upcoming Abundant Accountants Masterclass! You will learn: The easiest ways to sift through clients and get to the RIGHT ones! Proven tactics to actually get paid instead of giving away FREE advice! How to stop competing on price FOREVER! Join our Abundant Accountants Masterclass today over at theabundantaccountant.com. Here are a few key secrets we talked about in this episode: Michelle introduces herself, and the topic of today’s episode: requiring payment upfront from clients. Many accounting firm owners find themselves chasing down clients for payment, often for work completed as far as nine months previous. This doesn’t serve accountants, nor does it help them serve their clients at the highest level! I get asked a lot about how to start charging upfront for services instead of after the service is done. It may not be the most common practice for a CPA or accountant to charge up front for services, but there’s no reason why you can’t incorporate this into your firm right away. You can request payment ahead of time for a long-term project, or with a brand new client for even just compliance work or services rendered monthly. Michelle shares a story of a student that had more than $60,000 in accounts receivable. That’s crazy; you don’t have time for that and this can get down to zero quick. If you think about how much time you spend chasing down payments from work you have already completed, that is time that you could be delivering value to your other clients instead. Getting payment upfront not only can increase your revenue, but it can get cash flow going in the positive flow, and make you appear more professional and trustworthy. Think about courses, similar to a leadership training I just took. I had to pay in advance before I started any of the training! Also, think about a general contractor: with my old business, I had a retail store. When we were doing the store build out, I had to pay 50% of the fees upfront before they even took the blueprints to the city for approvals. I had to pay the other 50% of the fees before anything was even started for the build out! If you think that your clients will hesitate at paying upfront, you can start with a 50/50 system: require the first % of the payment upfront, and then before you deliver the tax returns or the final tax plan, require the other 50% to be paid in full prior to delivery of any work. Take baby steps towards charging in full upfront! Before I personally work with any clients, they pay in full, in advance before any work or classes begin. Having clients pay in advance ensures that you have cash flow and money in the bank. When it comes time to pay your employees, or the rent, you know where the money is and don’t have to chase it down. For monthly work, you can bill up front. For example,Bill on the 1st of the month for the full month of service: that can also help cover any expenses for you, like software, etc.. Charging upfront helps eliminate cash flow problems in your business. Remember, this is The Abundant Accountant Podcast, so if you want to live that life of abundance, you have to do the work to establish a firm of abundance. When you charge upfront, you do elevate your value, and set yourself apart from other firms. One of my students runs an efficient firm, and actually has set up ACH debits for his clients, so they are billed automatically on the 1st of every month prior to the services being performed. Charging upfront builds trust, as you are making the process smooth and easy, so that you can spend the maximum time possible with serving your clients. Having a money-back guarantee will also help ease the minds of hesitant clients. Making the change to getting paid upfront can be hard, but framing it as a way to provide even better client service will help your clients see and embrace the benefit. For a monthly retainer, I do not personally recommend the 50/50 approach we talked about earlier. Monthly retainers should be collected 100% upfront This can be a big shift in your firm, and it will help make it more efficient! Learn More & Connect With Me Here! Read The Abundant Accountant Blog Join us on Facebook Follow Michelle on LinkedIn P.S. Do You want to MAKE MORE MONEY, WORK FEWER HOURS? Join me so you can unlock the secrets to growing a profitable accounting firm with less stress by joining our upcoming Abundant Accountants Masterclass! You will learn: The easiest ways to sift through clients and get to the RIGHT ones! Proven tactics to actually get paid instead of giving away FREE advice! How to stop competing on price FOREVER! Join our Abundant Accountants Masterclass today over at theabundantaccountant.com.  

Do you ever wonder if you’re being annoying to your new leads? This is a struggle that holds many accountants back from following up, and ultimately hurts their clients and hurts their business! Most clients require up to five follow-ups before they bring in more revenue to your firm by enrolling with you. However, most accountants don’t even follow up once! That is money left on the table, but more importantly, that is the value that you have missed out on. Instead of spending your time worrying about being annoying to your clients, you can change your focus. Focus on: Getting to know your clients on a more personal level. Serving them by putting them on a follow-up schedule based on their business and the needs of your prospects. Keeping yourself on the top of their mind so that when they need someone, you’re the one they call! If you don’t follow up, they’re going to need help eventually. If you haven't followed up, odds are that you won’t be on the top of their mind. You want to be the one that they call first and proper sales follow up will help you achieve this. In this episode of The Abundant Accountant podcast, The Pitch Queen, along with with Denise Mandeau talk about follow up, and how you can strategically follow up with your leads to help make yourself stand out from any other accountant. If you know that you can serve your clients more effectively, and you are certain that you’re leaving money on the table, you’ll want to tune in to this week’s episode of The Abundant Accountant podcast! Enjoy, and thank you for listening and tuning into The Abundant Accountant Podcast! To share your thoughts: Email The Pitch Queen @ hello@thepitchqueen.com Share The Abundant Accountant Podcast on Twitter, Facebook, & LinkedIn To help the show out: Please leave an honest & detailed review on iTunes. Your ratings and reviews really help and I read each one. Subscribe to the show on iTunes. Be sure to join us on July 15th for our next amazing episode! Do You want to MAKE MORE MONEY, WORK FEWER HOURS? Join me so you can unlock the secrets to growing a profitable accounting firm with less stress by joining our upcoming Abundant Accountants Masterclass You will learn: The easiest ways to sift through clients and get to the RIGHT ones! Proven tactics to actually get paid instead of giving away FREE advice! How to stop competing on price FOREVER! Join our Abundant Accountants Masterclass today over at theabundantaccountant.com. Here are a few key secrets we talked about in this episode: The Pitch Queen, Michelle, introduces herself and Denise and shares about her business. Follow up - how can you do that without being annoying? Did you know that 80% of sales might require 5 follow-ups? “People are so afraid to reach out and talk to people, but the truth is, nobody follows up! People actually like it when you reach out to them and show you care.” The fortune is in the follow-up, and is where a lot of revenue can be generated! Not one accounting professional that we’ve worked with has done any follow-up. This means there is a lot of opportunity to rise above the rest in this area! Follow up helps you grow a deeper relationship and build rapport with clients. Follow up helps you stay top of mind for your client’s and prospects. Sometimes timing is off when you first meet, and there’s always something that happens - if you’re top of mind, they’re going to think of you first and you’ll gain the business. New leads are much more expensive than following up with current clients! Make your follow up communication have significance: “I’m just checking up on you” has no meaning. Make it specific to your last communication you had with them. There was one client who wasn’t ready to enroll with Denise, and Denise continued to follow up with him. About 4 months after their initial meeting, something came up that she thought would be of interest to him, and she invited him to the event. He then signed up for a $10,000 engagement! The fortune is in the follow up! If you are working with someone who is not ready to engage with you right now, or today, anytime you’re in a meeting or on a call with a client, schedule a follow up within 12-24 hours right then. Never wait! Schedule the follow up immediately. Remove the back and forth - you don't have to email or call them again, schedule it right then and there. People appreciate that you take action and book things immediately! Schedule a check-in in one month if they aren’t a good fit now. If you feel like they will be a good fit for your firm, once a month is a great goal for follow up. I recommend sending a thank you email to your potential client, thank them for their time, and mention “I look forward to talking to you on [future date], etc…” When I’m sending the thank you, I will also do a little recap of our conversation, sharing “This is what I heard was important to you, etc…” It shows that you were listening and helps you remember what you spoke about in a later meeting - also, paste that email in the calendar appointment notes so you can see and know exactly what you spoke about previously. Send off-topic emails to your clients! Send something fun that is related to your client’s interests. It’s really the thought that counts, and that is what people remember. If you follow up, you differentiate yourself! If you can’t do it every month, do it every other month! Accountants tend to like to send stuff about tax laws - your clients might not really care! Send them something personal. If you don’t know anything about them personally, take them for coffee and learn more about them as a human being! What is their passion and what do they love to do? Focus on value. Reflect back to them what is important to them. Let them know you heard them, you care about what is important to them, and that will make you stand out! Keep building rapport! Every time we reach out and follow up, it builds that relationship even more! Follow up in a genuine activity that sets you apart, and will keep you at the top of your potential client’s mind. Michelle and Denise challenge you to incorporate 30 minutes to an hour of follow up into their schedule each week, and see how it impacts your firm! Learn More & Connect With Me Here! Read The Abundant Accountant Blog Join us on Facebook Follow Michelle on LinkedIn P.S. Do You want to MAKE MORE MONEY, WORK FEWER HOURS? Join me so you can unlock the secrets to growing a profitable accounting firm with less stress by joining our upcoming Abundant Accountants Masterclass! You will learn: The easiest ways to sift through clients and get to the RIGHT ones! Proven tactics to actually get paid instead of giving away FREE advice! How to stop competing on price FOREVER! Join our Abundant Accountants Masterclass today over at theabundantaccountant.com Love the show? Subscribe, rate, review, and share! Here’s How » Join the Abundant Accountant Community today: theabundantaccountant.com LinkedIn Twitter Instagram Facebook YouTube

Would you believe that one of the most common questions I get from accountants is about how to price their services? Our guest today is the Co-Founder and President of the American Institute of Certified Tax Planners, Dominique Molina.  She is a best-selling author and a frequent television guest and media expert on tax issues. She has previously been named as one of the “Top 40 Under 40 Most Influential Accounting Professionals” by CPA Practice Advisor Magazine. Your pricing strategy will determine so much about your business - the profits you make, the clients you work with, the number of hours you work. But so many accountants don’t fully understand all of their options. There are five basic ways to price your services: Hourly pricing Flat Free pricing Retainer pricing FREE or market value pricing Value pricing Before you decide on one, take time to get to know the pros and cons of each of these. You may be surprised by how such a simple choice can impact everything about your business, and lead you to an abundance of clients! In this episode of The Abundant Accountant podcast, The Pitch Queen along with Dominique Molina discuss five major pricing strategies and show how each of them impacts your business. By choosing the best pricing structure for you, you can prepare yourself for an abundance of clients! Enjoy, and thank you for listening and tuning into The Abundant Accountant Podcast! To share your thoughts: Email The Pitch Queen @ hello@thepitchqueen.com Share The Abundant Accountant Podcast on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, & LinkedIn To help the show out: Please leave an honest review on iTunes. Your ratings and reviews really help and I read each one. Subscribe to the show on iTunes.   Do You want to MAKE MORE MONEY, WORK LESS HOURS? Join me so you can unlock the secrets to growing a profitable accounting firm with less stress by joining our upcoming Abundant Accountants Masterclass! You will learn: The easiest ways to sift through clients and get to the RIGHT ones! Proven tactics to actually get paid instead of giving away FREE advice! How to stop competing on price FOREVER! Join our Abundant Accountants Masterclass today over at theabundantaccountant.com. Here are a few key secrets we talked about in this episode: Michelle Introduces Dominique Molina and her business. Your pricing strategy is one of the most important decisions that you will make about your business, and will impact everything! The pricing model that you choose reveals what is important to you. There are 5 basic pricing models: hourly, flat-rate, retainer, free or market value, and value-based pricing. What are you being paid for? Your time, your expertise? In hourly pricing, you are being paid for your TIME. Time is limited - we only get 24 hours per day - once it’s gone, it’s GONE! Our industry is so unique it is hard to do one thing for multiple clients - most of the work is so unique it cannot be replicated. Hourly pricing is harder to leverage. Flat fee pricing covers a task from start to completion but is often estimated based on the amount of time that it takes to do the project. Another option is retainer pricing, but again, what is the cost based off of? Most accountants will base it off their TIME rates. Some people use a FREE pricing strategy, and use that to convert free clients to paying clients. Market value is when accountants and tax professionals charge what the market will handle by looking at what peers and colleagues are charging. Value can be defined as the maximum amount that a customer will pay for anything. Customers don’t always care about the nitty-gritty or the hard work that goes into getting them the end result - they care about the RESULTS that you bring them. Value-based pricing is based off those results and outcomes! Value-based pricing asks if you helped your client achieve their goals. If so, get a piece of those results as your fee! You have to know what is special about what you have to offer when you charge value-based pricing. You have to provide opportunities and skills that no one else can. Keep your client front and center!   Learn More & Connect With Me Here! Read The Abundant Accountant Blog Certified Tax Coach website Dominique’s Facebook page Join us on Facebook Follow Michelle on LinkedIn   P.S. Do You want to MAKE MORE MONEY, WORK FEWER HOURS? Join me so you can unlock the secrets to growing a profitable accounting firm with less stress by joining our upcoming Abundant Accountants Masterclass! You will learn: The easiest ways to sift through clients and get to the RIGHT ones! Proven tactics to actually get paid instead of giving away FREE advice! How to stop competing on price FOREVER! Join our Abundant Accountants Masterclass today over at theabundantaccountant.com.  

Are you taking on every single accounting prospect that walks through the door? Do you ever consider whether they’ll enhance your business or not? It’s time to step into the abundant life you’re working so hard for, it’s time to start turning down unqualified clients. I know this probably feels pretty scary. Having valuable income from clients is necessary, but what if I told you if you removed all of your less than ideal clients from your client roster, you’d be opening yourself up to bigger and better accounting opportunities? In this episode, I’m sharing the 3 steps accounting professionals can use to turn down any unqualified client that comes their way. Plus, I’m sharing some BONUS tips that are sure to help increase your abundance, if you start taking action now! If you’re ready to start opening yourself to new and exciting opportunities by turning unqualified clients, then this episode of The Abundant Accountant Podcast is a MUST LISTEN! Enjoy, and thank you for listening and tuning into The Abundant Accountant Podcast! To share your thoughts: Email The Pitch Queen @ hello@thepitchqueen.com Ask a question over at www.ThePitchQueen.com Share The Abundant Accountant Podcast on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, & LinkedIn To help the show out: Please leave an honest review on iTunes. Your ratings and reviews really help and I read each one. Subscribe to the show on iTunes. Special thanks to all of my listeners! Be sure to join us for our next new episode! P.S. Over the last 18 months, I’ve been perfecting something called the Selling Without Ever Selling System. Up until now only my high-end clients have had access to this information. But I’m so excited about this that I’m offering you a free coaching session so I can share this information with you too. This system is all about getting your IDEAL clients coming to YOU and finally getting paid what you’re worth so you can build your dream practice and still have the time and money to enjoy your family and kids. If you’re tired of waiting around for business, relying on busy seasons, or guessing at what works, this free coaching session is for YOU. Learn more at theabundantcall.com. Here are a few key secrets we talked about in this episode: Michelle introduces this episode’s topic. Telling clients who are less than ideal NO, will increase your value and your worth. The first step is knowing when to say NO to a client. Michelle shares how you know, in this episode. Luke, a CPA that Michelle has worked with has very specific stipulations for when he’s going to take a client on, if the client isn’t willing to meet those stipulations, Luke will happily refer them to someone who is a better fit. No more discounts! If a client keeps asking for a discount, it’s time to turn them away. They will NOT be an ideal client. Another reason it would be good to turn away a client is if you’ve already overcommitted yourself. Take a step back before you can’t deliver on what you’ve promised. Michelle shares an example from one of her clients who was working with a truck driver that wanted to save money on taxes but wasn’t doing the work needed to save the money. Tune in to hear the story! When it comes to saying NO, there’s a graceful way of doing it. If you’re letting a client know that you NO longer want to work with them, be transparent. Explain why they’re not a good fit. After telling a client NO, you must stick to your word, you cannot change your mind. Remember, that you never ever want to burn a bridge. There are times when some clients will come back down the road, and then be an ideal client. You don’t want to ruin that opportunity. The next step is knowing WHY you’re saying NO. It doesn’t do you or your client favors to keep them on if they aren’t an ideal client for you. Saying NO to opportunities that aren’t the perfect fit will open up space for opportunities that are perfect. Telling a client NO is a great way to save yourself from working with P.I.T.A. client. Just as much as a prospect thinking about IF they want to hire you, YOU need to decide IF you want to work with THEM. When telling a prospect NO, be sure to decline with gratitude. To learn what this means, you must listen to this episode! The final tip that Michelle shares is to ensure that you position yourself as an expert. The potential client sitting in front of you doesn’t know as much as you do about accounting. Own that expert status. Learn More & Connect With Me Here! Read The Abundant Accountant Blog Join us on Facebook Follow Michelle on LinkedIn P.S. Over the last 18 months, I’ve been perfecting something called the Selling Without Ever Selling System. Up until now only my high-end clients have had access to this information. But I’m so excited about this that I’m offering you a free coaching session so I can share this information with you too. This system is all about getting your IDEAL clients coming to YOU and finally getting paid what you’re worth so you can build your dream practice and still have the time and money to enjoy your family and kids. If you’re tired of waiting around for business, relying on busy seasons, or guessing at what works, this free coaching session is for YOU.  Learn more at theabundantcall.com.

Do you ever feel that you wake up every day and think you would be further ahead by now with your firm and only working with clients that you love to work with? Finding clients can be tough - or does it have to be? Sometimes it feels like dating; you’re searching for that perfect match. By defining what you’re looking for in a client - often by finding your niche and developing an area of expertise, you can find an abundance of new clients. Once you’ve figured out the type of client you want to have in your firm in abundance, you’ll be able to bring in your marketing tactics so that you attract them all into your firm. You’ll know exactly what you need to do to bring them into your firm. You’ll learn how you can market yourself in such a way that your ideal clients COME TO YOU - in abundance! In this episode of The Abundant Accountant Podcast, The Pitch Queen along with Hugh Duffy explains how he helps accounting firms niche and posture themselves as industry experts, and how they’ve attracted a tremendous amount of clients. Enjoy, and thank you for listening and tuning into The Abundant Accountant Podcast! To share your thoughts: Email The Pitch Queen @ hello@thepitchqueen.com Share The Abundant Accountant Podcast on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, & LinkedIn To help the show out: Please leave an honest review on iTunes. Your ratings and reviews really help and I read each one. Subscribe to the show on iTunes. Be sure to join us on May 30th for our next amazing episode! Do You want to MAKE MORE MONEY, WORK LESS HOURS? Join me so you can unlock the secrets to growing a profitable accounting firm with less stress by joining our upcoming Abundant Accountants Masterclass! You will learn: The easiest ways to sift through clients and get to the RIGHT ones! Proven tactics to actually get paid instead of giving away FREE advice! How to stop competing on price FOREVER! Join our Abundant Accountants Masterclass today over at theabundantaccountant.com. Here are a few key secrets we talked about in this episode: Michelle Introduces Hugh Duffy and his business, Build Your Firm.. The goal is that accounting firms leverage marketing to find an abundance of the right kind of clients based on their specific niche. “Sales and marketing are like the Ying and the Yang” ~ Hugh Duffy. They work together to help you get to the right clients! When you market yourself well, you will have clients coming to YOU and saying “you are the kind of person I want to work with!” First, you have to really define that ideal client. Instead of just looking at what you want, often you can define that client by finding what you don’t want! Reverse engineer the process. “Finding that client is like dating: you look through the deal-breakers to find that perfect match.” ~ Hugh Duffy By defining your ideal client, you’re finding the person that you can serve the most effectively. Accountants are not typically taught to work on serving a niche, however, serving a particular niche will help you find the right clients who will come to you and find you. Having a niche, and serving it well, sets you apart! The goal is that a potential client sees you and your expertise and thinks “this person knows me, and knows my needs!” You can use a website to posture yourself as a niche expert - websites are an affordable way to be able to show potential clients that you are equipped to serve them. As you’re showcasing yourself as an expert in a niche, continue to do the work to be the expert in that niche! Learn the tax codes, the loopholes, everything that you can to serve your clients well in whichever specific niche you choose. Social media can be used to connect and market yourself, but there’s no “one size fits all” answer. The key to social media is that whatever you do, you do it consistently and nurture it so that it is effective. Video can be a great connecting point with people - most accountants don’t do it, so you can set yourself apart by using video! Hugh sums up his four thoughts on what accountants can do TODAY to find your ideal leads. Learn More & Connect With Me Here! Read The Abundant Accountant Blog Build Your Firm website Hugh’s LinkedIn Join us on Facebook Follow Michelle on LinkedIn P.S. Do You want to MAKE MORE MONEY, WORK FEWER HOURS? Join me so you can unlock the secrets to growing a profitable accounting firm with less stress by joining our upcoming Abundant Accountants Masterclass! You will learn: The easiest ways to sift through clients and get to the RIGHT ones! Proven tactics to actually get paid instead of giving away FREE advice! How to stop competing on price FOREVER! Join our Abundant Accountants Masterclass today over at theabundantaccountant.com.

Do you ever feel like you provide excellent advice and service (for free) and then watch your potential client go hire someone else? You tell them how you’re going to save them money and then never hear back? It’s time to stop working for free, and find new ways to build trust with both current and future clients! When meeting with clients, it’s important to have that trust factor so that they want to do business with you. In this episode of The Abundant Accountant podcast, The Pitch Queen shares 5 actionable ways (plus a 6th bonus tip!) that you can use to build trust with current and future clients. This trust will help you grow your firm and find your ideal clients! Enjoy, and thank you for listening and tuning into The Abundant Accountant Podcast! To share your thoughts: Email The Pitch Queen @ hello@thepitchqueen.com Share The Abundant Accountant Podcast on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, & LinkedIn To help the show out: Please leave an honest review on iTunes. Your ratings and reviews really help and I read each one. Subscribe to the show on iTunes. Be sure to join us on May 15th for our next amazing episode! As an accounting professional, I know you’re used to taking on anyone who knocks on your door, tired of not getting paid for your knowledge and your worth, or struggling with inconsistent cash flow during the offseason. It’s not your fault! I know that nobody is training you on how to fix these problems and connect the dots.   That’s why I created my Selling Without Ever Selling System. I’m so excited about this that I’m offering you a free coaching session so I can share this information with you too. Let me help you get your IDEAL clients coming to YOU so you can build your dream practice and still have the time and money to enjoy your family and kids. Head on over to theabundantcall.com to schedule your coaching session with me and my team! Here are a few key secrets we talked about in this episode: Michelle shares how giving free advice doesn’t help your firm - it actually hurts you! What is the definition of TRUST, and why is it so important for your firm? Tip #1 - give a “sample” of the work, not the whole “meal.” When you provide your prospects with the full meal that is like giving away all of your knowledge for free. Don’t tell your potential client HOW you will do the work - tell them WHAT the end result will be! The how to a client is actually irrelevant until you are paid. If you tell them how they can go find someone else to do the work for a cheaper cost. Be strategic about how you communicate - sometimes your genius can hurt you. Tip #2 - show the human side of the business. We get caught up in the details and the numbers, but our clients also want to know about US! Don’t be afraid to show your personality. Clients truly do want to connect with you on a non work level. Give clients the chance to connect with the human side of the business - how your firm is changing clients lives, and your own life! Make an “about me” page on your website, and make sure that you have a good picture of yourself. Tip #3 - make yourself available for inquiries. Be ready and able to field inquiries. Be reachable even if it’s through an assistant. Consider installing a live chat function on your website so that potential clients can reach out to you. Create unique touch points with clients to set yourself apart from the competition. Tip #4 - be clear about what your client should expect. Rule of thumb: Underpromise and over-deliver! Make sure that your client knows expectations regarding accessibility, potential charges, or anything else related to the engagement that they engaged with you in. Create boundaries, clearly, define them with your client, and stick to them. Tip #5 - make sure that you follow through! If you say you’ll do something, DO IT! Operate in integrity in all aspects of your firm. People pay premium prices for your services when they trust you! BONUS tip: Create a Yelp business account so that you can have testimonials and reviews from current clients. Yelp will help bring you business! Check out Episode 14 of The Abundant Accountant Podcast to hear how Yelp helped build Aleksey Kaplans business. Michelle invites listeners to pick 3 of these tips and implement them at their firm so that they can stop giving away free advice and be paid their value! Learn More & Connect With Me Here! Read The Abundant Accountant Blog Join us on Facebook Follow Michelle on LinkedIn P.S. As an accounting professional, I know you’re used to taking on anyone who knocks on your door, tired of not getting paid for your knowledge and your worth, or struggling with inconsistent cash flow during the offseason. It’s not your fault! I know that nobody is training you on how to fix these problems and connect the dots.   That’s why I created my Selling Without Ever Selling System. I’m so excited about this that I’m offering you a free coaching session so I can share this information with you too. Let me help you get your IDEAL clients coming to YOU so you can build your dream practice and still have the time and money to enjoy your family and kids. Head on over to theabundantcall.com to schedule your coaching session with me and my team!  

Do you view social media as a waste of time? If you’re not careful, it can be rather time-consuming! However, social media can be one of your biggest sources of new business - if you’re willing to put in the work to be consistent! Social media helps you connect authentically with an abundance of clients. With intentional, consistent work, you don’t have to spend a lot of money to get abundant clients! Yelp, LinkedIn, Facebook business pages - oh my! Does this sound overwhelming? It doesn’t have to be. Small steps over time will lead you to GREAT results in your business. But you don’t have to take my word for it! In this episode of The Abundant Accountant podcast, The Pitch Queen along with Aleksey Kaplan explains how to use social media to grow your firm and find ideal clients to have the firm of abundance! Enjoy, and thank you for listening and tuning into The Abundant Accountant Podcast! To share your thoughts: Email The Pitch Queen @ hello@thepitchqueen.com Share The Abundant Accountant Podcast on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, & LinkedIn To help the show out: Please leave an honest review on iTunes. Your ratings and reviews really help and I read each one. Subscribe to the show on iTunes. Be sure to join us on May 1st for our next amazing episode! Do You want to MAKE MORE MONEY, & WORK FEWER HOURS? Join me so you can unlock the secrets to growing a profitable accounting firm with less stress by joining our upcoming Abundant Accountants Masterclass! You will learn: The easiest ways to sift through clients and get to the RIGHT ones! Proven tactics to actually get paid instead of giving away FREE advice! How to stop competing on price FOREVER! Join our Abundant Accountants Masterclass today over at theabundantaccountant.com. Here are a few key secrets we talked about in this episode: Michelle Introduces Aleksey Kaplan. Aleksey works with entrepreneurs and professionals for tax services. Social media can be confusing and take a lot of time - how to use it best to get the most out of the time invested for your accounting firm? Social media is a powerful lead generator. We live in the 21st century, and need to use social media! What’s the best way to gain traction to make sure people know about you, and will be contacting you? Aleksey determined that he didn’t want to do things the old fashioned way - he wanted to try new things! When he searched for his competition, Aleksey found out that they weren’t on Yelp - so he built his presence there. Social media reviews are authentic and real, and people rely on those reviews. Aleksey gained a lot of clients from Yelp alone. By creating a Yelp account, it creates a rich customer experience for those who find you and builds rapport and trust. Social media allows clients to get to know YOU. You have to spend money to make money - but don’t just throw it away. Invest it! Aleksey started with $6000 in ad spend budget for the whole year. He chose the amount by asking “what is my break-even point? Can I make this back?” Cost per customer lead varies. The first year of investing in Yelp ads, brought in 3 times the investment. The second year, brought in TEN times the investment! You cannot slack on social media! Being responsive matters! If you don’t have a business Yelp account, go make one NOW! Build the know, like, and trust factor. Reviews and testimonials can be repurposed and used on your website. Make sure you create a Google listing for reviews and a Facebook business page for reviews. The best social media for your ROI is going to be Yelp! LinkedIn is another great tool with a high ROI. Yelp brings immediate results, LinkedIn brings in the long-term network. LinkedIn helps you target your audience. LinkedIn takes a longer time to grow, but the ROI is high! The longer sales process makes for a great conversion. LinkedIn allows you to automate your networking, finding professionals you want to connect with. LinkedIn allows you to posture as an authority: post content that is consistent on your profile and targeting your ideal client. Tip: use hashtags on LinkedIn to connect with your target client - speak the language of your future client! Aleksey posts content weekly on LinkedIn, and a monthly newsletter with tips - that is to help with conversions for sales. Consistent content builds credibility. You can use Hootsuite to schedule and post content. Hootsuite is a scheduling tool. Tip: your newsletter can be posted on LinkedIn as an article. Aleksey spends 30-45 minutes a day on LinkedIn to connect with new clients. It takes time, but it brings quality clients! Be consistent, and stick with it! Consistency brings its own ROI. “We don’t have a choice if we will do social media, it’s a matter of how well we will do it.” ~ Aleksey Kaplan Michelle closes by challenging you to make a social media plan to help increase the value of your firm. Learn More & Connect With Me Here! Read The Abundant Accountant Blog Aleksey’s Website Aleksey’s LinkedIn Aleksey’s Facebook Page Aleksey’s Yelp Page Join us on Facebook Follow Michelle on LinkedIn P.S. Do You want to MAKE MORE MONEY, WORK FEWER HOURS? Join me so you can unlock the secrets to growing a profitable accounting firm with less stress by joining our upcoming Abundant Accountants Masterclass! You will learn: The easiest ways to sift through clients and get to the RIGHT ones! Proven tactics to actually get paid instead of giving away FREE advice! How to stop competing on price FOREVER! Join our Abundant Accountants Masterclass today over at theabundantaccountant.com.

How do you ask for referrals? Do you have a script or a template? Do you find yourself wanting to try something new and creative? Referrals can be FUN! Being creative with your referral process can bring fun to your business, and increase the number of referrals that you get - and bring you those clients your love to help so you can have a firm of abundance. We all know the importance of asking for referrals. By taking a few simple actions, you can set yourself apart in the industry, making your ideal clients continue to send more clients to have the firm of abundance. Are you ready to set yourself apart by being creative in asking for referrals? In this episode of The Abundant Accountant podcast, I’m sharing The Pitch Queen’s 6 creative ways to encourage referrals from your current clients. Enjoy, and thank you for listening and tuning into The Abundant Accountant Podcast! To share your thoughts: Email The Pitch Queen @ hello@thepitchqueen.com Share The Abundant Accountant Podcast on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, & LinkedIn To help the show out: Please leave an honest review on iTunes. Your ratings and reviews really help and I read each one. Subscribe to the show on iTunes. Be sure to join us on April 15th for our next amazing episode! Over the last 18 months, I’ve been perfecting something called the Selling Without Ever Selling System. Up until now only my high-end clients have had access to this information. But I’m so excited about this that I’m offering you a free coaching session so I can share this information with you too. This system is all about getting your IDEAL clients coming to YOU and finally getting paid what you’re worth so you can build your dream practice and still have the time and money to enjoy your family and kids. If you’re tired of waiting around for business, relying on busy seasons, or guessing at what works, this free coaching session is for YOU. Learn more at theabundantcall.com. Here are a few key secrets we talked about in this episode: Michelle shares why referral clients are important and will bring more life to your business. “Referrals are the key to the door of resistance” ~ Michelle Weinstein. Make asking for referrals easy! Keep referral cards handy so that your clients are able to quickly and easily give you potential future clients. Turn getting referrals into a game: get an Uncle Sam hat; add names, and draw a winner every month or so. Use your email list to connect with current clients in a fun way and ask for names of others who would be a good fit for you to work with. TIP! Make sure you know who your ideal client is. When you sign on new clients, donate a portion of the revenue to a good cause. Share this with your current client as they will be more likely to send great referrals your way! Incentivize referrals with exclusive benefits that only they get! Make a VIP club for your best referrers and give them exclusive value. Ask previous prospects for referrals who may be a good fit for your business. Make sure you ASK! You won’t get referrals if you don’t ask for them! Finally, Michelle ends by encouraging all accountants to implement these ideas into their business. Learn More & Connect With Me Here! Read The Abundant Accountant Blog Join us on Facebook Follow Michelle on LinkedIn P.S. Over the last 18 months, I’ve been perfecting something called the Selling Without Ever Selling System. Up until now only my high-end clients have had access to this information. But I’m so excited about this that I’m offering you a free coaching session so I can share this information with you too. This system is all about getting your IDEAL clients coming to YOU and finally getting paid what you’re worth so you can build your dream practice and still have the time and money to enjoy your family and kids. If you’re tired of waiting around for business, relying on busy seasons, or guessing at what works, this free coaching session is for YOU. Learn more at theabundantcall.com.