Three Steps To Defining Your Ideal Accounting Client
Every accountant has at least a couple of horror stories about difficult clients. Over time you begin to draw lines to determine which clients and companies are in your professional sweet spot and which you’re comfortable letting go. But how do you define your ideal client? I’ve been working with an outside marketing team for the past several years. It’s an investment that I would encourage all of you to make as well, and over time my consultant has helped me to narrow down my ideal client.
I’m going to share a peek into the process we go through, but I want to stress that this practice is most effective when done with a marketing partner. I really can't say enough about the value you can derive in any part of your business from hiring professionals to help you in the areas you need it most. I am not a marketing expert, so I hired one to help me expand my accounting business. Together we have assembled a couple of different avatars to represent the type of clients we were working to attract in the given moment. Here are three steps that you can go through to determine the ideal client for your accounting business.
1. Review your current clientele
The best way to know who you want to work with is to take a look at the people you're working with already. Who is a good fit, and who isn't? One of my favorite types of clients are female entrepreneurs who are building exciting businesses. Of course, we haven't built an entire firm off of one type of client, but when I’m determining how to direct my marketing resources, I know where to direct our focus. When we broaden our efforts to attract everyone we don’t actually attract anyone at all. Go through your list of current clients and write down the names of people you really enjoy working with. Do the names on that list have anything in common? Perhaps they’re all in the same field, or they’re of a similar age range. Start with what’s already working, and build up from there.
2. Determine your expertise
I happen to be really good at fixing complex IRS issues. That’s how my firm got its name (Fix-It Accounting), so while we don’t limit our work to that area, we certainly lean into it. We want people to know that we are the place to come when you find yourself in a tax jam. What’s your expertise? Do you have a lot of experience working with restaurants or manufacturers? Why not claim that corner of that business as your own?
3. Release and renew
Making a list of who you like working with might also bring to mind a list of people you'd prefer not to work with. Once you start growing, it may be time to release some of your clients to make space to move in the right direction. This doesn't have to be a negative or contentious change. Just think of the mantra, “release and renew.” You’re releasing some clients so you can renew your portfolio with more of your ideal clientele.
Building an accounting business that you feel proud of and that represents you takes time. No one expects you to start from day one only serving your favorite clients. However, if you grow your firm with the intention of partnering with the people you enjoy serving the most, you’ll eventually find yourself running a business that reflects you. For more information about how we’ve grown Fix-It Accounting, or to inquire about our resources for professionals, contact us today.