Accountants Want To Identify Prospects, Not Worry About What To Offer As Services

July 9, 2011 - PRLog -- Atlanta, July 8, 2011 – With the economy still struggling, most business owners presume that accounting practitioners would also be feeling the heat.  Possibly so, say the results of a recent Secrets of Marketing Accounting Services survey of accountants in public practice.

Respondents universally responded by noting that their concerns did not include “Deciding What To Offer,” or “Setting Priorities,” but did involve “Identifying Prospects.”

The enlightening results of this less than scientific poll were recorded over a period of one week and were provided by visitors to the Secrets of Marketing Accounting Services website (http://secrets-of-marketing-accounting-services.com).

Previously, accountants had thought that developing new services as a means of “Deciding What To Offer” was the answer to building their practice.  However, the results of this new study highlight the need for practicing accountants to identify their target prospects, before they begin to add new features to their practice.  New features such as additional services.

The ability to identify or target potential clients is a conundrum for many accountants.  Practitioners are typically taught in school that accounting practices are universal and are transferable from industry to industry.

However, upon entering private practice, they quickly learn that each industry has its nuances and the systems and procedures that are common in one industry are unheard of in another.  Or, at least that is what it seems.

This places the practitioner in the classic position of “being caught in the horns of a dilemma.” To compensate for this disparity, accountants must learn the systems and procedures of the new industry. But, in general, they cannot “break into” an industry until they have mastered the nuances of the industry.

As the only option that related to business operations, the third option in this week long survey, “Setting Priorities,” seemed to be of almost no interest to the respondents.  The interpretation of the results indicated that accountants were more interested in topics related to client acquisition and practice growth than they were in internal operations.

The general consensus then, could be interpreted as a response to the lackluster economy driving business decisions.  “Growth before profitability!”  In this environment, it is easy to see and understand the how and why local practitioners make their business decisions, and what those decisions will be.

These are the principal findings of the accounting practitioner poll run by the Secrets of Marketing Accounting Services, a firm which monitors the thoughts and actions of accounting practitioners.  The new results are based on a poll conducted from Wednesday, June 22, 2011 through Saturday, July 2, 2011.

A poll conducted to determine how accountants identify prospects will be completed on Monday, July 11, 2011.  the results of this poll will be made available.

Secrets of Marketing Accounting Services is a website devoted to assisting startup and growing accounting practices build their client base by making prepared tools and techniques available.  Tools include pre-written speeches and webinars, course curriculum and lecture guides, workbooks and client newsletters, as well as PLR materials for distribution to clients and prospects.

For more information, please contact: Kirk Ward
(706) 698-5475
Secrets of Marketing Accounting Services
P.O. Box 1787
Ellijay, GA 30540
Web: http://secrets-of-marketing-accounting-services.com
Blog: http://kirk-ward.com
Twitter: http://twitter.com/kirkward
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Secrets-of-Marketing-Accounting-Services/124863537582114

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Secrets of Marketing Accounting Services is a membership site that provides startup and expanding bookkeepers, accountants and financial consultants with tools and materials for expanding and growing their professional practice.