December - The Season of Opportunity

That's what one of my clients referred to this month as...and, I love her for that! Instead of referring to this time as the end of the year "wrap-up" or seeing it as something deadline oriented, she sees this time of close, fervent interaction with her clients as an OPPORTUNITY - to actively listen, make meaningful suggestions where appropriate and BOND!

Go get em - you still have a week left!

Lisa

Social Media and CPA firms....

CPA Trendlines reported today that: "A new study by the Association for Accounting Marketing finds that approximately 60% of the firms surveyed are participating in social media and 43% have written social media policies to guide employees and govern its use.

LinkedIn emerged as the leading application used by accounting professionals with 76% of firms using LinkedIn and of those not using LinkedIn, 60% have a plan to establish an account..."

43% of those that are using social media have a social media policy? Ya THINK? Cause I'm sorry but I talk to a LOT of CPA firms each week and I KNOW they are blocking Facebook, and most of them do not have a social media policy - and many have folks using LinkedIn and they are not tracking, observing - or utilizing it - let alone working on a policy!!!

It's safety net to have one - I can do a social media policy for $250. You should have one...Just in case it gets ugly - check out SocialMention dot com and search not your firm name but some people's names....then cawwwwl me...

Lisa

Be True To Yourself (Whoever That Is)

TIERNEY Coaching & Consulting has a core set of truths on which we base our success, and the success of our clients. And one of the most important is, know thy self. If you don’t understand who you are, and what motivates you, you will not be able to realize for yourself the seemingly magical and elusive results you see others enjoying. You have to know how to position yourself so that your daily efforts seems less like effort, and more effortless. Personally, at the end of the day, I want to know that a) I have made a measurable positive improvement in my clients’ ability to do their jobs more effectively, and b) I have done this through mutually positive energy exchanges and connections along the way.

I also find it empowering to be able to choose the firms with whom I enter into contract. If I feel your behavior or attitude is a violation of my personal code of ethics, I would rather just wait for the client that’s a better fit. By now I hope it’s becoming clear that I attribute my own success to honest, open and energizing exchanges that leave an impression of overall capability, accountability and flexibility. Of course I want to profit! But sometimes giving something away is a better way to do business. It may not be as immediately profitable. In the long haul, however, I do believe we attract what we are in our own minds. And I want to attract the kind of wealth that allows a firm, and those who captain it, adequate resources to be generous, and strength enough to be kind. To be true to yourself. Happy Holidays to ALL from TIERNEY Coaching & Consulting! – Lisa

Marketing's Role in Obtaining A New Client

These thoughts are being generated by a recent flooding of questions and discussion about the PROCESS by which proposals are generated and the WAY in which the firm’s team leaders should be working together in order to ensure that the best foot is forward when communicating to prospective clients. Come on people! This really is not rocket science and yet I am appalled at the many times I consistently hear about partners grabbing just anyone available as they race out the door to meet with a prospective client. I guess we should be grateful when they remember to grab a GENERAL marketing brochure that speaks to how GREAT their firm is…I see that I am going to have write a full-blown article on this one – just to let off a little steam! In a nutshell:

• Internally communicate the opportunity to professional staff

• Identify and leverage existing relationships

• Set up a time with prospect to “interview” in order to identify things like hot buttons, pressing issues, why they are looking to change service providers, the decision-making process and the decision-makers, etc. (remember active listening!)

• Research, research, research (industry trend reports, short list of references, experience with this type of client)

• Which brings us to the all-important selection of the proposed engagement team (foster rapport)

• Role-play / rehearsal of prospect meeting - complete with agenda and established roles

• Follow-Up

• Word-smithing a document to present – if you have pressed to do so (and if so, too bad)

Okay – I guess I now have my outline for my article – stay tuned! And have a great weekend

Lisa

Does Search Engine Optimization Really Work? Or is this just BEGINNER'S LUCK?!?

My last post was about the fact that, in order to "walk the walk" about social media, I would give up all control over updating my website in order to prove that the search engine optimization (SEO) of a website works - well, I am very glad to say that within 1 WEEK I received my first lead from a CPA who wants to grow a specific niche area - so marketing and coaching services was what he was requesting. Then, additionally, I was just contacted by a CPA firm representative who wants information on search engine optimization / social media strategy for its firm. I believe I am starting to WALK THE WALK indeed!

If it can work for TIERNEY Coaching & Consulting - it can work for your professional services firm! I will keep you posted on all this - hey perhaps it's just beginner's luck?!

Lisa Tierney
Marketing Consultant and Professional Coach

Blah Blah BLOG!

So I'm walking the walk now. TIERNEY's social media expert talked me into it. How can I effectively communicate the value of an optimized website if I don't have one myself?! How can I explain why it's so important that you have a blog on your homepage when I myself don't have one? I was SO PROUD of myself when I launched my website - which I designed myself I admit quite proudly, and I had CONTROL and could update it whenever I liked....now I have to go through Jerry Frear for every little thing. It's a good thing I like Jerry. He also handles me very well. I am aware that he is "handling" me and in fact, I appreciate him more for that. So Jerry told me to post a blog and this is it. I believe this is GOOD but can't wait to prove it to myself and my clients once and for all.

OK - somebody hire me now? .... HELLO!????!?!?!

Lisa Tierney
Owner
TIERNEY Coaching & Consulting

What's All This Talk About the Return on Investment of Social Media?

There are many discussions going on about the use of social media among accountants. Surely there are folks who don't understand the value of these mediums, mostly due to inexperience in using them. "Why should I go on twitter and tell someone what I'm doing? Who is going to care?"

To those people I would suggest turning that question around to ask, "When I have just heard a piece of important and timely information that would benefit some of my colleagues, how can I tell them all at once - easily and quickly?" Now that's the question to be asking.

Social media is simply a new way for people to communicate and connect with others. Further, social media offers various venues in order to more effectively reach certain people in ways that they prefer - or make sense to them - because of their lifestyle. Historically, there has always been an inherent quest for humankind to connect in order to share information and work together for the greater good. Think about the increase in knowledge that the average Internet user has vs. his counterpart just twenty years ago. It's quite astonishing. Yet, there has been much confusion - and distrust - about using these new methods of communicating.

In fact, much of the same hoopla went on when another "new" medium for communicating was first introduced a relatively short time ago. The telephone didn't become widespread in business use until the early 1940s (maybe you've seen movies featuring roller skating switchboard operators?). The average business owner in those days was hesitant about bringing telephones into the workplace. "My employees will start to use the phone for personal use!" they feared. Yes, they would - but they would also have the power to reach people within seconds - just by picking up the phone and dialing a number. Sure there were crank calls and a little bit of abuse on the part of some employees. But they were handled on a case-by-case basis. Then came Caller ID which was very helpful. Networks expanded, costs decreased, and people "reached out and touched someone" - all day long.

Consider e-mail. (The Internet was invented in the 50s but it took awhile to become mainstream.) Business owners continued to be suspicious. Yes, there were a few rough spots, with computer spam and viruses, but then came anti-virus software and people became educated about spam. Knowledge was shared and the benefits clearly outweighed the cons and, eventually, everyone used e-mail freely (and instant chat, and cell phones with texting capabilities and...). Get it?

So when you ask the question, "How do you calculate your return on investment with the use of social media?" you might as well be asking a question like, "How do you measure the value of using e-mail in your business?" This gets tricky. The tangible vs. the intangible. As a marketing professional, for me it's all about the tracking of the efforts that I ask my clients to put forth. Tracking is actually easier in this age of electronic marketing however, it is important that we not get caught up in just the numbers when it comes to social media.

As a firm, you need to connect with as many potential clients and referral sources as possible so that when that person needs an accountant, they think of you. You most likely have identified your ideal client/target audience (if not, that's another article). The objective is to figure out which social medium they are using and then start communicating with them via that medium. This is why they use the term "Friend" on Facebook, the word "Connect" on LinkedIn... and "Follower" on Twitter. They all imply how you will be able to connect with others who share mutual interests - and that is what social media is about: connections with others.

The question you SHOULD BE asking your prospective clients, your potential employees and your referral sources is "Where did you hear about me (or our firm?)"

It is unlikely that a company will retain your firm to conduct their $30,000 audit based solely on your LinkedIn page or a post on a blog. Most likely, your professional will have been recommended by someone - and will then use the Internet to further investigate this professional; that is when they see the post on the blog or the LinkedIn page. And what they read there should reinforce their impression that you are a top-notch professional firm, that you are an expert in your field, and that you have the specific expertise they are in need of. The fact that you have used social media to clearly communicate the value of the services you provide and that you have been recommended by another will help the visitor deem you as hire-able.

There are a variety of ways in which we can communicate our value as a professional services provider in today's marketplace - pick up the phone, write on a blog, ask a question or start a discussion on LinkedIn, record your thoughts on something you are passionate about on video and post it on a website, share your experiences about something important to you...it's all about connections.

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SIDEBAR: For better or worse, it has become apparent to me that many professionals no longer value turning off their computers, driving somewhere in their car, and shutting off their cell phones in order to connect with others (i.e. seminars, networking events, meetings with prospective clients). They are finding this counter-productive as it is becoming quite apparent that, through social media platforms, introductions can be made, referrals given and business done - and this, without disconnecting at all or emitting fumes into our environment (think webinars, LinkedIn conversations and Skype). Social media offers professionals a broader reach to the best professionals and most ideal opportunities - sans geographic restriction.

KNOWLEDGE Is Your Company's Greatest Asset

It always amazes me how little people know about the company they work for - its history, expertise, goals and concerns. They may have been given a glimpse in the form of a vague overview during an initial interview or maybe there's handbook with a section on that stuff. But even if an employee ever reads it, how much of it do you think was retained? People seem to put blinders on about the goings-on at their place of employment, a place which they will spend an enormous amount of time each day. Why don't they care? Or do they.....?

Last weekend there were high winds and several trees in my neighborhood went down, including a massive tree right across the street on my neighbors' front lawn. When the homeowner came home, he didn't notice the huge dead beast of a tree splay across his front lawn. (In his defense, it was raining and windy and he clutched a big umbrella to his face as he went right for the front door). This man certainly would want to know this piece of information but he was too distracted to receive it.

Food for thought: Do your employees remain in the dark about company objectives because you keep them there? Or because that's where they want to be....either way, if the barrier could be overcome and knowledge could be spread, think of the possibilities: ideas, initiatives, increased productivity and an improved bottom line. Knowledge is any company's biggest asset. Sharing knowledge and resources among everyone in an organization is not only a necessity to ensuring its success, it's imperative in maintaining an advantage over your competition. It also can unite the organization in new ways and improve the life experience.

If you don't have the interest of your personnel about your company's objectives, figure out a way to incite their desire for the Company to achieve success. It's not as hard as you may think. After all, everyone wants to be a part of something successful.