YOU – the trusted adviser

Why does the business community trust Accountants so much?

Is it your training?

Is it your knowledge?

Is it your qualifications?

Is it your relationship building skills?

Is it your customer service?

Is it your problem-solving ability?

After coaching you for 24 years I think the primary reason we trust you is none of the above. Of course, they all help to gain trust.

When it all boils down to it, I think we TRUST you because you have ‘financial intimacy’ with us. You know things about our financial affairs that no-one else does. We stay with you because of the ‘back story’ that you have on us.

Now here’s the kicker. We stay with ALL accountants because of financial intimacy. You can dish out poor service and we stay. You can have a limited personal relationship with us and we stay. We have no idea if the knowledge is right, if you have the right training and the qualifications are real and useful – we still stay.

Not only do we stay with you but that next client you want already has an Accountant (unless you like new start-ups) and they have financial intimacy over them as well. Have you every wondered why it takes so long for an established client to switch from one Accountant to you? It’s because of financial intimacy.

The more financial intimacy you have the more trusted you are. The more financial intimacy the longer we stay with you. The more financial intimacy the more we buy. The more financial intimacy the more we refer others.

Financial intimacy is a good thing!

Building and enhancing financial intimacy is easy. However, be warned. It takes a very focused and disciplined approach to make it happen.

Are you ready for it?

The role of the trusted adviser is to enhance client financial intimacy by making sure all clients that you want to keep are buying every service from you that helps them achieve their goals.

1.    All clients that you want to keep

2.    Buying everything they need

3.    That helps them achieve their goals.

The trusted adviser is not in the Accounting business. The trusted adviser is in the goal achievement business!

I think this is your duty of care to do this. Supplying products and services that help your clients achieve their goals.

If you believe this (and I hope you do) then to live it the following needs to happen:

1.    A goal setting meeting with all clients that you want to keep.

2.    Documenting the clients’ goals and understanding where they are at ‘now’.

3.    Determining the most appropriate services to alleviate any immediate pain.

4.    Delivering ongoing services that helps your clients achieving their goals.

5.    Pricing the services appropriately based on the value that you provide.

The next new client is easy – do this at the outset. With existing clients, you have to systematically meet with them (it’s not a survey) and find out their goals. 

Do that and you’ll build an extreme amount of financial intimacy. Do it not and someone else may.

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PS. Whenever you're ready here are 3 ways I can help you achieve the results you deserve.

1. Download my latest ebook - The Naked Truth - and learn about the real financial performance of 32 Accounting firms. What they used to look like and what they now look like. Also a lot of detail on how they are achieving their results. Go to www.robnixon.com to download. 

2. While you're on my website go to the BLOG and feast on dozens of articles and other content. https://robnixon.com/blog/

3. If you want me to work with you privately and coach you and your firm to success then let's start a dialogue. Send me a private message here on LinkedIn, tell me a bit about your firm and what you're looking to achieve. Ideally you're between $500K and $5M in revenue now. Message when you're ready