8 July 2022
TOPIC: How to become a valuable accountant
This is one of many guides that teaches you how to grow your accounting practice.
If you like guides like this, feel free to follow us on social media and subscribe to our email list to get updates on when a new blog drops!
In this blog, we are discussing how you can make yourself more valuable as an accountant. If you’re someone who is struggling with expressing your value to clients, this is a blog you don’t want to miss!
Do you have a niche?
One of the most obvious ways to exhibit value to your client is by positioning yourself as an expert in your industry.
Here are some common niches:
- Construction
- Real Estate
- Restaurants
- Software as a service (SaaS)
Each business has a different way of doing things. Savvy business owners understand that some of the problems they face can be challenging to anyone in the industry.
Of course, any accountant can learn the business. Even so, if they can hire someone who already understands their business ins and outs, that will help tremendously.
Being an expert in a certain industry makes you stand out from the pool of general accountants and makes you more valuable to employers within your niche.
What makes you different?
It’s not the end of the world if you don’t have a niche. So another thing you can do to help you stand out is create a USP.
USP (unique selling proposition) is a characteristic about yourself that makes you stand out.
Here are some examples:
- Do you work remotely?
- Do you speak multiple languages?
- How many years have you been in business?
- What awards do you have?
- Have you been coached by a popular figure in the industry?
- Do you have any unique past work experiences?
- Did you graduate from a prestigious school?
- How many 5-star reviews do you have?
- What is your past work experience?
These are all things that can WOW your client or potential client. Everyone is unique and has their own unique experiences. So why not leverage those experiences to your advantage?
Don’t Get Lost In The Small Details
One of our important duties as accountants is ensuring everything we do comply with government regulations.
If you’re an accountant juggling multiple clients, it can get pretty tempting just to put your work goggles on and churn and burn clients like you’re working in a factory.
Focusing on just getting the job done might be all you need to get that paycheck. But it will be hard to differentiate yourself from thousands of other accountants taking the same approach.
If you want to stand out from the crowd and become valuable, you will have to take a different approach from your competition.
First, you must realize you are more than just someone who offers your service. So you have to make sure your service is more than just average.
Here are some examples:
- It’s about helping people file taxes with ease
- It’s about saving people from IRS
- Saving your clients time and money from having to file taxes incorrectly
- Not having anxiety when they go to their mailbox
- Helping your clients sleep at night knowing you got their back when the IRS comes knocking
- Not waking up one morning and having their wages garnished
- They will be able to create more magical memories with their family
Think about how they would feel after being helped by your service. Then, think about how they would feel without your specialized service.
When you focus less on the numbers and more on the impact your service will bring to their business and how that would make them feel, you know you have something magical.
When speaking with your potential client for the first time, it is crucial to communicate these kinds of results with them.
When your client can connect to your solution emotionally, that’s when they will be okay paying the big bucks for your services.
Always Show Proof
Once you do a fantastic job with your client, they might feel obliged to leave you a positive review. As an accounting professional, you want a page to store all your positive reviews.
For example, pages like Yelp, client reviews on your website, Google reviews, and Facebook reviews are all things that can boost your credibility.
If you have a page showing how you’ve helped other people, it will automatically make you more valuable. It shows your expertise, makes you more trustworthy, and that you helped someone like them before.
It’s one thing to tell clients how great you are and the kind of solutions you offer, but it’s even better if someone in the same shoes as your clients says it for you.
Positive client stories immediately make you more credible and likable.
Another form of proof is being on someone else’s podcast.
When you are a guest on a popular podcast, your credibility skyrockets. The power of association can land you clients you’ve never seen before.
A picture of you standing alongside industry leaders like Elon Musk or Jeff Bezos can dramatically boost your perceived value.
Conclusion
To summarize, there are many ways to make yourself more valuable as an accountant. For example, you can pick a niche, create a USP, and have a positive review page.
It’s always important to remember the big picture of WHY you offer the service you do. Then, reflect on how it impacts the people you help because it will help you articulate your value to potential clients.