HITTING THE BULL’S EYE:

GET TARGETED IN YOUR CLIENT APPROACH

June 23, 2016

1

Introductions

Deneen Dias

Senior Strategic Account Manger

7+ years working with firms on ways to utilize

cloud technology to transform their client

accounting practice

Helps hundreds of firms evaluate, implement, and

leverage technology to improve internal processes

as well as enhance their client relationship

Keen interest in working with firms of all sizes to

drive increases to their bottom lines through

implementing new cloud technology

Consults with firms on ways to add new revenue

streams from new services lines including

Business Process Outsourcing (BPO), and real

time advisory services

Brings 10 years of experience working with firms

of all sizes

CPA.com PRODUCTS & SERVICES

FIRM CLOUD BASED SOLUTIONS

EDUCATION & RESOURCES

MISSION

Empowering CPAs and Businesses For The Digital Age

Our Team

Dedicated account management

from experienced CPA.com

representatives

Expert guidance and tools to help

you grow your practice

Experience in working with

thousands of firms that have adopted

cloud technology

Virtual

Controllership

Collaborative

Advisory

Services –

Virtual CFO

Write-Up

Wide Spectrum of Service Levels for Client Accounting

Business Process

Outsourcing

Advisory $

Transactional

Firm Service

Spectrum

HistoricalCompliance oriented

Daily operations Real-time information

Consulting on business decisions

6

Evolving Client Needs – What Clients Want

Top 3 for How SMBs Selected Accountant

• Expertise

• Responsiveness

• Proactive Strategic Advice

Top 3 for Services Desired Outside of Services

Already Received:

• Business planning

• Business strategy

• Create Dashboards to monitor business

*The Sleeter Group research published April 9th, 2014

http://www.sleeter.com/blog/2014/04/smbs-want-accountant-2014-update/

Why SMBs leave

accountants:

#1 Does not give

proactive advice,

only reactive

$50 billion

40

30

20

10

2010

$42

$9

$12

$19

Strong Growth In Advisory ServicesOver Past Four Years

2014

$54

$17

$15

$20

Advisory Services

91% growth

Tax

17% growth

Audit & Accounting

6% growth

Other

Source: Accounting Today, Top 100 firms survey, 2010 and 2014

Revenue split at top 100 accounting firms

The Technology Difference

Collaboration between firm and clients

Both teams work together in real-time

Opportunity to leverage best practices from the start rather than

cleaning up “after the fact”

The 3 A’s

Access

• Real-time information

• Better collaboration with clients

Accuracy

• More control of information

• Deliver information timely & accurately

Analytics

• Looking at business problems and issues, and improving those for the client

• Allows you to be more consultative

Where I see firms struggle

Tax partners aren’t understanding that this is different

o Getting the “wrong” leads

Bookkeepers have prided themselves on being

“generalist”. It’s just as important to specialize like the

tax team does,

Are you afraid to say NO? TARGETED & DEFINED

SERVICES is KEY

Certified Intacct® BPO Partner & Bill.com

QuickBooks ProAdvisor, Member of Mindshop International

Nationally recognized thought leader in cloud-based accounting.

As a self-proclaimed “foodie”, Dixie spends her free time dining at the hundreds of restaurants Atlanta has to offer.

Introductions

Dixie McCurley

Co-founder & Partner

Selecting a Niche

Key fundamentals in targeting right client:

• Work out your vertical niche

• Where can you find clients in your vertical

• Who can help you land them

• How you work best as a partner with them

lion pride

common goal:

hunt and feed

role:

cubs

prepare to move up

support the kill

junior lioness 300 lbs

plan & execute the kill

senior lioness 400 lbs

continuity & security

black bull 550 lbs

lion pride

common goal:

hunt and feed

need 1 ton of

meat / week

46 pounds of meat 1100 pounds of meat

lion pride

common goal & vision:

hunt and feed

plan:

hunt by the pride plan

to cull and ignore the small prey that distracts them and uses

up the energy that is vital to their survival

learned:

how do you find your Zebras?Client selection

• Which Clients do you want to spend more time with? How will you do that?

• Which Clients do you want to spend less time with? How will you do that?

• How can you test a potential Client before starting a formal relationship?

types of clients 17

low value clients:

46 pounds of meat 1100 pounds of meat

high value clients:

what does your firm offer?

dif

fere

nti

ati

on

relative costhigh

high

low

costleadership

outstandingsuccess niche

disaster

market segmentation:

is your segment size large enough

to make a profit?

is the segment growing or

shrinking?

how long will it take to make a

profit in the segment?

is the segment seasonal or

cyclical?

how do you find your Zebras?

productofferings

geography of customers

customer type

meaningful client engagement

how

where

now

Value of BPO to Firm

Smart client/accountant collaboration (creates stickiness)

Simple, high value processes delivered through the cloud

Greater control of client information

Greater security and internal controls

Year-round service opportunities to generate revenue

Value of BPO to Client

Eliminates work unrelated to core business mission

Best practices to most efficiently manage work

Reduces fraud risks through greater security and internal controls

Access to controller/CFO level services (at a fraction of the cost)

Proactive firm involvement

QUESTIONS?

23

September 22-23, 2016

Englewood, CO

October 18-19, 2016

New York, NY

Learn more:

CPA.com/casworkshop