Did you know when you started your own firm that you were signing up for a 24/7 sales job? Most accountants don’t know that. They know their numbers. They know their systems. But they don’t know sales very well, and it shows in their top line revenue. Money is left on the table when accountants are not able to close a sale. But how can you fix that?

By hiring a sales strategist!

But how do you know that you’re ready for one? What value do they offer, and how can you get the best value when you hire a sales strategist for your accounting firm? And with so many available, how do you choose one?

I’m here to help unpack this for you, and get into the nitty gritty of how hiring a sales strategist can completely change your business!

Are You a Thermostat, or a Thermometer?

At a conference recently, one of the speakers asked us if we were the thermometer or the thermostat in our business.

Let me break that down: you control a thermostat. You can adjust it, and control the temperature. In your accounting firm, this can look like you getting more business, increasing your top line revenue, and being picky about what clients you work with.

As a thermostat, you can make your business HOT!

If you’re a thermometer, the temperature is set for you. You can only measure what is already there. You can’t control it; it controls YOU!

When you’re a thermometer in your business, your business controls you.

One of my students, Scott told me that he never had sales or work in January, so he just took that month off. He could only measure the business by what he had, and it was normal for him to not bring in any revenue in January. He was the thermometer, and his business controlled him!

As an accountant with your own firm, which would you like to be: a thermometer or a thermostat?

Why Hire a Sales Strategist for Your Firm?

One of the best things that you can invest in for your business is education. But you don’t have to take my word for it! Let’s allow the statistics to speak.

74% of leading companies say coaching is the best thing you can invest in for your business.

Even better, sales coaching increases top-line revenue at an average of 20%!

When I invest time and money into coaching, I see the results in my top line revenue, and it’s usually explosive!

I just finished a six month leadership training, and it was a commitment of 10-15 hours a week. That’s a huge time investment, but the benefits have been invaluable.

Accountants don’t typically need to be encouraged to invest in education. You have to in order to learn new tax laws and get additional education credits.

However, you should consider investing your time and money into learning the things that you’re not good at!

How would it change your business if you took time every day to learn about something that doesn’t come naturally to you? What if you invested your time into learning something you may not be strong in, and turned it into a strength?

You may be surprised at how some sales coaching can take your accounting firm’s revenue to the next level!

What Are the Benefits of Hiring a Sales Strategist?

It’s devastating to sit across the table from a client, tell them that you can save them more than $10,000, and hear them say NO. Scott, one of my students, told his client that he could save them $40,000 a month, and they said no!

The spreadsheets have all the data and you know it can be done, but your clients are losing money!

Most people don’t make data-driven decisions. They need to be reached differently. But when you live in a world of data, you may not know how to sell to people the way that they need to hear. They simply don’t understand the value that you have to offer them.

Hiring a sales strategist or coach will help you learn new selling techniques and new ways to reach those clients. They’ll help you implement principles that will help you be the very best that you can be in your business. When you’re the best, you’ll be able to serve your clientele at an even higher level!

Just by changing his sales strategy, Scott was able to bring in $240,000 worth of additional revenue in only 8 weeks. Remember how Scott took the entire month of January off because he didn’t have any business? When we changed his sales techniques, he brought in $100,000 in revenue the next January!

Sales coaching helped him go from $0 to six figures!

Not only did that revenue impact his business, but it also helped serve his clientele at an even higher level.

A sales strategist can serve as a mirror. They can help you see the areas that you are not strong in so can improve in your business in every area.

How Do You Determine What Sales Strategist is Best for You?

It’s important that you find a sales strategist that is right for you, so that you can actually increase your revenue and not waste your time and money. I’d challenge you to do your research, and spend some time on Google learning about sales strategists and coaches so that you invest your money wisely from the beginning.

Here are some questions you should ask yourself:

How much time I you want to spend?

You’ll need to know how much time you want to invest into your training before you start. Will you want a short course, a bootcamp, or a long-term investment? Knowing what you want will help you choose the right person!

How professional and personal do I want them to be with me?

What kind of relationship do you want with this person? Do you want to be coached one-on-one, or do you prefer to be in a large group? If you’re someone who would benefit from having some extra accountability, it would be important that you find someone you can connect with not only on a professional level, but feel invested in personally as well.

How serious am I about transforming your firm and growing my business?

This will determine how much you will actually do the work. If you’re not serious about transforming your business, you won’t be able to see results no matter who you hire!

Do I want peer support, or do I just need an expert to tell me what to do?

Do you prefer the dynamics of a group, or do you want exclusive attention? There are many masterminds available for accountants. You can search for one to join for continuing education, support, and networking.

In Conclusion

Sometimes it can be easy to hesitate at investing money and time into more training. But you don’t know what you don’t know, and what you don’t know can hurt you and your firm!

I can truly say that every time I have invested in myself and my business I have seen powerful results, and know it can happen for you, too. A good sales strategist will be able to come alongside you and help you learn new techniques to grow your business in ways you have always wanted, but never thought possible!

Have you ever worked with a sales coach or strategist? Share your experience with me in the comments!

PS. Do You want to MAKE MORE MONEY, WORK FEWER HOURS?

Join me so you can unlock the secrets to growing a profitable accounting firm with less stress by joining our upcoming Abundant Accountants Masterclass!

You will learn:
• The easiest ways to sift through clients and get to the RIGHT ones!
• Proven tactics to actually get paid instead of giving away FREE advice!
• How to stop competing on price FOREVER!

Join our Abundant Accountants Masterclass today!