If you or a loved one is unfortunate enough to need a serious medical or surgical procedure – a kidney transplate, for example – you would likely prefer to consult a specialist, rather than a general practitioner or even a general surgeon. In this podcast, Reza Hooda maintains that your business clients will prefer to work with a specialist in their field, their market, their sector, rather than with a generalist. But Reza also makes the point that, ultimately, your business owner clients would much prefer to work with someone who knows them personally in a deep way. Marketers call it Segment Size One – there's only one person, one business owner, in that segment. As Reza points out, your job as an accountant in a meeting with your clients is to help them see their business in a light that removes some of their concerns, worries and fears about its future, which is why I think this wide-ranging discussion with Reza is such a valuable podcast. Please scroll down this episode page for the contact information for Reza and for the additional, downloadable resources mentioned in this podcast. |
The Solution:
Part of our value is the risk we're taking away by knowing what we know and giving the client comfort.
For example, we all pay thousands of pounds a year in insurance and we're happy when we don't have to use it. This is a big part of what we do as well. People naturally are risk averse and, by being a specialist, you are taking away risk because you're able to proactively suggest things to them that will prevent them from making a mistake, getting a penalty or falling foul of a certain tax law or some legislation.
It is part of that intangible emotional value, the piece of mind for the client if you will, that by having that depth of knowledge you remove risk for the client. This is so valuable and that’s why you can charge a premium.
SHOW NOTES
Connect with Reza
Connect with Paul
Resources relating to this podcast:
During the podcast, Paul and Reza discuss the importance of building a valuable, trusting and deep relationship with your clients.
When you listen to your client with empathy and understanding, when you relate to what they are going through and when you let them know you have their back, your intangible value becomes very high.
Reza states: 'Get them to articulate where they are now and then let them know how you can help them. You are not the hero of their story – they are the hero, you are their guide.'
If you want to understand the importance of guiding your client through their story, click the button below and read the Business Breakthrough report, 'Movie Marketing Magic', to discover why it is important to position your firm and its products and services as your hero-client’s trustworthy guide.
The Business Breakthrough report above and the discussion that Paul and Reza have around being the guide on your client's journey and the importance of them being the hero, not you, comes from the book Building a StoryBrand: Clarify Your Message So Customers Will Listen, by Donald Miller.
To access the book, click the button below.
Reza also discusses his book, The Four Pillars: How to build an accounting firm that gives you more money, time and freedom.
He is very passionate about the importance to the success of your firm of positioning and pricing, and he shares his own experience of being a successful market specialist accountant.
If you want to access Reza's book, click the button below: