It's not often you get the chance to chew the fat with someone who's worked with Ford, with Tata, with Levi’s, as well as with numerous other high-end, well-known, well-recognised international brands, and be able to talk to them about what ‘brand’ and accountants have to do with each other. And what Philippa does brilliantly on this podcast is to unpack two or three deep, key insights that can help you and your firm connect with the messaging around your firm's brand, to underpin the future success of your marketing, of your client loyalty and, arguably, the loyalty of your team. I hope you take some real value from this podcast, which is principally about marketing, but which also encompasses a discussion around ‘brand promise’. Please scroll down this episode page for this podcast for the contact information for Philippa and for the additional, downloadable resources mentioned in the podcast. |
The Solution:
Everything you see on TV, with the advertising of various brands, it's all based on psychology.
For example - who cares? Boots care. Or if you think about Persil, it used to be dirt is bad, it’s horrible, dirty clothes are horrible, get them in the washing machine, but Persil managed to turn that around and make you realise that actually dirt is good based on a psychological shift in mindset, which is, my kids have had a great day, they've got really dirty but I know that they've been out in nature, they've been on their bike etc. So they've turned what was a really nasty thing to think about into something really positive.
Now, obviously, we're not talking about brands like Persil or other detergents, but what I'm saying is we are looking at the drivers, the emotional stuff behind the accountants and behind the humans that we can all really tap into, that's the key bit.
You want somebody to say ‘yes, you absolutely understand me. I'm looking at myself in the mirror when I'm talking to you and I need to work with you because you understand me’.
SHOW NOTES
Connect with Philippa
Connect with Paul
Resources relating to this podcast:
During the podcast, Paul and Robert discuss the value of KPIs for both the team and the clients. Robert talks about the typical KPIs for a hospitality business and their importance to management and to the wider team. He feels that when the team have KPIs they are more invested and better connected to the KPIs of their manager, as well as to the business as a whole.
From his team’s point of view, Robert thinks that quarterly goals are too broad, so they have introduced monthly meetings with each team member to ensure that their current KPIs and goals are still correct and achievable.
Rob's main KPI is team happiness – if they are happy, the clients are happy.
Most accountancy firm owners and managing partners measure what they think is right rather than measure what matters most.
We know accountants love to track and measure – let’s make sure you track and measure the right things in your firm. Click here to read this Business Breakthrough report – Healthy Heartfelt KPIs – and discover how to use them as key PREDICTIVE indicators.
Towards the end of the podcast, Robert and Paul discuss leading and managing change and how there is just never enough time to get eveything done. Rob talks about the discipline he attaches to his running and admits that he does not always get the work/life balance right.
He mentions a book called Atomic Habits, by James Clear, that outlines how small changes can make a big difference. Here is a link to the book.