My consulting firm is looking to support 1-2 CPAs in each U.S. metropolitan area. We started the search in several cities on January 13, 2021.
Just for first time readers, 321 Biz Dev supports white-collar business owners with sales system training and business development services. It's a long story about our company origins and its services. I recommend visitors read one of the 40 articles already posted.
One of the main circumstances (I will not say obstacles) is every person has a right to his or her own personality. Please check out the website 16 Personalities to see what I mean. I am not able to criticize one's personality, but I have learned from working in the sales industry that some personalities are more conducive to sales success than others.
When 321 Biz Dev seeks to work with a CPA, we look forward in time to the prospect-CPA appointment to see if the appointment will result in a new client for the CPA. When the CPA converts a prospect 321 Biz Dev finds to a prospect, the CPA makes money and 321 Biz Dev makes money. So, maybe now readers can start to understand why identifying CPAs with a certain demeanor is important.
However, personality alone is not the deciding factor in identifying a CPA to support. 321 Biz Dev needs to understand how the CPA conducts appointments with prospects. Believe it or not, CPAs can falter in converting prospects into clients during appointments which 321 Biz Dev calls "the interview".
Can you imagine a situation where a Los Angeles CPA is the most talented in the city, but interviews with prospects are adversarial? The CPA knows his or her industry well, but is unable to connect with the prospect to add the new client to his or her practice. I have seen this outcome over the last six years. Again, this is not good for the CPA nor 321 Biz Dev. And, the prospect is given a less than desirable experience at the appointment.
So, how do I look for a good fit between the CPA and 321 Biz Dev so that prospects will receive good experiences at appointments?
321 Biz Dev has to do the same thing a business owner would to do to find a good CPA. You pick up the phone and call different CPAs.
Now, here is where the call from a business owner to a CPA differs from a call 321 Biz Dev makes to a CPA. But there are several crossover situations.
But I lied a little. Most business owners do not call to find a new CPA. They call their colleagues to ask who they use as CPAs. So what does this really tell you?
What I learned from the question I just asked above is, since the majority of CPAs do not get calls from business owners, CPAs probably have little experience managing brand new relationships with business owner prospects.
Just imagine a business owner call to a CPA and the CPA has very little experience developing the relationship with an unknown business owner prospect who also has one or more of the 16 personalities.
When 321 Biz Dev calls CPAs, we are very cognizant of these 16 personalities. Our conversations during phone calls tell us if there will be a good fit or not. Again, 321 Biz Dev is mostly looking at how the CPA will interact with prospects. But, how the CPA interacts with 321 Biz Dev also provides us feedback.
As a disclaimer, I am not saying that CPAs must be open to 321 Biz Dev calls. My personality style may not be compatible with all CPAs, or vice versa. Time is a precious commodity and most CPAs want their business time to be productive.
321 Biz Dev puts its best foot forward by communicating to CPAs that our calls are about finding new clients. If this opening pitch strikes a positive chord with CPAs, then 321 Biz Dev has passed a major milestone in the initial conversation.
Fast forward, 321 Biz Dev needs to learn how the CPA conducts interviews prospects.
Interested parties can contact me, Rick Nappier, CEO, at (833) 321-3212 or Yeilyn Rodriguez, VP, Business Development Specialist (bilingual) for English or Spanish contacts, at (786) 697-3400.
321 Biz Dev LLC offers 6- to 9-hour sales system training to help white-collar salespeople improve skills and increase business development results.
Business owners can also complete a 5-minute Questionnaire by clicking the Services tab on our website. Also, click the About tab to learn about 321 Biz Dev LLC.
I hope readers enjoyed this article.
Rick, CEO
Yeilyn, VP