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Most accountants I talk to have a real fear of selling.  They’re worried they’ll come across as product pushing - having visions of themselves in gold chains and snakeskin shoes - wielding a set of steak knives. 

I’m sure there are a hundred reasons why communication skills are neglected in the Accounting industry but four stick out to me....

You may or may not subscribe to the view that compliance is shrinking - that’s not the point.  You may or not agree that Advisory or Business Development Services are what’s needed to remain relevant to your clients - that’s not the point either.  What cannot be denied is that our industry is going through significant change and we need to adapt our skills.

I’m redefining ‘Scope Creep’ as ‘Scope Stretch’, and for good reason. 

During my 17 years running an accounting firm, particularly in the last five years when I was quoting for 100% of the work I did, I had hundreds of BFOs (Blinding Flashes of the Obvious).  Let me share four of them, relating to proposals and winning new work:

About 10 years ago I was having lunch with a friend (let’s call her Jane) when she asked, 'why should I come to you as a client Mark?'.  I started my usual and practised patter about quality, professionalism, great team, great service…   Jane basically then told me to shut up.  I’m sure that if we weren’t having lunch, she would have walked off to find someone else to talk to!  Instead she...