I was talking with an accountant the other day. She was telling me about her wide and extensive range of services, and how she was able to service a very broad range of client types. And even though she claimed to have an excellent quality service, she was concerned that she wasn’t getting what she was worth.
I asked her where she would ideally like to be positioned in the market place.
“What do you mean? I have just told you what I am offering!” she replied.
So I tried to rephrase the question. How would you want your ‘ideal client’ to think you’re positioned in the market place?
The question is followed a brief pause as she thinks about her business from the client’s perspective, and then starts to verbalise her inner monologue.
“Well, I provide an excellent service, high quality and a reasonable price. I guess it is similar to what everyone else charges, who by the way don’t do as good a job as we do. I would like to be in the middle to high range. I suppose that means that I need to think about how I price and deliver, so that my clients and potential clients clearly understand my value to them.”
And then the lights came on.
“Oh, what you are telling me is that I probably need to be clearer about what I do and don’t do.”
At that point I knew she got it. It’s all about clarity and focus. The more you have, the easier it is for you to articulate it to your clients and prospects. After all we are all looking for certainty.
My experience has shown me that accountants often don’t consider the message they send to their clients and potential market place.
Most try to be all things to all people (wide range of services or non-defined service list) and service every type of person who walks in the door. They regularly do more than they ask for (write off time) and charge what everyone else in town charges (hourly rates).
You need to understand what your value proposition is, who it’s important to, and why they need it.