1. Review your business plan. Don't have one; get one. A business plan helps you plot the course of your business. It does not have to be elaborate. The Small Business Administration (SBA) has business plan forms on their website. It is rather a long and involved. Your business plan can be very simple. Start by answering the following questions.
What is my business? This covers exactly what you meant your firm to be. Does your firm to do audits; taxes; serve small businesses. What are the specific industries you service?
Who is the client? Individuals; retail stores; professional groups?
What size do I want my firm to be? Today? In the future? This covers whether or not you want the firm to grow in a specific area of practice or industry.
2. Train your staff to appreciate that the client the firm’s most valuable asset.
3. Is your staff doing a good job? Not in the peer review sense but in service to clients. How do you know? Ask somebody you trust and your staff doesn't know to call to inquire about your services. You may be surprised at what you'll find out.
4. Sweat the small stuff. Take a good look at your office. Look at it with an unbiased eye. Is the furniture looking worn out? Could everything be used in a coat of paint? Is your office welcoming and comfortable? A fresh coat of paint is inexpensive and rearranging the reception area can make a big difference in the impression your office looks to new and current clients.
5. Develop a support system. Form a networking group of other business owners. Meet on a regular basis to share concerns and successes. Make sure that this group has a set of guidelines that help each of you thrive in this present economy. This is not a place to share doom and gloom. Instead, it can become a place acknowledge problems and seek solutions. Each member of the group should be a person who will keep an open mind and leave the “yes buts” at the door.
6. Get more training for yourself. Find classes, seminars, books and such things as marketing, speaking and writing.
7. Evaluate your marketing plan. A marketing plan covers everything that pertains to how potential clients see you and your firm. This means looking at everything from your stationary to the organizations you and your staff members belong to.
8. Evaluate the services you provide and when you provide them. Can you build on the services you presently offer? (Don't forget to see how they fit in your business plan). Are your office hours convenient for clients? In this economy, you may have to open earlier and stay open longer.
9. Evaluate your website. Don't have one? Get one. Have clients give you their email addresses and offer planning tips on such things as running a business, financial literacy, and tax planning. Take a look at the social networks. Many CPA firms are using them to promote the firm and the services they provide. Get your youngest staff member to put information about the firm in a blog.
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