A key role of a modern trusted advisor is educating clients on the services they provide. To understand what services are most desirable and appropriate you first need to understand the goals and objectives of the client.
Delve deeper by considering scenarios such as whether next year being similar to the last is acceptable, and if not, why. Explore the preparedness of the business in terms of liquidity, working capital, physical space, and staffing. Ask what needs to change, what will have the biggest impact, and who will be responsible for driving these changes. Finally, challenge your clients to visualize success and develop a plan to achieve it. The key question—can you afford not to know the impacts of your business decisions before making them?—serves as a powerful prompt for clients to recognize the value of proactive advisory services.
Here are some questions to open up conversations with your clients, and provide an opportunity for you to educate them on services you can deliver.
- What are you looking to achieve
vs.
- What do you want from your accountant
Download the list below for a full list of questions.
