Becoming a leader in your industry means covering all the basics. Network. Present at conferences. Forge partnerships with vendors and other advisors. Take every opportunity to promote your expertise. Which are all great external ways to build your brand.
But some of the great practitioners we work with take an unconventional approach. They experiment and look for innovative ways to become leaders. Here’s how Jennie Moore, of Moore Details Bookkeeping, does it.
Your clients make you a leader
From the time she started her firm, Jennie knew that she would have to break a few rules. Spending time with her family was important. So she limited her client list. Worked with a small staff. And experimented with technology to deliver awesome client experiences.
She didn't just focus on customer metrics. She isn’t solely concerned with creating efficiency. She found that customers who have consistently great experiences become advocates. They’ll talk up the awesome work their advisors do for them. Their message will spread through their networks. So she always looks for creative ways to wow her clients.
Here’s three ways Jennie innovated to build those great experiences.
Experiment and test new apps
Jennie did the traditional things to build her brand. But she became a leader because her message is very focused. She specializes in staying on top of new tech developments that will help her clients. She experiments with new cloud-based tech. And she shares her findings on Twitter, Facebook and her blog— qboadventures.com. She even recommends a slate of Jennie-Approved Apps. This client-centric research keeps her ahead of the field. It makes her a go-to resource in her market.
Uncover client pain points
Becoming a leader means understanding your client’s business issues at a fundamental level. Only then can you create the kind of great client experiences that will turn them into advocates. Jennie takes the time necessary to develop that understanding.
Then she develops a blueprint for solving those problems, often by taking the client into the cloud. Implementing solutions built around cloud-based apps reduces bookkeeping time and costs. It allows her to share key data between all partners. That means key personnel can make important business decisions in real time. Which is the kind of thing that gets clients talking about the great job you are doing.
Mentor your clients
Mentorship means taking an active role in helping clients grow their business. You act as their more experienced partner. A guide. A leader.
SMB owners can’t be experts in everything. But they can seek out the right advisors to answer their questions. Jennie is a QBO ProAdvisor. She leverages her knowledge by helping clients figure out how QBO can work best for them. Then she works with them to implement the solution. She coaches and trains. Creates wins in each unique client situation.
Her innovation was to turn a source of anxiety into a great client experience. That creates advocates who promote her as a leader in her industry.
Wrap up
Through experimentation Jennie found a new way to become a leader in her market. She went beyond promoting herself and keyed on solving client problems. As she helps them grow their business they become advocates for her. Their enthusiasm for what she does for them spreads throughout their networks. She’s a great example of how your clients can turn you into a true leader in your industry.
About the Author
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