Grow your practice Short and Sweet Networking Tips for Your Tax Practice Read the Article Open Share Drawer Share this:Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window) Written by Scott Cytron Modified Mar 10, 2020 2 min read How do you grow your tax practice, and how do you get referrals? Since networking isn’t billable, are you able to rationalize the time it takes to build business? We asked several of our Intuit® Tax Pro Center authors for advice, and here’s what they had to say: Gregg Bossen – Gregg S. Bossen, CPA PC When you first meet someone at a networking event, DO NOT give them your card and begin telling what you do! It feels salesy, fake and turns people off. Instead, ask them about personal stuff – for example, “Have you been to this place before? Where are you from? What’d you think of the fish?” Friends first, then business!” Nayo Carter-Gray, EA – 1st Step Accounting Start a conversation with a genuine compliment. People are pretty receptive to hearing nice things about themselves, which helps jumpstart a conversation in a networking setting. Liz Farr, CPA – Farr Communications Follow up with the people you meet at a networking event or conference. Few do that, so you will stand out when you do. Cassidy Jakovickas, CPA – MBS Accountancy Corporation Too many people focus on themselves while networking. To build a following, you must focus on those around you. Like the saying goes, people don’t care what you know until they know that you care. Andrea M. Parness, CPA, CTC – A. Parness Company CPA Attend an event with the goal to make no more than three strong new connections: professionals with a particular specialty who can be a resource and refer business to you, accountants who want to expand or consolidate their practice, and others who have a solution to one or two of your firm concerns or “pain points.” Chris Picciurro, CPA/PFS, MBA, ARA – Integrated Financial Group Pick an industry to specialize in that is a personal interest. Work will seem like a hobby, and you will automatically have something important in common with clients. Kessla Sloan – SKYsmb Network effectively by supporting your clients. Attend their openings, events and awards ceremonies when invited. You’ll meet like-minded people who will make similarly great clients! What’s your best networking tip? Leave a comment below to let us know. Previous Post What Is Clickbait – and Is it a Bad Thing? Next Post 4 Surprisingly Simple, Low-Cost Tips to Grow Your Tax and… Written by Scott Cytron Scott H. Cytron, ABC, is editor of the Intuit® Tax Pro Center. He brings more than 35 years' experience in accounting and financial services to the profession. An accredited consultant, Scott works with companies, organizations and individuals in professional services (medical, legal, accounting, engineering), high-tech and B2B/B2C product/service sales. Follow Scott on Twitter @scytron. More from Scott Cytron 4 responses to “Short and Sweet Networking Tips for Your Tax Practice” Hi Scott: These are great networking tips for tax preparations. Opportunity in the tax preparation industry has never been more accessible than it is today. With the Internal Income Service’s new guidelines for duty preparers that incorporate gaining an obligatory accreditation and following, to yearly proceeding with expert instruction necessities, a large number of preparers are looked with the choice of remaining in business or leaving. For the driven duty preparer, there is no better time to develop and flourish in this productive calling. So i want to add some more tips following are: 1. Know Your Needs & Prepare Your Questions 2. Join the Organization of Your Target Clients 3. Attend Local Trade Group Meetings 4. Join Facebook Groups for Small Businesses 5. Research Attendees Before Networking Events 6. Get Referrals From the Top Players in Your Industry 7. Prepare Questions in Advance 8. Connect With People at Your Target Organizations Hopefully these points are beneficial for taxpayers. Thanks Alice! These are great tips and I really appreciate you sharing them with us. Great, thanks; if you have any tips to add, please provide them! These are all really solid pieces of wisdom and easy to apply. Thanks! Browse Related Articles Tax Law and News Annual inflation adjustments for TY24 and TY25 Practice Management Intuit is committed to your success Practice Management Lacerte® Tax spotlight: Karl J. Strube, CPA Practice Management ProConnect™ Tax Online spotlight: Alejandra Matias Practice Management ProConnect Tax Virtual Bootcamp: Jan. 15-16 Webinars Navigating Common IRS Red Flags: Jan. 20 Webinars Pay-by-Refund: Jan. 20 Webinars Practical Security Checklist: Jan. 14 Tax Law and News January 2025 tax and compliance deadlines Workflow tools On the Books podcast: Merry books-to-tax season
Hi Scott: These are great networking tips for tax preparations. Opportunity in the tax preparation industry has never been more accessible than it is today. With the Internal Income Service’s new guidelines for duty preparers that incorporate gaining an obligatory accreditation and following, to yearly proceeding with expert instruction necessities, a large number of preparers are looked with the choice of remaining in business or leaving. For the driven duty preparer, there is no better time to develop and flourish in this productive calling. So i want to add some more tips following are: 1. Know Your Needs & Prepare Your Questions 2. Join the Organization of Your Target Clients 3. Attend Local Trade Group Meetings 4. Join Facebook Groups for Small Businesses 5. Research Attendees Before Networking Events 6. Get Referrals From the Top Players in Your Industry 7. Prepare Questions in Advance 8. Connect With People at Your Target Organizations Hopefully these points are beneficial for taxpayers.