Creating Persuasive Business Proposals

Competition is more fierce than ever. CPAs need to learn how to compete on value rather than price. How do you create a persuasive business proposal to help you win new business?

Get the answers by attending this Capstone Sales Series webinar, presented by Tom Sant. Tom is the author of the best-selling Persuasive Business Proposals and has been called “America’s foremost practitioner of proposal writing." He was also named one of the top 10 sales trainers in the world by Selling Power magazine. In his session, he will explain and illustrate:

• The difference between information and persuasion.
• The seven vital questions you must answer to create a client-centered proposal.
• How to differentiate your services in a commoditized market.
• How to create a compelling value proposition.
• Effective ways to follow up your proposal to win the business.

For a preview of the wisdom Tom will share during this webinar check out the CPA Insider article Three Ways to Win More New Business.

Register for the Creating Persuasive Business Proposals webinar today!

2010 Best Accounting Firms to Work For

Congratulations to the 100 accounting firms that have been honored as the 2010 Best Accounting Firms to Work For in the third annual program created by Accounting Today and Best Companies Group. Recent dialogue and posts have questioned the importance of creating a great place to work. These firms, listed in alphabetical order, recognize the value in retaining employees and creating a culture where employees can thrive. Nice job!

Anchin Block & Anchin LLP
Anglin Reichmann Snellgrove & Armstrong
Anton Collins Mitchell LLP
Averett Warmus Durkee
Bader Martin, P.S.
Baker Newman Noyes
Barfield, Murphy, Shank & Smith, PC
Bartlett, Pringle & Wolf, LLP
Bartolomei Pucciarelli, LLC
BeachFleischman PC
Berlin, Ramos & Company, P.A.
Berntson Porter & Company, PLLC
Biscotti, Toback & Company, CPA's, P.C.
Blue & Co., LLC
Bond Beebe Accountants and Advisors
Boyer & Ritter, CPAs and Consultants
Brown Schultz Sheridan & Fritz
Brown Smith Wallace LLC
Burr Pilger Mayer, Inc.
Citrin Cooperman
Clark Nuber
Cohen & Company
Coulter & Justus, P.C.
Covenant Consulting Group LLC
Cowan Bolduc Doherty LLC
Daszkal Bolton LLP
Deemer Dana & Froehle LLP
DeLeon & Stang CPAs & Advisors
DiSanto, Priest & Co.
Dixon Hughes PLLC
Dunton & Associates, LLC
E. Cohen and Company, CPAs
Edelstein & Company LLP
Ennis Pellum & Associates, CPAs
Fesnak and Associates LLP
Fulcrum Inquiry
GALLINA LLP
Ganze & Company
Garcia, Espinosa, Miyares, & Co. LLP
GBH CPAs, PC
Hancock Askew & Co., LLP
Hemming Morse, Inc.
Hertzbach & Company, P.A.
Homes, Lowry, Horn & Johnson, Ltd.
Howard, Wershbale & Co.
Hoyman Dobson
Hughes Pittman & Gupton, LLP
Hungerford, Aldrin, Nichols & Carter, PC
Isdaner & Company, LLC
Johanson & Yau Accountancy Corporation
Johnson Jacobson Wilcox
Kahn, Litwin, Renza & Co., Ltd.
KatzAbosch
Kaufman, Rossin & Co.
Kearney & Company
Kolb+Co. SC
KraftCPAs PLLC
Kreinces Rollins & Shanker, LLC
Lanigan, Ryan, Malcolm & Doyle, P.C.
LaPorte Sehrt Romig Hand
Layton Layton & Tobler LLP
LMGW Certified Public Accountants, LLP
Lumsden & McCormick, LLP
Mahoney Ulbrich Christiansen & Russ PA
Mark Bailey & Company
Martin Starnes & Associates, CPAs, P.A.
May & Company, LLP
Montgomery Coscia Greilich LLP
Onisko & Scholz, LLP Certified Public Accountants
Pannell Kerr Forster of Texas, P.C.
Payne, Nickles & Company
Pender Newkirk & Company
Petrinovich Pugh & Co, LLP
Pittman & Brooks, P.C.
Porter Keadle Moore, LLP
PSK LLP
RBZ, LLP
RINA Accountancy Corporation
Riney Hancock CPAs PSC
Rodman & Rodman, P.C.
Sample and Bailey CPAs
SGA GROUP, PC
Sikich LLP
SingerLewak
Sisterson & Co. LLP
Smith Leonard PLLC
Squire
Swindoll, Janzen, Hawk & Loyd, LLC
The Bonadio Group
The Whitlock Company
ThomasYork, LLP
Wall, Einhorn & Chernitzer, P.C.
Walter & Shuffain, P.C.
Wessel & Company
WhippleWood CPAs, P.C.
Whitley Penn LLP
Wilkin & Guttenplan, P.C.
Williams Benator & Libby, LLP
Windham Brannon
WithumSmith+Brown, PC

Four Approaches to Gaining Access to the C Suite

In today’s Capstone Sales Series webinar, Selling to the C Suite, Steve Bistritz reviewed four approaches to gain access to executives:

Implement an overt approach via the telephone or using a phone call, preceded by an email or letter.

Use a credible sponsor within the customer’s organization to help secure access.

Use a referral (someone outside the customer’s organization), such as a consultant, business associate or friend.

Treat the gatekeeper (administrative assistant, secretary or the like) as a resource and use them to help secure access.

Which of these approaches is the most effective? Bistritz’s research with corporate executives reveals that when considering a major purchase executives are Always (16%) and Usually (68%) likely to schedule a meeting with a salesperson if the request came from a recommendation from someone inside their company and Always (8%) and Usually (36%) likely to schedule that meeting if the request came from a referral outside the company.

This information drives home the importance of face-to-face marketing activities like networking, mixers with referral sources, participation in business and trade organizations, and referral source breakfasts/lunches. It also supports identifying the right prospects for your firm, conducting research about the company and its leaders, and determining who you know that can make the introduction. In this competitive time when every CPA firm is looking for new business this is information to live by.

Why Creating a Great Place to Work is More Important Than Ever

A discussion on the AAM LinkedIn Group has started about whether being recognized as a great place to work is a strategic business decision or just a fad. Read Rick Telberg's column in CPA Trendlines and weigh in on the topic.

Selling to the C Suite

The Capstone Sales Series continues on Wednesday, October 6, 2010, with Selling to the C Suite presented by Steve Bistritz, President, SellXL, and co-author of Selling to the C Suite. Attend this webinar and learn:

· How to understand what executives want.
· How to gain access to the right executives.
· Which sales techniques CEOs find most effective.
· How to use the face time with the prospect to your advantage.

Register today! The webinars will be held from 12:00-1:15 p.m. Eastern. The cost is $89 each, or use Coupon Code 15OFF to receive a 15% discount for the remaining two programs.

October 27, 2010 – Creating Persuasive Business Proposals
Presented by Tom Sant, Hyde Park Partners
Tom is the author of the best-selling Persuasive Business Proposals and has been called "America's foremost practitioner of proposal writing." He was also named one of the top 10 sales trainers in the world by Selling Power magazine. In his session, he will explain and illustrate:

• The difference between information and persuasion.
• The seven vital questions you must answer to create a client-centered proposal.
• How to differentiate your services in a commoditized market.
• How to create a compelling value proposition.
• Effective ways to follow up your proposal to win the business.

Register today! The webinars will be held from 12:00-1:15 p.m. Eastern. The cost is $89 each, or use Coupon Code 15OFF to receive a 15% discount for the remaining two programs.