A Quick Note

Many of our clients and contacts (and, probably you) are knee-deep in extension work today, so I’m keeping this short and pertinent for what you and your staff should focus on NEXT week…
1) Be sure to reach out to extension clients with a sincere “thank you”. It’s easy to let this step slide during extension season … but it’s perhaps even more critical that you reach out with a “non-sales”, non-“get-your-files-in-NOW” touch, which warmly recognizes the trust which your clients have demonstrated in having you handle their sensitive personal and financial details.
We can often forget, in our industry, how hard this can be for some. It’s almost like a financial dis-robing for some of them — which means that you can do a great deal to move the relationship to a deeper level with a simple, friendly acknowledgement of their trust. This, of course, comes in handy for retention and referral multiplication in the next few months. So don’t squander that chance.
2) Take a break — but then get cranking. Once you and your staff have tied everything up, do something different for a change — go out to a meal together, send your staff a gift, etc. — express your appreciation for THEIR hard work during this season (again, similar to late April), but the time is such that you can’t go through the couple months of non-strategic activity as some do in May and June.
October is the BEST month to begin strategic planning for a flood of new clients during tax season. So, put some times in your calendar for next week and the rest of the month (in STONE) to sit down and strategize for growth during 2012.
These are simple steps — but will make an enormous difference for your bottom line.