Sales and Marketing. Number T w o Resource - CPA Firms

Number T w o Resource - CPA Firms

CPAs are the 2M leader in referrals. Mow to find the right CPA depends on the
type of networking resources that you associate yourself with. Utilize the same
system with the CPA firm as the payroll service: don't put all of your eggs in one
basket There are normally at least 100 CPA firms in a moderately large city.
Obviously the bigger city, the more there are. so the best place to find those CPAs
that you want to work with is to ask around. I have already told you to ask your
payroll rep. so if you have three payroll service companies that you refer out to
your clients, now you have at least six CPA names because the payroll rep will give
you at least two CPA names.

1 just realized as 1 sit here and type that this sounds like a pyramid. In a way. I
guess it is a pyramid of names, useful tools to help you grow your business. Ask
your bank, your friends, your family and the additional resources listed below for
the names of the CPAs that they use as well as refer. Put together a very
impressive resume, along with your flyer, business cards and/or tri-fold. and call
the CPAs that you were referred to. Introduce yourself and tell them that they
were referred to you by Chris at Paychex. or whoever sent you their way. l.et them
know what services you provide, and make sure you let them know that you don't
do taxes. The CPA. just like the payroll company, needs to know that there is
something in it for them as well. A CPA is not going to give you business if he or
she knows that you do everything. If you know how to do taxes and become
licensed, and specifically want to do them, sending a CPA some of your tax clients
and not telling them that you do taxes too will bring you more work from the CPA.
It is a definite asset for the CPA as well as you. that you know how to prepare and
understand taxes, but knowing how and wanting to do them arc two different
things. I've prepared taxes for over ten years - Corporate. Individual and
Partnerships. I stay up to date on the tax laws because I need to know just as
much as the next guy. I now only prepare select client tax returns because I can honestly tell you. I don't like it. I don't like the crunch time between January Iм
and April 15m. then the stress of the client with the big look of *duh" on their face
when you've been telling them all year to pay in and they didn't. It isn't worth me
going home with an ulcer over, so I chose to network taxes to someone who wants
the stress and to give myself projects that are more fun such as financial crimes
and business plans. So calling a CPA that was referred to you by one of your
networking resources and inviting them to lunch will get you a foot in the door a
lot quicker because you know someone they know. Make sure you ask the CPA for
their prices so you know what it could cost your clients. Generally. CPAs charge
from $125 to $250 per hour depending on what area of the United States you live
in.

When you work with a CPA firm, make sure, no matter what the circumstances,
that you never steal clients away! That is extremely bad business, and you will
lose your reputation over it! CPA firms are an excellent source for on-site
bookkeeping. A CPA firm always has clients that need on-site bookkeeping. It is
usually a one-day-a-week. eight-hours-per-day job. That would mean each on-site
job that you landed, you would earn between $140 and $240 per day. CPA firms
generally won't refer you to do month-end accounting functions: it is mainly onsite
bookkeeping service. The CPA won't want to give you their business, but on
the flip side, their clients don't want to pay between $125 and $250 per hour for
bookkeeping. That is why they need you!!! They still continue to do their clients'
monthly financial statements, and tax returns, yet they keep their clients happy by
supplying them with a reputable bookkeeper that costs much less than their rate.
Everyone is happy! It is also not uncommon (and will most likely happen) that
the CPA will require you to bill them and not their client. The reason is that the
CPA will in return bill their client with a markup on your hourly rate. If your rate
is $25 per hour, the CPA will most likely charge their client $35 to $40 per hour
for your time. Don't feel like you're not getting enough money per hour. I do it
because you call me with questions that 1 can't always bill the client for. so
covering my additional time by increasing the cost per hour from your bill doesn't
leave me showing a toss with my un-billable time. If the client is your client and you have the CPA prepare the income tax return, you could either have the CPA
bill you directly so you could add a small markup for running the information, or
you could have the CPA bill directly to the client. That would be entirely up to you
and how comfortable you were with making sure your client paid you on time so
you could pay the CPA.

If you are a CPA purchasing this book to learn how to open your own CPA firm,
the principles in finding clients are the same. Instead of you being the number
two resource for referrals, the bookkeeper in this case would be your number two
resource in referrals. Instead of offering bookkeeping serv ices, you need to put
together what services you provide, what is your specialty and what type of
accounting you want to do. Whether it's Taxes. Tax Planning. Audits. Financial
Business Plan Write-Ups or General Monthly Financials, you are still greatly
needed by the Payroll companies, forms companies and bookkeepers.