Positioning & Differentiation Tips for Accounting Firms - Accounting Voices Podcast

Episode 115

Positioning & Differentiation Tips for Accounting Firms

Published on: 13th August, 2020

Tim Williams roams the globe in search of “next practices” in the world of professional services. As the founder of Ignition Consulting Group, he teaches leaders of professional services firms the principles and practices of effective positioning and pricing strategy. His assignments have taken him literally around the world, where he has worked with advertising agencies, law firms, accounting firms and business associations on every continent.

Tim is author of two books, the latest of which is “Positioning for Professionals: How Professional Service Firms Can Differentiate Their Way to Success.” He is serves as one of LinkedIn’s global influencers, where several hundred thousand followers regularly read his articles on positioning and pricing strategy. Shownotes:

  • Why accountants and other professionals struggle with the terms 'selling' and 'marketing'
  • What all professional service firms have in common when it comes to positioning
  • Why accounting leaders should think of their own brand like their do a client
  • The reason why good marketing makes selling easy in accounting firms
  • What happens to a professional firm if they don't get their market positioning right
  • The fallacy in accounting firm positioning to being everything to everyone
  • Why it's so difficult for humans and professional firms not to copy others
  • Differentiation - easy or not for accounting firms to truly achieve this?
  • An example of Michelangelo to illustrate how accounting firms should view positioning
  • How most accounting leaders get their positioning strategy all wrong
  • The importance of being 'best in class' for a premium positioning in the marketplace
  • Why 'full service' and 'wide range of experience' are such meaningless phrases for accounting firms
  • The top motivator in why one accounting firm gets selected or hired over another
  • What proactive accounting firms do over those who just claim to be proactive
  • Why professional firms are in both the magic business and the logic business
  • The meaning of 'disintermediation' of professional firms
  • How specialising and narrowing your accounting firm's focus takes courage
  • Why introducing more products and services can actually damage an accounting firm's market position
  • The two things that accountants are really selling if they want premium positioning
  • Why billing by the hour imposes a ceiling on profits for accounting firms
  • Why consulting and advising is so rewarding for service professionals like accountants and consultants
  • Shout out to Ron Baker as the 'best in class' expert on the topic of pricing and killing the billable hour
  • Advice on saying 'no' which is the cornerstone of premium market positioning for accountants

Tim Williams on the Accounting Influencers podcast with BD Academy founder Rob Brown

Although Tim started his career on New York’s Madison Avenue, today he finds it much more rewarding living in the Rocky Mountains, where he spends his spare time in Utah’s red rock country hiking with his wife and two Airedales. Contact Tim here:

Website and blog

LinkedIn

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About the Podcast

Accounting Voices Podcast
Accounting Voices helps people in the accounting world stay relevant visible and vocal. Host Rob Brown interprets trends reshaping the profession and gives listeners insight to build authority influence and a stronger voice in firms and markets.
Accounting Voices, hosted by Rob Brown, helps decision makers and leaders in accounting and finance stay relevant, visible and vocal in a profession being reshaped by technology, private equity, regulation and shifting client expectations. Each episode interprets the trends disrupting accounting and finance such as AI, automation, M&A, talent and the move to advisory and translates them into practical insight that strengthens authority and influence.
Accounting Voices is also a platform for the wider ecosystem of networks, associations, educators, consultants, software vendors and technology experts who serve accountants and finance professionals worldwide. It extends into regular Accounting Voices networking sessions that connect this audience and amplify ideas that move the profession forward. With its international reach and long shelf life the show delivers credibility and commercial value for listeners and sponsors alike. Search for "Accounting Voices" on YouTube for all episodes and connect with Rob Brown on LinkedIn to find out more: https://www.linkedin.com/in/therobbrown

About your host

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Rob Brown

ob Brown is the creator and host of the Accounting Voices Network, a media platform that includes the flagship solo podcast Accounting Voices and the panel shows Accounting M&A and Accounting Tech. He chairs conferences, panels and virtual events worldwide and is recognised as a leading advocate for the accounting profession.

He is an accomplished speaker and authority on trust, reputation, employer brand, talent, succession, executive presence and the forces shaping the future of accounting. Rob is the author of the bestselling book Build Your Reputation (Wiley) and his TEDx talk The Personal Brand of You has been viewed more than 400,000 times.

A former co-founder of the Accounting Influencers Roundtable, Rob now focuses on amplifying the voices of leaders, firms, networks, vendors and influencers across the global accounting ecosystem.

Outside of work he is a stroke survivor, lives with epilepsy, holds a black belt in kickboxing and is based in Nottingham, UK. He plays chess and backgammon, loves orange chocolate and is allergic to grapefruit.