5 Quick Ways to Boost Your Income as a Tax Pro

There are countless ways that you can boost your income as a tax professional. The most important thing is the way you see yourself and your overall attitude. Don't just see yourself as a tax preparer. Instead, look at yourself as a resource person that your clients value and need. This article is going to cover some of the more potent and effective ways to boost your income. Add these along with a great attitude and you will be unstoppable.

1. Specialize – it's no secret that specialization in any profession commands more pay. If you have yet to find your special niche, then you'll really want to consider doing this now. Some examples of profitable tax niches are the self-employed sole proprietor market and the small to mid-sized business sector. But don't limit yourself to just these two. You may find a better suited niche for you. You'll want to keep in mind that even though you may specialize in one area, that does not mean you can't get referrals to do other types of tax projects.

2. Capture names – you'll want to capture the visits to your home page. This will give your visitors the opportunity to keep in touch with you. You can do this through a series of emails and/or a company newsletter. Make sure to make it worth their time to open and read your emails. You absolutely do not want to spam them with glowing praises of how great you and your company are. No one cares. Your visitors are only interested in what's in it for them to read your emails. So make your email content short, concise, easy to read, and jam-packed with practical value that they can implement immediately. Think about it, these people have already shown an interest in you and your business. Some of them may even be current clients. You now have the opportunity to build brand loyalty and trust, as well as upsell with periodic offers to other products and services.

3. Blogging – you definitely need to have a blog that magnetically attracts prospects and customers to your business. Your blog needs to have a healthy variety of categories that appeal to your particular market. For example, if you're targeting small to mid-size businesses, then your blog subject matter would most likely include relevant tax advice, possible ways to minimize tax liability, marketing advice and business building tips. The most important thing you want to remember about blogs is to offer relevant and practical information that your market is interested in and actively searching for. This establishes credibility and trust in the eyes of your visitors. Be sure to keep your blog updated on a regular basis with fresh and exciting content. For example, if you're running a tax office with prospects being from the low to middle income range, then your blog may not just have tax advice on it. You may also want to include general interest topics. These can range from money saving tips, budgeting advice, weight loss, fitness and Christmas shopping tips. Your goal here is to create a healthy buzz around your company and what you have to offer.

4. Increase your listening skills – don't be tempted to skip over this important part. Hearing and active listening are two different things. In addition, while we are taught how to read and write, very few of us have ever been taught how to actively listen. Therefore, any time you spend on developing this important skill will add to your income in real terms. Misunderstandings are often due to poor listening skills. These can translate into lost clients, lost business, and lost money. On the other hand, excellent listeners are able to listen out for troublesome issues ahead of time, and can often take steps to prevent unnecessary time wasters or money loss. They are also able to listen out for new problem solving opportunities to boost their value to the prospects and clients. Think about your current listening skills. No matter how good you are, there is always room for improvement and none of us are perfect 100% of the time. It's important to ask yourself some questions in this regard. For example, when you're having a conversation with your clients, do you think about the next thing you're going to say while he or she is still speaking to you? Ask yourself if you find yourself interrupting others before they are finished speaking? Think about these things when dealing with your clients, catch yourself in the act if you are doing them, and it will help improve your active listening

5. Launch your marketing funnel into high gear – take a closer look at your marketing. What has been working? What hasn't been working? What is the lifetime value of the average client or customer? Regroup often and take your time in sorting things out. Look for the core factors that contribute to most of your business success. Look at your referral system. Are there incentives for clients who refer others to you? Look for weaknesses in your competitors and think about exploiting them. Study their business operations and how the ever changing tax codes have affect them. Search for their weakest link. (You'll want to do this with your own business too, as most likely your competitors may be in the same situation as you are.) You're going to discover some of your competitor's weaknesses to take advantage of and exploit. Another area is to focus most of your time and energy on your most profitable accounts. Sometimes clients can cost you more than they bring in business. Look at your current list of active clients. Which of those are the most profitable to you? Which are the most fun and joy to work with? Can you find a middle ground? Look for a hook with your key accounts. Evaluate and reflect on their expectations, wants and needs. Find a good hook for your tax services that can help boost their business growth.

So if you, evaluate, take the time to apply these things, and have a great attitude all while doing it, your tax income will grow and there will be nothing beyond your limits!

References:

Fool-Proof Marketing. 15 Winning Methods for Selling Any Product or Service in Any Economy. Robert Bly

Selling Your Services. Proven Strategies for Getting Clients to Hire You (or Your Firm).

Robert Bly