CPA of the New Year

It’s official – the first full business week of the new year is written in the books. How are those resolutions holding up? For some of us, we have realized we bit off more than we can chew. But that’s okay, your resolutions are written on paper and not stone. And remember, you have the entire year – no need to get everything accomplished at once.

Take baby steps and have goals that are tangible and can be achieved without any drastic means. It’ll all add up, and when you look back from the end, you’ll see just how much you’ve really accomplished. So for all the certified public accountants (CPAs), here are some easy steps to get a bit more out of the year.

Make a Plan/Live the Plan
Within a structure, the foundation is everything. And once you plan out what needs to be done, you can pinpoint any strengths, weaknesses, chances, and possible threats towards completing what you need. But you can’t just talk about it, you also have to be about it. Make the necessary moves and take accountability for the success of failure of each step.

Consistency is Key!
You can’t fall on and off based on a whim. Results come from the same amount of effort – day in and day out.

Be Resourceful
Too tied up throughout the day? You have to eat, right? It may take some getting use to, but try scheduling around breakfast or dinner to meet with clients or colleagues. You can even do basic outreach during some down time. Nothing too tedious – a simple “How have you been?” can lead to some surprising results.

Identification/Participation
Acknowledge your “A” and “B” clients and invite them to take part in a one-on-one, non-payable meeting, at least once a month, where you can be proactive and learn more of their needs. Investing the extra hour off the record adds value to the relationship – plus there’s nothing a client likes more than extra attention.

Play the Matchmaker
No, we aren’t talking about being cupid, but rather connecting your clients with other essential and relevant business owners, influentials, and professionals. By helping your clients meet like-minded individuals, it demonstrates your genuine interest and repertoire of resources. A formal introduction of both parties should suffice.

Read, Read, Read!
Find out what is trending within the industry by checking your local newspaper, journals, articles, or internet sources. You can even take it a step further and reach out to those who are locally reporting these trends. Find out how you can assist in their research of the industry, or give them practical insight on a relative topic. As you reach out to help them, they’ll begin to see you as a valuable source of information. A mutually beneficial relationship can bloom as they return to you for more info and your name gets put out there through them.

Social Media
Nothing screams out “relevant” more than a commanding social media presence. Whenever you’re publically speaking, writing an article, or hosting an event, be sure to post and update through your social media channels. Don’t just post and leave – engage in some conversation. Be able to answer questions as well as ask some questions.

Welcome all Newcomers
You should make an effort to meet someone new at least every other week. Let your current contacts and clients know you’re willing to meet new people so you can add your level of expertise to their situations and they add value to your services. In return, you can offer new connections to those who have helped.

And that’s about it – a few small resolutions you can make and keep without giving up something entirely or taking on extra tasks. Of course, the best resolution for 2016 would be to have all your clients’ returns filed on time; unfortunately, the world itself isn’t that perfect. Give yourself more filing time with ExpressExtension. In minutes, you can receive an automatic extension of up to six months for business, personal, and tax-exempt returns. You can even store all your clients under one account.

2016 is also the first official year in which the Affordable Care Act (ACA) reporting is required from insurance companies, employers with 50+ full-time employees, and some government entities. Set up a FREE account with our friends over at ExpressIRSForms and e-file your ACA, 1099, and W-2 forms all from one service.

For any questions or assistance with e-filing our available tax extensions, feel free to give our helpful live support team, in Rock Hill, South Carolina a call at (803) 514-5155. We’re available Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. EST, or send us an email 24/7 at [email protected].