There’s a battle raging in the accounting profession. Full services firm versus specialized offerings? Not that one. Shifting to automation technology and to an FP&A value pricing model? Kind of, but not that one, either.
The controversy we’re talking about is whether or not accountants (as a rule) are introverts. It’s estimated that three quarters of our colleagues like hiding in their proverbial spreadsheet shell, but some are going as far as to call that number “fake."
Regardless of where you stand in terms of the controversy or on the introvert/extrovert spectrum, one thing remains—getting client communication right is as necessary as it is difficult.
So if you’re feeling squeamish about increasing your communication with clients by offering advisory services, let’s get you more comfortable.
As with most things in life, you must understand the root cause(s) of any issue before achieving resolution. Fear of putting yourself “out there” is common, but a manageable condition, when handled intentionally.
Here are three prominent reasons for those squeamish feelings:
Have a fear we haven’t mentioned? That’s ok, but it is a great idea to recognize, define, and isolate those feelings.
Why?
Because they’re often the first hurdle to making positive moves (in life, not simply offering advisory in your firm). Once you understand and define the feelings behind why you squirm thinking about it, you’re able to focus on what exactly needs conquering.
Speaking of which, let’s cover some positive moves forward.
Giving clear definition to your fear is important, and so is the clear plan to crumble those anxieties to dust. Although, since fears differ, this is a bit subjective. So, here are a few potential scenarios, which are all great practices for advisory.
Gaining communication skills comes down to two key components:
When it comes to what you say, empathy matters. In short, you must understand how your clients receive, interpret and respond to what you’re telling them.
If you’re collecting information from the client, asking the right questions is vital. But just as important is to ask follow up questions until you’re certain you understand what they’re saying and have a clear idea of serving those specific needs. And if you’re delivering reports and advice, it’s vital that you ask questions that (not insultingly) get clients to relay what you just told them back to you.
Doing so ensures they understand you.
For example, an accountant says to an advisory client, “Based on your last few quarters of revenue growth, your cash reserves are almost in a spot to buy that new [insert piece of equipment]. However, with inflation, I’d encourage you to consider bulk buying material to produce your widgets. It’s not likely prices are going down in the next 1-3 years, but likely they’ll go up more.”
On the surface, the above statement is fantastic advice (for our fictional, non-existent product company). However, there’s too much information, even in the short statement, to immediately move onto the next phase of conversation.
In other words—Stop.
Give a bit of advice, then ask questions to ascertain how the client interpreted your recommendations.
After everyone is on the same page, recommendations can resume. For instance, our example scenario could be offering a solution of ordering double their normal shipment (with cash) while financing the equipment.
It’s easy to imagine that after 20 seconds of Zoom pleasantries and about 3 minutes of time, this accountant has read the entire script without the client saying anything.
This is where empathy comes into play. You speak clearly, and then work to understand how that information hit your client.
To find out, give a bit of advice and why you offered it (like in our original script). Then, ask something harmless yet telling like, “Is that in line with how you looked at the financials?”
Chances are great that the next statement from your client won’t directly answer the question, but will clearly show how the advice hit them. From there, your nerves give way to a conversation, moving away from the initial jitters.
When it comes to public speaking (of any type), perception feeds heavily into reality. And this is a double-edged sword. If you know how you look and sound when speaking, it feeds your confidence. And when those hearing you see your well-executed communication (whether it’s one business owner, or a boardroom full of executives) they feel more confident in what you’re saying.
In other words, it’s important to work on body language.
Some of the best advice we’ve seen is from International Keynote Speaker and Communication Skills Teacher, Vinh Giang. In one of his viral videos, he discusses a simple process to quickly improve how you look when speaking.
Of course you are. And that’s ok.
There’s a certain confidence that only comes through doing hard things until the fear subsides (although, they may never entirely leave). The first step is to identify and define those fears. Are you ready to begin?
Want to learn more about advisory services? You’ll find tons of linked resources and information on our CAS info page.