Taking Your Firm Virtual 2023 – Day 2 Recap
Welcome back to the daily coverage of the Taking Your Firm Virtual conference! Day 2 was filled with sessions focused on client interaction. With a diverse lineup of sessions and speakers, attendees were treated to a wealth of knowledge and expertise about everything from pricing the proposal to managing their projects and using automation. Let’s dive into the highlights of this transformative day!
The morning started with a “Coffee & Chat” session, where attendees had the opportunity to network. Like grabbing a coffee before an in-person conference, conversations were a mix between business and personal, old friends and new acquaintances. This casual and interactive gathering set the tone for a day of learning and collaboration.
In the first session, Pricing the Proposal, Shonette Sullivan, MBA, gave an excellent presentation about effective strategies for pricing proposals. She gave an inspirational personal story about how she viewed money and how that led her to price her services. Shonette explored the significance of understanding the knowledge and value we bring to our clients while discussing various pricing approaches, including cost-plus, value-based, and competitive pricing. Next, she brought up negotiating and defending your proposal. The point she focused on most was knowing your value and being confident in your pricing and services. Then, she gave us some AMAZING pricing affirmations that I might have to print and hang at my desk. And lastly, she told us to reflect on our “why.” She says, “When you underprice your services, you shortchange yourself and your legacy.” It was such a motivational session!
Following Shonette, Kellie Parks delivered Onboarding with Confidence. Her session was about establishing your ideal clients and the essential components of a successful onboarding process. She walked us through her seven bridges of your onboarding system. I love how her discovery questionnaire is set up. The client has to fit the way she works; otherwise, they go to a landing page that says they won’t be able to work together. Kellie is a process queen and has accounting and bookkeeping templates for workflows, communications, SOPs, and client guidebooks on her website (with a discount for attendees). She talked about simple automation to implement and what should be in your onboarding tech stack. Attendees learned how to navigate the onboarding journey with confidence.
Next, Progressing Thru the Project (a look at project management systems) was a quick but profound look at four different project management systems with four different presenters. This session was super cool because each speaker could dive into their use (and preference) of each app. Dan Luthi started by showing us Keeper, Megan Justice, EA, LTC, showed ClickUp, Kevin Smoot showed off Karbon, and Zunie Nguyen talked about how she uses Google Sheets. Each demonstrated how these tools can streamline workflows, enhance team collaboration, and ensure smooth project progression. Attendees were exposed to different situations where these
project management systems have a transformative impact on efficiency and project success.
The Lunch & Learn session on Day 2 was hosted by Relay, a no-fee, online business banking and money management platform. They highlighted the benefits of Relay and how they help small businesses understand what they’re earning, spending, and saving, so they can make the best financial choices for their business. Then, the afternoon sessions focused on automation and AI.
Terrell Tuner, CPA, presented Managing Client Expectations through Automation. He shared how to effectively leverage automation tools and techniques to set and manage client expectations throughout your business engagements. He likened accountants with automation to toddlers with hammers, which was pretty funny. But knowing what the tool is for and how to use it can be super helpful. After that session, attendees better understood how to automate client communication, deliverables, and project updates and exceed client expectations.
Maintaining Client Connection with AI, presented by Miguel Centeno, was an in-depth look at the role of artificial intelligence in maintaining strong client connections. Attendees learned how. AI-powered communication tools, chatbots, and personalized marketing automation can personalize client interactions, provide timely insights, and enhance client engagement, satisfaction, and loyalty. There was a lot of conversation in the chat during this session about how some attendees were using AI. This was a lively topic; you could tell the attendees were excited to learn more about these tools and find new ways to use them.
The last session of the day was Prompting – How to Get the Best Output from AI by Ashley Francis. She basically demoed the art of “prompting” in chatGPT. We watched a computer screen that showed an interaction with chatGPT. She revealed how to frame queries effectively to elicit the best output, how to edit them, and more. Attendees left with a deeper understanding of optimizing AI to achieve desired outcomes and even a 10 ChatGPT Tips and Tricks worksheet. Following that session, attendees could network, visit vendor booths, or log off for the day.
As Day 2 of the Taking Your Firm Virtual conference ended, participants were inspired and equipped with practical knowledge to drive their firms forward. If you’re reading this and you think, “Ugh, I wish I would’ve attended,” it’s not too late to join the summit or get your all All Access Pass and be part of this incredible event! Take advantage of this opportunity to empower your firm and stay ahead in the digital age. Be sure to come on Day 3, and stay tuned for the final recap with highlights and takeaways from the last day.
Grab your All Access Pass here!