“…I wanted to know the story those numbers were telling me.”

Karens sketchnotes

Karens sketchnotes

Last week my accountant said something that has stuck with me – and come back to me – every day since he said it.

I traveled, attended a lot of events, met amazing people and re-connected with ones i knew already, had new business opportunities… and yet the one thing that stands out in my mind the most was breakfast with my accountant.

It was because of one phrase he used that appealed to me as a business owner, as a person, as a client. (I say ‘my accountant’ but that term is a lot broader lately. He owns the accounting firm we work with at PF, and whenever we get together we talk like business owners about growing our businesses. It’s one of the things I like best about the accountants we have.)

He said “I was looking at your numbers before I came, because I know we’ve been looking at the progress PF has made in the past three years since you took it over yourself, and…”

(here’s the phrase)

“…I wanted to know the story those numbers were telling me.”

One of our themes at PF this year is “stories”.

I love the way marketing has moved from “telling people what to buy” to telling people’s stories so the potential buyer can say “oh, i feel like they did – maybe this is what i need to buy”.

It’s human. It’s personal. And as accountants you know that numbers tell a story.

So Paul told me my story. He told me that in the past three years, we have 40% fewer clients…and an average fee increase of 100%.

I knew that in my head, vaguely. I knew that we aren’t doing the £99/month or £395/month offerings we used to have years ago. I knew we are working with fewer firms in a more focused, more personal way – and I know we’re doing it because that’s what gets them the best results.

The firms who just needed a few things here and there, and weren’t ready to invest too much, we found were not going to get much return, and marketing wasn’t the amazing experience for them that they want marketing to be (and that we know it can be).

So a year or two ago we started changing the way we did things. We created the Marketing Map – not based on what we want accountants to do, but on what DID actually work for accountants. We looked at all the firms who were getting amazing leads and high quality ones and literally turning business away….and all of them followed the Marketing Map.

And we adjusted our services accordingly.

And we’ve spent the past year refining those services, and even building a very cool dashboard app for our clients to manage the outsourced marketing they get from us. (If you’re on a retainer with PF and want to have first look at the dashboard, let me know.)

So I knew all of that. I knew – or thought I knew – what was going on and what changes had happened and why.

And now my numbers are telling the exact same story.

That’s encouraging. Exciting. We’re delivering what is absolutely best for our clients and we’re not trying to be all things to all people.

Because it’s possible for us as business owners to think a story in our own heads, but that’s not the story the numbers are telling.

What stories are you telling your clients? More importantly, what story can you share with them from their numbers – as a story? Something they get excited about and remember and share with the team and use as motivation to keep delivering the very best for their own customers?

 

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ON THE GRAM

They call it addiction for a reason. 

And turns out Netflix (or similar) bingeable series (anything with repeating episodes) are absolutely a gateway drug for me. 

To lots of unhealthy behaviours and decisions. 

Eating more than I need of the kind of food that isn’t best for my body. Staying up later than my body needs or even wants to. Avoiding hard conversations in my head (processing hard stuff). And meaning I’m less present in person where I want to be. 

I don’t really want to do this, in some ways: it sort of sucks cos bingeable shows are a comfort things. And they’re literally CRAFTED on purpose to make me keep pressing next, keep pressing next, forever.  Netflix doesn’t care if I’m healthy; they only care if they’re making money, and the more screen time I log the happier their not-so-little accounts are. 

But Netflix doesn’t have to live my life: I do. 

So I pick me. 

I feel all motivated and inspired today but I am 200% confident this will fade at some point soon. Possibly in about an hour when I’d usually open up the screen.

So that’s why I’m sharing it. Because good and hard things shared like this means people know, and will ask, and so I don’t get to hide behind telling only myself. 

Because I know myself: and I guarantee that although today was super productive and I went swimming and made good choices, I’m going to need to say no over and over and over in order to keep making those good choices. 

Here’s to what this will do for me a year from now! Because I’ve done it already with takeaway (that was last year), and now that’s just the way I live life. 

Happy Monday to you. And to me! 

#justkeepgoing #100dayvideochallenge #video #onestepatatime #healthyhabits #healthyme #choosethegood
BLOOPERS! Please enjoy this small compilation (trust me there’s loads more) of times when I, apparently, am not able to speak. 

Or think. 

Or remember my own name. 

Anyone else? 😆😆

#bloopers #blooperreel #100dayvideochallenge #100daysofpractice #video #accountants #justkeepgoing
Being blue doesn’t have to be a low thing

Sometimes all the blues lift me right up. 

Blues of mountains and hills and water and sky. 

Happy Saturday 

#ontheferry #isleofmull #flowingwater #scotland #travelscotland #islands
If you’re tempted to beat yourself up for not doing the thing you meant to (like choosing sleep instead of a swim, like I did this morning), here’s three wise words to help you put it in perspective: 

“Both are good.”

Going for a swim is good. Sleeping is good. 

I don’t have to beat myself up for choosing one good. 

Day 13/100 Video Challenge 

#100dayvideochallenge #justkeepgoing #onestepatatime #atomichabits