AT Think

“OMG! City teachers alarmed as IM speak sneaks into students’ writing.”

A new report from Ingenuity Marketing (IM) offers some eye-opening insights into what "millennials," or twenty-something staffers, expect from their existing or potential firm.A series of questions with four possible answers, covering such categories as recruitment, online branding, office space, and work style, among others, reveals some of the likes and dislikes of millennials.

"OMG! City teachers alarmed as IM speak sneaks into students' writing."

If a firm already has as much work as it can handle and has difficulty finding competent staff, isn't it irresponsible to be looking for even more work? That question was posed to us at Accounting Tomorrow from Bill McGovern, who owns a full-service CPA firm in Manasquan, N.J.

If a firm already has as much work as it can handle and has difficulty finding competent staff, isn't it irresponsible to be looking for even more work? We offer two answers to this question on today's Accounting Tomorrow blog.

We all know name tags as those dorky stickers that we're made to wear during networking events. We reluctantly pen our name and then stick it to our chests in an effort to make ourselves more approachable. Well, what would happen if we intentionally left them on, even after the event was over?

We all know name tags as those dorky stickers that we’re made to wear during networking events. We reluctantly pen our name and then stick it to our chests in an effort to make ourselves more approachable. Well, what would happen if we intentionally left them on, even after the event was over? Read more on Accounting Tomorrow's blog.

There is no time like the present for firm leaders to take a very hard look at their current team—from entry-level to senior manager and even at newer partners and ask: Are they adequately equipped to market, sell and provide the kind of relationship-building environment to acquire and keep new clients (and new staff)? Rita Keller, president of Keller Advisors, provides some tips in today's article on Accounting Tomorrow.

Here's a smart idea for all you financial planners out there. Target the children of your Baby Boomer clients.

There is no time like the present for firm leaders to take a very hard look at their current team—from entry-level to senior manager and even at newer partners and ask: Are they adequately equipped to market, sell and provide the kind of relationship-building environment to acquire and keep new clients (and new staff)? Firms have been extremely busy in recent years simply serving clients, that more or less fell into their lap. Little effort has been expended to obtain new clients because the phone has just kept ringing. The bigger problem has been finding enough people to serve clients, not finding enough work to keep people busy. Firm leaders are beginning to acknowledge that even their young partners have never honed their skills in marketing and actively pursuing new business. Current leaders in many firms will naturally ask, “Did we make too many technicians partners?” Change is real. It always provides opportunity for those who have ambition, drive and the desire to take their career to new heights. Now is the time to refocus firm efforts from frantically hiring and training technicians to building a team that possesses professional relationship-building skills. Now is the time to instill more discipline and structure into your marketing, branding and sales efforts. The best part of all this is the fact that the next generation is waiting in the wings for opportunity and guidance from established firm leaders. The next generation, young Gen-Xers and Millennials, are looking for mentors and coaches who can help them achieve quickly. They have been asking for more direction and attention from firm leaders for several years. Now, firms have the critical need to pay attention and develop training programs to enhance smart skills like communication, business etiquette, listening, speaking, writing, marketing and selling. This next generation is also asking firm leaders to develop a more collaborative firm culture. It’s easy to get started, but remember, it takes discipline from firm leaders to keep it alive and healthy inside your firm. Here are some ideas: