Today's Technology for Tomorrow's Firm.
Issue link: https://cpapracticeadvisor.epubxp.com/i/123770
WHO'S WHO A D V E R T O R I A L AMONG THOSE SERVING THE TAX & ACCOUNTING PROFESSION 40 Introducing the Fundamentals of High-Performing Firms Realizing Your Business Ambiton, One Step at a Time Accountants rely on Sage support to help their clients succeed, both with accountng solutons and connected services; however, the commitment Sage has to the accountng professionals doesn't stop and start with our accountng solutons. With the launch of Fundamentals of High-Performing Firms, a curriculumdriven practice development and optimization program designed for accounting professionals, the Sage Accountants Network (SAN) positons itself as a go-to resource for marketng informaton and practce management solutons specifically designed with step-by-step guidance to ensure accountng professionals achieve their business ambitons. Based on recent survey fndings, the Sage Accountants Network identfed that 26% of accountng professionals identfed tme management as their biggest business challenge. This obstacle was second only to getng new clients, which was identfed as the biggest business pain point by 33% of those surveyed. Regardless of what your business pain point is, Sage North America is commited to providing best-practce educaton and training to accountng professionals. In conjuncton with thought leaders in the profession and marketng experts, Sage developed an actonable curriculum to address these key accountng frm obstacles called the Fundamentals of High-Performing Firms. Jennifer Warawa, vice president of Sage Partner Programs, acknowledges the challenges many frm owners face in today's compettve landscape. "As accountng practces vie for new clients, being the best accountant or consultant in your region is not enough. How do you ensure prospectve clients understand your frm's value propo- May 2013 • www.CPAPracticeAdvisor.com siton? It really is about developing business acumen in areas outside of accountng to maximize every touch point in your prospect funnel. You need to develop skills and acton plans that help you defne your brand meaning and maximize your online exposure." Whether it is in marketng or practce management, Sage recognizes the tme constraints and obstacles accountants face when beginning a new process. Warawa explains, "Afer doing the accountng conference circuit and meeting with accountng professionals year afer year, we began to see a patern. Gathering the informaton to address business pain points lef accountants feeling empowered, but afer the conferences, building the tactcal, day-to-day strategy to implement these new skills became the hurdle. We developed the Fundamentals of High-Performing Firms program with that hurdle in mind." This new educaton ofering is a beneft to members of SAN. Accountng frms in the SAN program identfy their greatest challenge and select one of two 12-month curriculums to learn skills to address topics in a practcal, implementable way. Depending on which track you select, topics covered can include everything from how to stand out from the competton to how to build a stronger online presence and pitch your business efectvely. Each track includes 12 months of comprehensive educatonal materials consistng of white papers, self-assessment tools, case studies, and exercises. For more informaton on how to become a member of the Sage Accountants Network, please visit www. SageAccountantsNetwork.com/HighPerformingFirms or call us toll-free at 1-866-565-2726.