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32 February 2015 • www.CPAPracticeAdvisor.com FEATURE Unfortunately, there is a big dis- connect between what small busi- nesses think they are geting from t hei r accou nta nt, a nd what t hei r accountant is actually ofering. Tis i s not be c au se t hei r ac c ou nt a nt m i slead s t hem - it 's bec au se t he typical small business owner is not c o m f o r t a b l e w i t h f i n a n c e a n d accounting, and as soon as they get an accountant doing their books and taxes they feel relieved and assured that someone else is now "watching my numbers." But of course, as their accountant, you are only providing the services you sold to them. W hich br i ngs t he relat ion sh ip bet ween accountant and client into a poten- tially tenuous situation. The Sleeter Group sur vey con- frms this tenuous relationship, as it found that small businesses of ten sw itch accou nt i ng f i r ms because they are looking for more proactive fnancial advice (it was the number one reason why sma l l busi nesses s w itch accou nt a nt s). T hey w a nt their accountants to guide them in the ways a CFO would guide them, w it h a lo ok t o b u d ge t i n g , f or e - casting, cash fow management, and fnancial analysis that will help keep them cash healthy, competitive, and f isca l ly sou nd. W hen sma l l busi- nesses are able to do this success- fully, it's proven that they will grow 30 percent faster. How do you, as an accountant, ofer more proactive, strategic ser- vices to your small business clients, when you a re not t hei r i n-hou se CFO, and don't have time to know their business the way they k now their business? W h i le a sma l l bu si ness ow ner tends to just fear numbers in general, 5 Ways Accounting Firms Can Stand Out as a Trusted Advisor to Clients By Sabrina Parsons M ost small businesses look to their accountants to provide not only bookkeeping and tax services, but also to help keep their business fnancially healthy, and to make the right fnancial decisions. According to a 2014 Sleeter Group survey, small businesses are looking for strategic advice and help with fnancial strate- gies. Yet, accountants are still primarily ofering only audit, bookkeeping and tax services to their small business clients.