How to Get & Keep Clients by Solving Their Tax Problems

Welcome to The CFO Project Podcast, where host Adam Lean helps accountants and CFOs grow their firms, escape the “accountant’s trap,” and deliver more value to business owners. Each week, Adam interviews top experts and leaders in the accounting profession to share practical strategies for building profitable, advisory-focused practices that make a real difference for clients.

In this episode, Adam sits down with Eric Green, founder of Tax Rep Network, to talk about one of the most powerful ways to win and retain clients: solving their tax problems. Eric shares why tax representation is not only a lucrative revenue stream but also one of the best ways to build trust with clients at a critical moment in their business journey. They discuss how leading with solutions to urgent tax issues positions you as a trusted advisor, opens the door for long-term relationships, and creates opportunities to offer higher-value CFO and advisory services. If you want to stand out from competitors and turn one-time tax issues into loyal clients for life, this is an episode you can’t miss.

Transcript

00:00:00:00 - 00:00:09:22
Unknown
Welcome to the CFO project podcast. Today we're talking all about how to get and keep clients by solving their tax problems. First,

00:00:17:20 - 00:00:28:03
Unknown
to help me with the discussion, I've invited Eric Green with Tax Rep Network. Eric, welcome to the show.

00:00:28:05 - 00:01:07:10
Unknown
Yeah, so I know we've known each other for a while, and Eric is an expert at all things tax and all things legal when it comes to tax representation. So you run the tax rep network. So to tell us what that is.

00:01:07:12 - 00:01:41:02
Unknown
All right. So I mean essentially a tax rep network is is it kind of like another. You teach these accountants how to add another revenue stream, which is essentially being, you know, representing the their clients for tax purposes to help them overcome any issues they have.

00:01:41:04 - 00:02:07:02
Unknown
Yeah.

00:02:07:04 - 00:02:32:17
Unknown
Yeah. And you actually, you actually, mentioned what I was going to mention earlier is that, you know, in, in the accounting world, it's hard to get clients by just saying I can be a better, faster, cheaper accountant. But one of the best ways to get clients is when they have a need. They reach out to their Google account.

00:02:32:17 - 00:03:20:14
Unknown
It's their big tax client tax accountants near me. And so when they have a tax problem, especially a big tax problem where they need some sort of tax representation, they can Google and reach out and find it you, which is a great way to get a bunch of lead flow coming in right.

00:05:02:21 - 00:05:21:18
Unknown
Yeah.

00:05:21:20 - 00:05:29:18
Unknown
Yeah I mean I guess when you know what comes to mind is, you know, peace of mind when somebody, when,

00:05:29:18 - 00:05:46:06
Unknown
when somebody has an issue or a potential issue having, having somebody in their corner is a peace of mind, is just giving them a peace of mind. And then when that person actually helps, the accountant actually helps they they can almost be sold to anything that they that the accountant pitches.

00:05:46:06 - 00:05:48:12
Unknown
Right.

00:05:48:14 - 00:05:58:00
Unknown
Yeah. Trust travel totally.

00:05:58:01 - 00:06:03:11
Unknown
Yeah.

00:06:03:13 - 00:06:32:14
Unknown
Right.

00:06:32:16 - 00:06:37:03
Unknown
Yeah.

00:06:54:23 - 00:07:42:16
Unknown
Yeah, yeah.

00:08:02:13 - 00:08:25:05
Unknown
Yeah.

00:08:25:07 - 00:08:36:13
Unknown
Yeah. I must.

00:08:36:15 - 00:09:36:01
Unknown
Yeah.

00:09:41:12 - 00:10:11:09
Unknown
Yeah. So I mean going back to the example you gave about the painter, you would not have gotten the opportunity you and or Don wouldn't have gotten the opportunity to consult with him on his business unless he reached out to you first about this tax problem. So, so this is like a, an entry, a lead, a lead magnet if you will, to get long term loyal clients.

00:10:11:11 - 00:10:15:06
Unknown
Right.

00:10:15:07 - 00:10:37:07
Unknown
Yeah.

00:10:37:09 - 00:11:06:19
Unknown
Yeah.

00:11:06:20 - 00:11:18:13
Unknown
Yeah.

00:11:18:15 - 00:11:26:15
Unknown
Yeah yeah yeah. That completely makes sense. And and you know, we all have to remember that these

00:11:26:15 - 00:11:45:05
Unknown
these clients, these business owners, their business is not a hobby for them. It has to work. And they are desperate for for somebody that they can just trust. And if they find you then you can almost upsell them on anything. Which is the the beauty of advisory work, whether you're doing CFO advisory or tax advisory or or whatnot.

00:11:45:05 - 00:11:55:02
Unknown
If you if you could be the advisor, the, the guide, the the confidant, then you'll have a loyal client for life. Basically.

00:11:55:04 - 00:12:13:20
Unknown
Right.

00:12:13:22 - 00:12:22:10
Unknown
I'm sure.

00:12:22:12 - 00:12:29:03
Unknown
Right.

00:12:30:02 - 00:12:36:16
Unknown
Yeah.

00:12:36:16 - 00:12:47:14
Unknown
Everybody listening. If you haven't already, sign up for our five minute weekly email with practical tips for accountants and bookkeepers to escape the accountants trap. Go to the CFO project.com/newsletter.

00:12:47:21 - 00:14:20:11
Unknown
So let me ask you this, Eric, if there's somebody listening right now, there's thinking that there's there's no way they could do any of this there. Maybe they're just they don't feel they have the experience or confidence or knowledge. They certainly can't turn around businesses. They're just a tax preparer or whatnot. What advice would you give to them?

00:14:20:13 - 00:15:01:19
Unknown
Oh yeah.

00:15:01:21 - 00:15:19:20
Unknown
I okay.

00:15:19:22 - 00:15:26:06
Unknown
Yeah.

00:15:26:08 - 00:16:07:18
Unknown
Yeah.

00:16:07:20 - 00:16:36:22
Unknown
Yeah.

00:16:37:00 - 00:16:45:13
Unknown
Yeah.

00:16:45:15 - 00:17:07:01
Unknown
Totally. Yeah.

00:17:07:03 - 00:17:11:11
Unknown
Yeah.

00:17:11:13 - 00:17:15:22
Unknown
Totally.

00:17:16:00 - 00:17:20:08
Unknown
Yeah.

00:17:20:10 - 00:17:43:00
Unknown
Yeah. Hey, I completely agree. We tell people all the time that, you know, you can be an expert at being a CFO for a big business, but you would still fail if you cannot communicate to a business owner who's usually a non numbers person in a way to get them to take action and in, in a way to motivate them enough to take action.

00:17:43:02 - 00:18:02:08
Unknown
And, and it sounds like that chicken farmer was that person. That person was knowledgeable, was able to communicate to the business, the mattress company on how to do how you know, how to turn around their business. And that's what we need. We can't we can't just be experts at the hard skills of being a CFO or tax you know, person.

00:18:02:12 - 00:18:18:11
Unknown
We have to also be great at the soft skills, being able to communicate and explain and be that quarterback that that confidant to a client.

00:18:18:13 - 00:18:43:06
Unknown
Yeah.

00:18:43:08 - 00:18:54:02
Unknown
Yeah.

00:18:54:04 - 00:19:05:01
Unknown
Yeah.

00:19:05:03 - 00:19:13:03
Unknown
Right, right.

00:19:13:05 - 00:19:27:23
Unknown
Yeah.

00:19:28:01 - 00:19:44:18
Unknown
Yeah.

00:19:44:20 - 00:19:58:06
Unknown
Right. Yeah. And without somebody like you, the quarterback, if you will, the client is not going to do anything. They're going to flounder and and rely on their gut, which is why most businesses end up failing because they're they're experts at their craft.

00:19:58:06 - 00:20:03:20
Unknown
An architect starts an architecture firm, a plumber starts a plumbing business. These are people that they're not going without.

00:20:03:20 - 00:21:16:05
Unknown
Somebody like all of us in their lives, they're not going to know how to improve their business. And yeah, yeah.

00:21:16:09 - 00:21:34:11
Unknown
Yeah.

00:21:34:13 - 00:21:49:05
Unknown
Totally.

00:21:49:06 - 00:21:59:10
Unknown
Totally.

00:21:59:12 - 00:22:10:00
Unknown
Wow.

00:22:10:02 - 00:22:21:12
Unknown
Yeah.

00:22:21:14 - 00:22:49:10
Unknown
Totally. I had a client that was a doctor. He owned a colonoscopy screening practice, $8 million practice. He says he didn't take a day of business training in his 13 years of college. Of school. But what you were saying about, you know, the the the craftsmen, not knowing, not understanding business, the reverse is also true that we as advisors, we could take on clients even if we don't understand their industry, their niche.

00:22:49:12 - 00:23:00:05
Unknown
Like that guy didn't understand. He did. He didn't know how to do Mason work. But, like, I didn't know how to do colonoscopy screening. I knew nothing about medical, but I can still help my client.

00:23:00:05 - 00:23:09:03
Unknown
He was the expert in his. In this field, I was. I understood the numbers and how a business should. You know, his business model should work.

00:23:09:05 - 00:23:51:21
Unknown
And I was able to guide him on improving his cashflow. And that's what he needed. It was a it was a great marriage.

00:24:25:11 - 00:25:02:05
Unknown
Yeah.

00:25:02:07 - 00:25:10:10
Unknown
Yeah.

00:25:10:12 - 00:25:16:18
Unknown
Totally.

00:25:16:20 - 00:26:13:10
Unknown
Totally. Yeah. Completely agree. It's a it's a mindset shift. It really is. Which is why they need you know accountants need tax rep networks and the CFO project. So speaking of tax rep as we wrap up here tell us tell tell everybody listening what tax rep network is and how they can find out more.

00:26:13:12 - 00:26:30:23
Unknown
Yeah another revenue stream. And like we talked about earlier, if you can help a client with sorting out their tax problems, they'll they'll find you first of all. Which means you'll have a client and you'll have a much easier time helping them. Everything else, including keeping them as a loyal client for years to come. And yeah, makes sense.

00:26:31:01 - 00:26:40:15
Unknown
Eric, it's such a pleasure speaking to you as always. Thank you so much for being on the show.

00:26:40:17 - 00:26:43:00
Unknown
Yeah.

00:26:43:02 - 00:27:06:01
Unknown
That's right. Yes, yes. That's exciting. Tell everybody what that is.

00:27:06:03 - 00:27:19:17
Unknown
I'm sure.

00:27:19:19 - 00:27:40:21
Unknown
Yeah, I can imagine. Well, thank you so much, Eric. And everybody listening, if you haven't already, make sure you sign up for our five minute weekly email with practical tips for accountants and bookkeepers on how to escape the accountants trap. Go to the CFO project.com/newsletter. See you next time on the CFO project podcast.