How to Find Accountants for Business Near You?

Overseeing your business finances can be a tough task, especially if you’re not familiar with credits, recording transactions, and debits. But you don’t have to do it alone.  A good accountant can add value to your business. An accountant will provide your expertise and guidance required to run an effective business. Even though it’s optional to hire an accountant for business, it would be wise to have one when it comes to filing taxes and financial records. Furthermore, accountants for business are more than just individuals who manage financial books and accounts. They’re business partners who contribute to the growth of your business by supporting you with business planning and forecasting, compliance, and more. The advice of a professional business accountant might be the difference between the success and failure of your business. The expertise they bring on the table can guide your decision as your business grows. Not forgetting that you’ll also save on admin. That being said! Let's look at how you can find experienced accountants for business near you.

Understand Your Business Needs

Before you can even consider hiring an accountant, try to understand your business needs. Do you want an internal or external accountant? An internal accountant or in-house accountant can come in handy if your business transactions are larger and complicated, such that it’s difficult to manage them without help.  However, if your business is still new, consider finding an external accountant near me or using an accounting firm. For a new business, getting a part-time or full-time accountant can be costly.

Small Firm, Larger Firm, or One-Person? 

Carefully consider if the size of the accounting firms will meet your needs. If you’re a sole trader or contractor, then a small firm will suit you best, but if you’re a fast-growing startup business with a big vision, a medium-sized will be your right match. 

Referrals

Another great way to find an excellent accountant is through referrals from your banker, relative, business colleague, or attorney.  You can also tap into your industry’s network to get recommendations for the best accountant. Another great way to get referrals is by attending small business events held by the local Small Business Development Centers.

Interview a Prospective Candidate

You can’t take an employee without proper consideration and interviewing.  You need to follow the same due diligence when selecting your prospective candidate. Do some background research of your candidates’ experience to weed out problematic candidates. Ask for client references, particularly from those in your industry. Call them to know how satisfied they were with the prospective accountant's availability, services, and fees. Finally, plan a meeting with a prospective candidate to get a sense of how he or she will work with your business.  During the interview, focus on three things: Price, Personality, and Services.

How Do Accountants Find Clients?

Sure, an accountant can boast a vast network of clients, but this doesn’t happen overnight.  For accounts finding clients is a backbreaking task (more like finding a dragon glass to kill the white walkers). However, some accountants have mastered this art. Here’s a list of some tricks they used to gain clients.

Partnerships with Other Qualified Professionals

Some professional accountants have partnered with other firms that offer services they don’t, such as:

• Technology
• Investment advice
• Legal representation
• Recruiting needs

This is important since the accountants for business help these firms with referrals when they can and vice versa. By establishing and improving the business alliances they have with trusted experts, the accountant can receive mutual referrals from these experts.  At the same time, the experts will help to serve the accountant’s clients.

Asking for Referrals

The best salesperson is a satisfied client and accountants for business know this. Clients interact with numerous businesses of all shapes and sizes- so their recommendations of an accounting firm boost the firm’s reputation. Professional accountants for business are proactive, meaning they ask their best clients to spread the word about their firm.  Some put their client testimonies on their website while others have well-structured referral reward programs.

Online Social Media Strategy

Today, clients live online. Expert accountants have an effective social media strategy that wins them, clients. They also take part in conversations frequently and comment when appropriate. Clients love accountants with social media presence. A wise accountant can capitalize on this opportunity to provide expertise for free; eventually, he or she will be rewarded with clients and referrals. Accountants, who offer sales with every post, have a high chance of turning off potential clients and receiving negative returns.  They might even get their brand tarnished. Besides, professional accountants always keep their LinkedIn pages updated with information, experience, and status reports. They also make use of an array of social media platforms to promote themselves.

Selecting a Niche

Accountants focusing on a specific niche attracts more client than those who don't. By targeting a specific industry, small business, or particular demographic, accountants stand a chance of receiving more clients since they can differentiate themselves from other accountants and provide more value. An accountant who has figured out his niche can easily brainstorm ways to target his clients. What’s even better an accountant can expand his portfolio to offer more service and bring more value to his clients.    This means accountants can grow their revenue per client as well as potentially attracting new clients who may require assistance at different stages of their business.

Where Are Accountants Needed Most

The lucrative salary that accountants get is based on the high demand for their services.  Businesses need an audit in a recession and when the economy is growing.  Everybody needs to do their taxes.  Accounting provides perfect all-weather positions, and regulatory events, in nearly all the cities in the UK.  But where are accountants needed the most?

Brighton

This vibrant seaside location in the UK is the best city to find an accounting job.  Businesses are booming in Brighton, and the average salaries are high for accountants.  Brighton is home to some major accounting firms in the UK. It also hosts technology companies, digital advertising companies, and even gaming companies. These companies are always looking for accountants.

Manchester

Manchester is the second-largest city in the UK to land an accounting role.  As the UK’s third-largest city population-wise, Manchester offers a strategic location for the establishment of accounting firms. Manchester location also places top accounting firms close to major clients based in the North West. There're endless opportunities for accountants because not only does Manchester host accounting firms, it also hosts numerous manufacturing companies. Other places where accountants can land a job in Manchester are in big IT companies like the BBC, ITV, and dock 10.

Glasgow

Accounting and Finance at Glasgow has an international reputation.  Glasgow is Scotland's biggest city, and over the years it has experienced increased business growth.  Glasgow is the perfect place for accountants who are looking to grow their careers since it features popular accounting firms like Traynor Accounting, Martin Aitken & Co Ltd, among others. There’s also numerous opportunity for independent gigs in educational institutes, real estate companies, and entertainment industry.

Portsmouth

Portsmouth is home to the biggest accounting and finance firms, including BC & A Chartered Accountants, Chariot Accountant LTD, and Harmonix Accounting LTD.   There also many small businesses and big manufacturing companies that are in constant need of professional accountants. Some top industries in this city include aerospace, marine, creative, and retail which feature lots of exciting opportunities for accountants.

What are Three Major Areas of Accounting

Financial Accounting

Financial accounting involves accounting that deals with external associates showing interest in the business firm.  It offers the most crucial financial recording and reporting functions of a firm. Also, it entails the production of financial statements for the benefit of external investors and creditors.  Investors go through financial statements like balance sheets, cash flows, and income statements to decide whether or not it’s to invest in a business firm. Creditors check financial statements to decide if they can loan money to a business firm. Also, the statements help them analyze the firm and see if they’ll receive a return on their investment.

Managerial Accounting

Managerial accounting or management accounting is where accounting provides data about a business operation to managers. The primary focus of managerial accounting is gathering and articulating financial information for managers so they can decide about business operations. It includes cost analysis, budgeting and forecasting, financial analysis, reviewing past decisions, and others.

Cost Accounting

Experts consider cost accounting as a type of managerial accounting. It’s common in the manufacturing industry since it has lots of resources and costs to oversee.  It’s a type of accounting used to analyze a company’s or business operations. Cost-accounting concerns itself with the costs of production by analyzing manufacturing costs.  It looks at both fixed and variable costs and how they influence the business, and how best this cost can be handled.