5 must do tasks for the off season
Take advantage of your off-season
Get ahead of your competitors this summer
We're nearing the end of tax season, and tax professionals have the unique benefit of an off-season. OK, we know the off-season isn't what it once was. We also know many of our tax professional partners aren't just preparing taxes. Tax preparation income is being supplemented with bookkeeping, accounting, insurance, notary and other business opportunities.
Still, for many tax professionals, the hectic pace of tax season slows after April 15th. Take advantage of this unique opportunity to do things you didn't have time for during tax season. Here are 5 ideas for your off season.
1) Vacation
You just completed a business marathon. Take time to celebrate your accomplishment with a much needed break! Whether it's a vacation or a staycation - reward yourself for months of hard work with time away from the office.
A cycle of work and rest will help you pace yourself for the long term. A break from the daily routine offers time to reflect, providing refreshment and a renewed perspective.
2) Evaluation
While the tax season is still fresh in your mind, take time to evaluate the past tax season.
- What went well or didn't go well?
- How can that be changed or improved for next year?
- What processes can you streamline?
- Are there products or services you need to start offering?
- Were there pain points that you need to address and fix?
Make an honest assessment and implement changes to address the issues you identify.
3) Education
Plan to attend a conference or seminar during the off season and expand your knowledge of software, taxes and other products or services that can help you generate revenue. Needs some ideas? Here are some great conferences we'll be attending this summer:
Washington DC - July 9-11
Chicago - July 23-25
New Orleans - August 6-8
Orlando - August 13-15
San Diego - September 17-19
4) Peer input
Connecting with peers at tax conferences and training seminars provides a great opportunity to network and understand what is working for tax professionals in other regions. How are they solving similar problems? What promotional and advertising tactics are effective for them? Ask questions of other tax pros that aren't competitors, and act as a resource for your peers.
5) Resource investment
Before you skip past this one, just hear us out. The off-season is the perfect time to invest time and/or resources in making improvements for the upcoming tax season. Investing your most valuable resource - time - is one of the best uses of your off season.
From mapping the client experience, implementing an email marketing service, investing in a website or setting up a Facebook page, there are a number of investments you can make in your business that will pay dividends next tax season.
Looking for ideas for growing your business on a budget?
Get 20 marketing tactics that don't cost you anything more than time
