More than ever, small business clients are looking for more than assistance at tax time. They want financial advice for their businesses: how they are doing, how they can improve, and whether goals are being met. CPAs are more than ready to provide these services, but they need to embrace new methods of delivering information in a way their clients can retain and use it best.
Reports that include visuals help clients digest complicated financial information. These days, your visual representations aren’t limited to the bar graphs and pie charts of old. You have so much more at your disposal today to display financial analysis in a way that will captivate and inform your clients. Here’s why CPAs should start incorporating visuals into their work.
Show Clients Your Work
Just as your teacher in elementary school asked you to “show your work,” sometimes that is just what a client needs to understand your financial analysis. They don’t get to see what goes on behind the scenes while you are poring over their financial information. Give them a clear line from point A to point B with simple, easy-to-understand visuals. Charts, graphs, timelines, and other methods show what led to your conclusions and recommendations.
Present an Engaging Financial Story
Photos, charts, graphs, and other visual aids catch the eye and help hold a person’s attention. When you’re scrolling through social media, you may not stop to read a long post about amusing cat antics. A hilarious gif of a cat frantically typing on a computer, on the other hand, will probably get a few people to pause.
Your goal may not be to amuse your audience, but putting your data into interesting visuals has the same effect as using photos in a social media post. If you want your clients to remember the information you’re giving them, research has shown that people remember visuals far better than information they hear. Instead of handing over a dry report full of numbers, use pertinent graphics, charts, photos, and other visuals to tell a story from the big picture down to the nitty-gritty details.
Help Clients Understand Data
Your clients don’t all think the same way you do. If they did, they would probably have chosen to be an accountant. While you might think your report is clear as day, it may not make much sense to the people who need that information the most. You need to make your data speak to a broad range of clients, and visual reporting allows you to do that. Create compelling infographics to tailor your message to individual clients and their level of accounting knowledge.
Impress Your Clients with Customized Visuals
Don’t be shy. You know your visuals look awesome—and your clients think so too. When you really want to wow a client, some amazing visuals will put your presentation head and shoulders over one with just numbers and figures. But, your clients won’t just love you for your pretty, informative pictures. The work you put into your visual presentation and the customized information you give to them show clients you care about their financial success. They’ll be impressed with your commitment to their business and the time you take to guide them with personalized reports.
CPAs and their clients may not always speak the same language, but visual reports can help them understand each other better. Use this valuable tool to give your presentations some flair and help your clients stay informed about their financial position.