Thoughts on Thought Leadership When an attorney, banker, CPA, or wealth planner refers business to us, it can feel like we should refer business back to them. But we can’t refer to everyone because we likely don’t have that many referrals to make. The author provides insight on what it takes to become the recommended expert vis-à-vis a referral. When an attorney, banker, CPA, or wealth planner refers busine ...

Excel and Position Yourself as the Expert There is an important difference between a service provider and an expert. In this article, Rod Burkert discusses why the differentiation is important and how to position yourself to be an expert. When it comes to the work you do, are you a service provider or an expert? Have you thought about the differences? Do you realize there are differences? Our BVFLS industry ...

It’s About Them What is the purpose of marketing? While credentials are helpful, the profession needs to reevaluate the strategies used. In this article, Rod Burkert reminds us of what the profession may consider to market the services effectively. Have you wondered why it’s getting harder to reach the leads and prospects we want to sell to and serve? What if almost everything we’ve considered to be marketi ...

The Four Pillar Framework Rod Burkert has been spreading the gospel about BVFLS practice development since 2013. In this article, he discusses a framework that he has developed and can be used to close the gap between the practice you have and the practice you want. The people I talk to all seem to have slightly different ideas about practice development. Here is one definition from a Forbes article that I ...

What Do I Write About? Writing is an effective way to convey expertise and also a marketing devise. In this article, Rod Burkert shares who he writes for and answers the big unanswered question: how he decides what to write about. I talk about how much I write, who I write for, and when I get it all done. But apparently, I left this big question unanswered: How do I decide what to write about? Deciding What ...

What is the #1 thing on your website that will convince a prospect that your firm is the right choice for a project? Rod Burkert shares his views on what is needed to go from zero to hero and land that engagement. Imagine I am a prospect for getting your BVFLS services. I found you on Google or LinkedIn. Or maybe I saw an article you wrote. Maybe heard a presentation you gave. Or maybe I got a recommendatio ...

This is Why You are Not Generating Leads on LinkedIn The LinkedIn platform provides BVFLS professionals a potential avenue to showcase their firm’s knowledge and specialization. In this article, Rod Burkert shares why many BVFLS professionals on LinkedIn are unable to generate business from their presence on the platform. Did you know: Close to one-half of the USA’s millionaires are on LinkedIn—just the kin ...

Move Out of Your Comfort Zone In this month’s column, Rod Burkert discusses embracing risk and a growth mindset. If you are unhappy with your practice for any reason, is it because you are playing it too safe ... too small? Is your reluctance to take risks (which aren’t really risks) holding you back from reaching the next level … whatever that might be for you? Read on, learn from a seasoned BVFLS expert. ...

Evaluation of Your Priorities Most BVFLS practitioners happen to have fallen into this line of work by accident or chance. How can we prioritize and also find meaning and purpose in our profession. Rod Burkert shares his views on this subject. Henry David Thoreau said, “The price of anything is the amount of life you exchange for it.” This made me think, “How much of our lives are we exchanging for the pric ...

Steps to Immediately Take Before Focusing on Marketing In this month’s article, Rod Burkert details six positioning and marketing blunders too many appraisers are making with respect to building and growing a BVFLS practice. I just passed the seven-year milestone of launching my coaching career. And I have to say (as someone else has previously said), “I know a thing or two because I have seen a thing or tw ...

Really? How are professional fees determined? What role, if any, does the “market” have on this question. In this article, Rod Burkert shares his views on this matter. You get what you pay for. We hear this cliché most often in a pejorative sense, but is it true? How do we know? Take your practice … how do you determine the fees you set for your professional services? Only one answer makes sense, which you ...

How to Make Pricing Your Competitive Advantage This article is a follow up to the author’s April 2021 QuickRead article: “Here is What Prospects Believe About Our Pricing.” The lesson by the author is that prospective clients believe what the professional believes about pricing. If the professional believes that the price is too high, so will the prospect. If the professional believes that the price is a ba ...

What Prospects Believe About Our Pricing is What We Believe About Our Pricing When prospects say, “You’re too expensive” (and some inevitably will), we may have a problem. Because on the one hand, they may be telling us the truth (or their truth). But on the other hand, we think we are worth it. This article identifies two issues, suggests that there may be one impediment, and provides readers with resource ...

If I Were Starting Today Business valuation and financial litigation services (BVFLS) practitioners—since the COVID-19 disruption—have embraced the use of social media. Yet, some BVFLS practitioners remain on the sidelines. In this article, Rod Burkert shares 10 social networking tactics he would use today to build his BVFLS practice. One thing I have seen since COVID-19 began is the uptick in social media ...

Here is How I Changed my Mindset Asking for a referral may seem egotistical and a bit self-centered, but it is also a good business practice. In this article, Rod Burkert shares two personal obstacles he overcame that kept him from asking for referrals and what changed his mind on this matter. When it comes to building a pipeline of work, referrals are the lifeblood of a BVFLS practice. So why did I feel so ...

Relative to “Those” Competitors Many BVFLS practitioners have a mind-set that presents a self-made obstacle to successfully marketing their professional services. In this article Rod Burkert shares three reasons he has observed that may explain why we, as professionals, struggle with pricing relative to “those” competitors and suggests ways to address those concerns of losing out on price. I want to go on r ...

the Cost of Your Reference Library? Now, there is an abundance of print and online resources that have greatly improved both our report preparation efficiency and effectiveness. Simply put, we have access to better information and are more productive in our engagements. Certainly, clients benefit from that increased access and productivity, but it comes at our ever-growing out-of-pocket library expense. So ...

with “Pinkcast” Daniel H. Pink is author of six provocative works about business and human behavior. His website contains videos and newsletters. In this article, Rod Burkert describes how Pinkcast changed the way he marketed, and provides six reasons why BVFLS professionals may want to consider Pinkcast as a resource. Do you struggle putting pen to paper … figuring out what to say in a 300–900-word dispatc ...

About Your BVFLS Practice? There are three ways to deliver professional services. The benefits and detriments of each are discussed in this article. The author also shares his opinion regarding what model(s) BVFLS practitioners should adopt. We’re supposed to be smart, sophisticated, experienced business appraisers who deliver insights that assess value. Why, then, do most of us operate with a one-dimension ...

Of Your Work? What can a BVFLS professional do to stand out amongst his or her peers? In this article, Rod Burkert shares his thoughts. How do BVFLS professionals like us to demonstrate our analytical skill? How do we exhibit our problem-solving acumen? How do we showcase our report writing talent? I have an idea…turns out it is somewhat controversial…but read on and let me know what you think. All creative ...