Following the success of the Women’s Breakfast at the Taxand Global Conference in Málaga, we have officially launched our brand-new initiative Women@Taxand.
Our first follow-up virtual session generated great enthusiasm—30 participants (find out who they are here) from 20 countries! The discussion was focused on Business Development, covering essential topics such as Selling Channels, Networking, and Approaching Clients and was hosted by Taxand Global Board members Angela Rosca, Managing Partner, Taxhouse, Taxand Romania; Henrietta Kristanto, Partner, PB Taxand, Taxand Indonesia, Julia Nazzareno and Sophie Touzet from the Taxand Global team.
Here’s a summary of the actionable insights and best practices that emerged from the discussions:
Strategic Objectives
Establish clear goals: when attending networking events. Identify key individuals and prioritize targets. By having a focused approach, you can measure your success and track your progress effectively.
Organise roundtable sessions: that bring together various people, mixing clients and prospects. Clients can serve as powerful endorsements, often convincing prospects more effectively than any pitch.
Networking Tips
Bring a colleague: To avoid any discomfort or ambiguity during business dinners, consider inviting a colleague. Alternatively, suggest breakfast, lunch, or a cocktail meeting—these settings provide a natural exit if needed and keep things professional.
Stay engaged with clients: Even if a client hasn’t brought in business for a while, it’s important to maintain the relationship. Send relevant articles or schedule catchups to stay on their radar.
Build deeper connections: Proactively approach institutional clients; they can be your strongest advocates. Take the time to learn about your clients’ interests, hobbies, and personal details like their children’s names. As Angela (Taxand Romania) mentioned “a simple tip is to write down personal notes on the back of a business card for future reference”.
Client Retention
Maintain Client Loyalty: It’s often easier and more rewarding to nurture existing client relationships than to find new ones. Women, in particular, excel in developing these long-term connections and fostering loyalty. One key takeaway from our discussions was the consensus on the importance of building and maintaining long-lasting client relationships. As Judit Jancsa-Pék (Leitner Leitner, Taxand Hungary) commented “We differentiate ourselves from the “Big Four,” our strength lies in our personalized, close-knit approach to client engagement”.
Valérie Courbier (Arsene,Taxand France) illustrated this perfectly by drawing a comparison between a good doctor and a great doctor: “The great doctor sees the patient, not just the disease.” Similarly, understanding and prioritizing clients’ needs beyond their tax concerns can elevate our service from good to great.
By continuing to apply these principles, we can differentiate ourselves through personalized, client-focused engagement and grow our professional networks effectively. We look forward to more engaging sessions!
