Accountants who want to be involved in business strategy and planning with their clients, rather than just auditing the books and doing the tax documents need to communicate to prospective clients that they have the training and expertise to provide real help and insight. When a startup has a real innovation that can transform an industry, doesn’t it make sense that they want from their accountant the business, industry and corporate knowledge to offer real help as they make strategic decisions and try to get the attention of the right people in the industry?

Micro-niches are the perfect way to build your business (at least part of it) around your particular expertise. Once you build the micro-niche, you must learn to match your marketing to your expertise/micro-niche. Until you do, you could be perceived as the typical generalist. But as an expert, your marketing can demonstrate your knowledge of the needs of micro-niche clients, knowledge of and visibility in the industry and your desire to know your clients’ businesses in depth so you can offer valuable insight and advice.

If you were running a company that does business in a particular industry, would you choose the generalist accountant who does everything or the expert accountant who provides boutique client services for people who have the same kind of business in the same industry? Who do you think could help you the most?