T he busy season is often the most dreaded time of the year, and for good reasons; accountants regularly find themselves exhausted from the immense amount of work they need to get through this time of year, and many are feeling incredibly burnt out from high stress levels. Most accountants nonetheless understand that the busy season is a vital part of their financial success, however, meaning they often pour their heart and souls into it, ready to rest and relax after it’s over.

For most accountants, that rest and relaxation comes at the cost of many missed opportunities; the period immediately after the busy season can be productive, too, and with a well-designed “after busy season” call list, you can get a head start on the competition at the same time that they kicking their feet up to relax.

Mastering the after busy season

The busy season is never easy on CPAs, with the immense workloads they have to suffer through being one of the prime reasons many other professionals look upon accountants with admiration and respect for their hard work and due diligence. Getting through the busy season is never easy (though you can always read up on some tips to make things easier on you), but far too many accountants use their immense workloads during the busy season as an excuse to do next to nothing in the period immediately following it.

Rather than taking a breather, you should begin assembling an after busy season call list, which can help you get prep for next year’s workload while enabling you to reach out to new clients whose existing CPAs may be letting them down by relaxing. So, what does mastering the after busy season and assembling this call list actually entail for today’s accountants?

First and foremost, you need to prioritize. It’s vital for any successful CPA to keep in regular contact with all of their clients, but for your after busy season call list, you’ll want to primarily concern yourself with those clients most essential towards your career. Your biggest and most important clients should be receiving their calls first, in which you can review the recent performance of their portfolios, while also opening yourself up to any inquiries they may have.

It’s imperative that you plan this process out before or during the busy reason, rather than try to assemble a shoddy call list after the busy season itself; after all, you’ll be tired and ready to crash then, so the more work you get out of the way now, the better off you’ll be tomorrow. Set digital reminders for yourself (or go old-fashioned and whip out your calendar) like you would when you’re protecting credit scores so you don’t forget to make contact with your vital clients right after the busy season has ended, and then pencil in your lesser clients in whatever free time you have remaining.

Expanding your clientele

Your after busy season call list isn’t only about your existing clients, either. Accountants should take this time to reach out to new clients, especially since many of the CPAs that potential clients are relying on are kicking their feet up and relaxing after their own busy season efforts. This is a pivotal opportunity to score some new business for yourself, and shouldn’t be forgotten as you start assembling your call list. It’s important to remember that your current clients must come first, however, and that your most important clients in particular retain the top-spot on your after busy season call list.

If you’re worried that this sounds like a lot of work, don’t be; a handy to-do list can keep you up to date on all the things that you need to do, thus ensuring you don’t get bogged down by too much at once. The extra efforts you put in now will pay off later, especially when your cherished clients note that you’re consistently contacting them year-round.

You should still leave some time to recuperate yourself, too, when assembling your after busy season call list. After all, no client wants a CPA who’s been overworked to the point of exhaustion. Check out these easy ways to recharge after a particularly stressful busy season, and rely on them after you’ve handled your call list responsibilities, and you’ll be enjoying some well-deserved rest sooner than you’d think.

A failure to update your most cherished clients after the hype around the office has died down could cost you their business in the future, which no CPA can afford. Thus, take the steps now to get your after busy season call list set up as soon as possible so as to not let the end of the busy season mark the end of your productivity. CPAs who stay on their toes after their competitors have begun to slack off will be those professionals who climb to the tallest heights of their industry the fastest.