It's probably happened to you, just as it's happened to hundreds of other accountants. A prospective new client's...
Pricing Articles
When and how to increase your fees without overthinking it
I've noted a steady stream of accountants asking the same question in online groups: "When should I increase my fees,...
How to stop ‘scope creep’ from eating your profits
It starts with good intentions. You want to help. You want to be seen as approachable. And frankly, it often feels easier to just do the extra thing than raise it with the client. But over time, those “small” favours and “quick” queries add up. As does the...
Why undercharging is holding you back – and how to fix it
Accountants are expected to be brilliant at spotting value in their clients’ businesses. If you're giving them business advice you'll probably be referencing margins, markups, missed opportunities and lots more. But when it comes to your own fees? Hmm. Many...
Why charging upfront fees shouldn’t shock accountants
Are you shocked to hear that some accountants charge an upfront fee before starting work? I’m not. And if you’ve ever been ghosted by a client after delivering valuable advice or submitting their accounts, I bet you’re not shocked either. One of the accountants I...
Want to earn more without working more? Stop making this one mistake
Want to make more money without working longer hours? Then it’s time to stop doing one thing. It’s incredibly common. Quietly damaging. And probably costing you more than you realise. What is it? *** Making assumptions *** So often, I see the making of assumptions...
10 mistakes you’ll want to avoid when quoting fees
Quoting fees can feel like playing darts blindfolded. You hope for the bullseye, but more often than not, you end up way off target. Maybe charging so much that you lose the prospect. Then there are those occasions when you kick yourself if a prospect agrees...
How accountants can stop doing extra work for free
One of the most common issues accountants raise with me is how can they stop getting caught out doing extra little bits of work for free? This has become more of an issue for many of them since they started quoting fixed fees. The issue comes up less often for...
Why you should always know your BATASFI when negotiating fees with clients
This is probably one of the most valuable tips I share during 1-2-1 mentoring sessions. It’s not just relevant to sole practitioners though. Every client facing partner needs to know their BATASFI when negotiating fees with clients. Indeed it’s equally relevant to...
Should I reference my fees on my website? If so, how can I do this?
Should I reference my fees on my website? And if so, how can I do this given how my fees vary from client to client? These are very common questions I get asked by accountants, bookkeepers and tax advisers. And my answer is always: "It depends." 😉 It depends...
What if you want to charge more than your fee quote?
We've all done it haven't we. Estimated (or maybe even quoted a fixed) fee for a specific piece of work and then allowed the scope of the work to evolve slightly. And then a bit more. Perhaps we've delegated the work and have not kept in touch with how much extra...
How to avoid giving free advice to prospects
How to avoid giving away advice for free to prospective clients? I'm reminded of the old sex education message: Just say 'no'! As an accountant you are, I'm sure, well used to prospective clients seeking free advice. I think the most common reason accountants give...
10 ways to get paid for doing unbudgeted work
Lots of accountants I work with used to struggle to charge what they feel they're worth for the work they do. Sadly I can't just wave a magic wand to change things. Mostly what's required is an increase in confidence and improved communication. Easy to say, but not...
Why I don’t discount my fees and why you shouldn’t either
We all know the old adage “if you don’t ask, you don’t get“. So it is perhaps unsurprising that some people ask if we will reduce our fees. This even happens occasionally when accountants approach me for my NED-style mentoring support services. Fortunately it's...
Why are you not as profitable as you want to be?
Not all of my clients want to discuss profitability issues with me. So I don’t always know how profitable they are. If it doesn’t come up during our conversations then I assume they are happy enough with their current level of profitability. Or perhaps they are...
Debunked: The ‘one thing’ you MUST do. There are 5 if you really want to be successful
A popular approach to getting your attention (and often your money) is to tell you that there is ‘one thing’ you must do to achieve your ambitions and succeed. I see this all over the place, in blogs, articles, videos and social media posts. Those who suggest there...
3 key lessons for accountants from….a children’s party entertainer!
As a teenager, before I started studying to become an accountant, I was a children's party entertainer - and I continued doing this for about 25 years. When I look back I realise that I quickly learned 3 key lessons that now, many years later, still inform my...