John Russell, former MD of Harley Davidson Europe, was once asked how the motorcycle business was going.
He replied:
“I don’t know. We’re not in the motorcycle business.”
A strange answer — until he explained:
“Harley Davidson sells 43-year-old accountants the ability to dress in black leather, ride through small towns and have people be afraid of them.”
In other words: they’re not selling transport. They’re selling identity. Emotion. A fantasy.
The bike is just the means to an end.
I reference that quote DESPITE, not because of the reference to accountants!
So… what business are you in?
Many accountants make the common mistake of thinking they’re in the business of “delivering accounts and tax returns on time”. Or something very similar.
Nothing wrong with that. It’s certainly what most accountants deliver. But it’s rarely the reason someone chooses you, stays with you, or recommends you.
Harvard marketing professor Theodore Levitt famously said:
“People don’t want a quarter-inch drill. They want a quarter-inch hole.”
And even that’s not the full story.
They want to hang a picture. Or to prove they’re handy. Or to impress the in-laws.
Their real motivation is emotional — not just practical.
Your best clients are probably the same. They want more than numbers.
As one accountant told me recently, his focus is on: “Taking the headache out of accounting and tax”
What do your better clients really pay you for?
- Peace of mind – “I don’t have to worry, they’ve got it sorted.”
- Clarity – “I finally understand where I stand.”
- Relief – “No more hiding from my accounts.”
- Control – “I feel back in charge of my business.”
- Confidence – “I know I’m making the right decisions.”
- Validation – “Someone gets me, and my business.”
- Freedom – “I can focus on what I enjoy again.”
- Support – “I feel supported as we drive the business forwards”
I should add that many of these are very similar emotional reasons as to why some sole practitioner accountants choose to work with me.
Our value lies in these outcomes — not just in how fast you file a return or whether you use the latest tech.
And here’s the other key factor to keep in mind: these are the outcomes AI can’t replace.
Standing out in the age of AI
Tech can do calculations. AI can summarise tax rules.
But AI doesn’t understand nuance, emotion or a business owners’ unspoken fears.
If your messages to clients are all about deadlines, compliance and software, you’re making yourself easier to replace.
If instead you position yourself around how you make clients feel — safe, supported, understood — you’re offering something far more valuable.
And that’s not just good for client retention. It’s how you win new business too.
When your LinkedIn profile, your website and your networking conversations all reflect the business you’re really in, you become the natural choice for people who want more than a bog-standard accountant.
Why Harley didn’t try to out-Honda Honda
When the Japanese motorbikes hit the American market, they were faster, cheaper, and more reliable than Harley Davidsons.
Did Harley panic? No.
They didn’t try to match those features.
They focused on what their customers actually wanted — the emotional reward.
And their fans stayed loyal.
There’s a clear lesson here for accountants trying to differentiate in a crowded and increasingly tech-driven market.
Know what you’re really selling — and your value becomes impossible to ignore
When you understand what business you’re really in, everything else becomes easier:
- Your messaging becomes more powerful
- Your conversations become more relevant
- Your website and profile start working for you
- You attract the kind of clients you actually want
- You become less interchangeable, less replaceable, and far more referable
If this post has made you pause to think, but you’re not quite sure how to apply the idea to your practice — let’s talk.
Sometimes one good conversation is all it takes to shift your perspective and help you refocus your message, your value and your positioning. Whether you’re rethinking your services, rewriting your profile, or just wondering where to go next — I’d be happy to help.
