Highlight the heartfelt benefits over the business gains

Richard Brewin • October 26, 2018

Let’s dispel the view that “my clients won’t pay for value added advice”.

As accountants, we get understandably frustrated when we present to our client ways to grow their business, improve their cash flow, increase their profits and so on but find them reluctant to act or pay, even though we know it is clearly good for them.

This leads to an impression of a client base that isn’t interested in paying for this sort of advice. “They just want their accounts and tax doing”.

I’ve yet to meet a business owner-manager who didn’t want a better life or at least to improve some aspect of it. So why the disparity?

To an under-pressure business owner, advice to take steps in their business, however positive, can sound like more cost; more demands on their time; more things to think about; more decisions to make; more challenges to their ability; one more thing to worry about. Logic finds itself up against stiff competition. Easier to say, “Can we look at it again later?” and get back to doing some work.

There needs to be a stronger driver for change.

To many clients, their business is a means to an end. They do what they do with a dream of creating a better life for themselves and their family: a better house, holidays, more time with their family, better things for their partner and children.

Tell a client you can work with them to increase their business profits and you may trigger the negative worries. Tell them you can show them how to get that two-week holiday next year, or the extension for the extra bedroom they’ve talked about and the cost and efforts are put in a much more personal, positive and meaningful light.

Your advice will be the same, but linking actions to personal benefits rather than business improvements can be so much more powerful.

And, of course, it helps differentiate you as a firm.

Nothing Is Successful Without Enthusiasm: Why It Matters More Than Ever in Accounting

By Richard Brewin • October 30, 2025
In a world where technology, standards, and client expectations are constantly changing, one thing remains timeless: enthusiasm . As accountants, we’re known for precision, professionalism, and integrity — but without enthusiasm, even the most talented team can fall short of its true potential. As the saying goes, “Nothing is successful without enthusiasm.” And in today’s accounting profession, that’s more relevant than ever.  Here’s why enthusiasm is the secret ingredient that fuels success — both individually and collectively.

The Heart of the Profession: Why Empathy Matters More Than Ever for Accountants

By Richard Brewin • October 24, 2025
We live in a world that feels more uncertain by the day. Small business owners are juggling rising costs, changing markets, and constant pressure to do more with less. For many, it’s not just about keeping the business afloat — it’s about holding onto a dream.  And in the middle of all this change, accountants have a quiet but powerful role to play.

Time to coach

By Richard Brewin • October 17, 2025
We’ve always been the steady hand, the voice of reason, the trusted advisor. Coaching simply helps us do that better — with more empathy, clarity, and connection. Explore the new Accountants Coaching Community, launching now in Australia and the UK.