When I talk to accountants about advisory, there’s one thing I hear over and over again:
“I just want to feel more confident.”
Confident in what to say.
Confident in when to say it.
Confident in what to offer and how to offer it.
The truth is, most of the accountants I speak with aren’t lacking confidence in who they are. What they’re actually missing is the information and the process that allows them to feel confident in this new terrain of advisory.
And that, my friends, is a totally different kettle of fish.
Why Confidence Feels Out of Reach
Accountants are wired differently and I say that with love (and firsthand experience). After profiling hundreds of accountants (and testing all this on myself too), I’ve come to understand a few core truths about how we’re built.
1. Accountants Have a Superpower-Level Need for Information
I called this out in my book Accounting Revolution information is our comfort zone. Our happy place. Our piggy-in-mud moment.
If we don’t have the right level of information, we feel completely out to sea. So it’s no wonder that when we move into advisory and no one gives us the advisory information we need (different to compliance!), we feel lost and unsure of ourselves. Confidence nosedives not because we’re incompetent, but because we’re uninformed.
2. Accountants Are Supportive Communicators
This is a beautiful trait. It means we’re great listeners, we put others first, and we often like to receive instruction (perfectionism says, Hello). The downside? We often wait to be told what the client needs.
This works a treat in compliance where clients know what they want: tax returns, BAS, payroll. But advisory? Clients rarely know what they need. They just know they feel stuck or overwhelmed or unsure.
If you’re waiting for a client to say, “I’d like some advisory services, please,” you’ll be waiting a long time.
3. Clients Don’t Know What Advisory Is And Honestly, Neither Do Most Accountants
Advisory is one of those catch-all terms that means everything and nothing all at once. Ask 100 accountants what it means and you’ll get 100 different answers.
So when clients don’t understand what advisory is, and you’re not confident in articulating it either well, of course you’re not offering it regularly. The whole thing feels vague, uncomfortable and a bit nosey.
And that’s not your vibe.
Advisory Confidence = Information + Process
This is where the rubber hits the road.
Confidence doesn’t just appear because someone tells you, “You can do it” or “Just talk to your clients more” (Cue eye-roll.)
Confidence comes from having:
- the right information (specifically tailored to advisory, not just compliance)
- a repeatable process that allows you to get that information from your clients, in a way that feels natural to you
You don’t need to become someone else. You don’t need to “fake it till you make it.”
What you do need is a structured process that leads the conversation and gets you what you need to deliver value. A process you can trust, so even when your brain goes “eek!”, you know exactly what step to take next.
That’s why I developed the Business Metamorphosis® Model and Advisor Program not just to teach advisory, but to support accountants being accountants while they learn how to do advisory in a totally different way.
Real Talk: Process Will Save Your Sanity
Let me tell you, there are still days where I go into a client session thinking, “I have no idea where this is going.”
But I trust the process.
I keep going.
I ask the next question.
And then — ding dang dong — it clicks into place.
The clarity lands. The solution emerges.
And the client says, “Wow. I feel so much better.”
The confidence doesn’t come first.
The process comes first.
Then comes the information.
Then comes the confidence.
And Yes… This Is Technically a Sales Process (But Don’t Panic)
Let’s get one thing straight: I didn’t set out to build a sales process for accountants.
I set out to create a way for accountants to ask the questions they need to confidently offer advisory services in a way that feels natural, genuine, and completely non-salesy. But… turns out that name was already taken. 😄
So yes, we call it a sales process.
But not the icky, pushy, closing-deals-in-a-blazer kind. For accountants, sales means something different:
- It’s gathering the right information
- Deepening the trust you already have with your client
- Opening the door to the real conversations, the ones that show you what the client actually needs (not just what we assume they want)
That’s the kind of “sales” accountants can get behind because it doesn’t feel like selling. It feels like helping.
And when you follow a process that’s built for how you work best, your confidence shows up, your client relaxes, and suddenly… you’re doing advisory in a way that feels completely natural.
Key Takeaways
- You’re not lacking confidence, you’re lacking information and process. When you’re missing those, of course things feel hard. Of course you doubt yourself. That’s not a flaw; it’s a signpost.
- Accountants have a deep, natural need for information. It’s your superpower. You’ve just never been shown how to gather the right kind for advisory.
- Your supportive communication style works beautifully, once you have a structure to lead the conversation. You don’t need to sell. You just need the right questions.
- Clients don’t understand what “advisory” means and that’s okay. It’s your job to help them see what’s possible, not wait for them to ask.
- A repeatable process = confidence on tap. Once you know what to ask, and when to ask it, advisory becomes second nature. Pinky promise.
Want a Head Start?
If this blog resonated and you’re ready to try something different, I’ve created a resource just for you:
How to Start Advisory Conversations Easily
A practical tool packed with a huge list of powerful questions to get the advisory information flowing even if the idea of “selling” advisory makes you cringe.
It’s free, simple to use, and designed specifically for accountants like you.
Let the questions do the heavy lifting you just follow the process.