As bookkeepers and accountants, we – hopefully!! – understand the importance of providing advisory services to our clients. These services go beyond traditional financial management and offer strategic guidance to drive business growth. However, a common question that arises is, “How often should I provide advisory services?”. So let’s explore the significance of ongoing support and discuss different approaches to determine the frequency of delivering advisory services.

The truth is, the frequency of advisory services can vary from client to client. The frequency of providing advisory services should be determined by the unique needs and circumstances of each client. Some businesses may require daily check-ins, while others are content with ongoing monthly or quarterly support, while others may benefit from more periodic check-ins or project-based consultations. It’s essential to understand your client’s goals, challenges, and growth trajectory to determine the most suitable approach.

At times, clients may need additional support. When clients are in the midst of an exciting project, grappling with new ideas or facing a challenging issue, they will require additional hand-holding and more bespoke and in-depth advisory services to navigate the uncharted waters.

On the other hand however, whilst the more frequent the advisory support provided, the better; we should adapt our services to ensure that the business is able to extract the value from the services we are providing them.

There may be times where the advisory support that we provide needs to be scaled back or paused as our clients are knee-deep in the operational side of their business, juggling a million tasks and wearing multiple hats meaning that they don’t have the bandwidth to fully absorb and implement the value we provide.

Building strong, long-term relationships with your clients is key to delivering effective advisory services. Consistency in your support establishes trust and allows you to monitor progress over time. Regular engagements provide an opportunity to review financial performance, identify emerging trends, and adjust strategies accordingly. It also enables you to address any potential issues proactively, helping clients stay on track towards their goals.

Consider aligning the frequency of advisory services with your client’s business cycles. For instance, if a client operates on a monthly or quarterly financial reporting cycle, it may be beneficial to provide advisory services shortly after the completion of each reporting period. This allows for timely analysis, performance reviews, and strategic planning. Similarly, businesses with seasonality or specific project-based periods may require concentrated support during those times.

Businesses are dynamic entities that evolve over time. As bookkeepers and accountants, we must be adaptable and flexible in our approach to advisory services. Changes in market conditions, regulatory requirements, or shifts in business strategies may warrant more frequent or intensive advisory support. Stay attuned to your client’s changing needs and be ready to adjust the frequency and intensity of your services accordingly.

Regular communication with your clients is crucial in determining the appropriate frequency of advisory services. Engage in open dialogue, actively listen to their concerns, and understand their expectations. Collaboratively establish a schedule that balances their needs with your capacity to deliver high-quality advisory support. This ensures that both parties are aligned and working towards shared objectives.

The question of how often to provide advisory services has no one-size-fits-all answer. It depends on the unique characteristics of each client and their evolving needs. By tailoring your approach, considering business cycles, and fostering open communication, you can deliver ongoing advisory support that maximises the value you bring to your clients. It’s through these advisory services that businesses thrive and flourish. They generate more revenue, increase profits, and contribute to the economy by creating jobs.

The key thing to remember is that every little bit of advisory support we provide has a tremendous impact. Even if it’s a rare occurrence, the value we bring can be absolutely immense. In just 30 seconds, we can unlock new growth opportunities, help businesses pivot, and set them on a path towards success.

We’re not just number-crunchers; we’re dream enablers! By empowering business owners to extract more money from their ventures, we help them turn their personal dreams into reality. We hold them accountable to their plans and give them the freedom to reclaim their time.

Let your mission be to provide as much valuable advisory support as possible. Whether it’s daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly, or even annually, find creative ways to infuse advisory services into your client interactions. Think beyond tangible reports and forecasts, and explore what additional nuggets of wisdom you can provide – for a price!! – in between those formal engagements.

Most importantly, remember to charge for every aspect of advisory that you provide – by offering your insights and wisdom, you’re helping clients unlock their full potential and achieve remarkable success and profit.

Are you ready to embrace the potential of advisory in your practice and become a catalyst for growth?

If you haven’t fully explored these services yet, it’s time to consider the immense value they can bring to your clients and your practice; this is before we even consider the additional revenue and profit it can generate for both you and your clients!

By integrating advisory into the services you provide, you position yourself as a forward-thinking, proactive professional, capable of delivering holistic support that goes far beyond the numbers. Advisory allows you to guide business owners, shape their success and help them achieve their aspirations.

So, embrace the power of advisory, and unlock the full potential of your profession as a trusted advisor.

Click on the “Schedule Time With Me” button where you can book a (free!) virtual cuppa with me; register for my next Advisory webinar or book a 1:1 Superhero session (power hour) depending on the help you need to take your advisory offering to the next level.

To celebrate the launch of my blog, I’d love to thank you for taking the time to read by offering you a significant discount on my Superhero (Power Hour) sessions – Book here before 31st August to take advantage of the £51 saving!

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