How to Win More Advisory Clients With Curiosity

Have you ever spent hours preparing a detailed advisory proposal, only for the prospect to say, "I'll think about it"? It's frustrating, isn't it?

You've explained everything. You've demonstrated your expertise. You've even shown the prospect exactly how you're going to solve their problems. And then... nothing.

But here's something interesting. What if explaining too much is actually costing you clients?

If you want to win more advisory clients, you need to change how you communicate the value of your services. Let me explain.

The Biggest Mistake Accountants Make When Selling Advisory Services

Most accountants love explaining things. It's what we're trained to do. We analyse problems, identify solutions and explain our recommendations.

And that's great when we're working with clients. But when it comes to marketing for accountants, there's a problem. We often give away far too much information before the prospect has agreed to work with us.

Imagine meeting a business owner who's struggling with cash flow. You explain exactly what's going wrong, identify the causes and provide a detailed plan to fix everything. The prospect thanks you and disappears.

Why? Because they now believe they can solve the problem themselves.

Of course, you should demonstrate your expertise. But there's a difference between showing someone what's possible and giving them the entire solution for free. Your job is to sell the value of the outcome, not explain every step of the process.

The Mel Martin Secret: Create Curiosity With Fascinations

One of the most interesting copywriting techniques comes from Mel Martin. He used something called Fascinations. These are short, compelling statements designed to make people curious.

They work by combining two things:

• A specific, desirable outcome.
• An unanswered question about how to achieve it.

Consider this example.

Weak: "We help businesses improve cash flow."

Better: "Discover the 3 hidden cash flow problems that could be costing your business thousands."

See the difference? The first statement is boring. It sounds like something every accountant says. The second creates curiosity.

What are those three problems? Could they be affecting my business? How much money might I be losing?

That's the power of a Fascination. And it's a technique you can use when learning how to sell advisory services. The key is to make the prospect want to discover more.

Use the Pain Protector to Make Your Advisory Services More Compelling

Here's something worth remembering. Business owners don't just want to make more money. They also want to avoid losing it.

They're worried about cash shortages, unexpected tax bills, rising costs and making expensive mistakes.

Mel Martin's approach includes a technique known as the Pain Protector. Rather than simply promising a positive result, you highlight a problem the prospect wants to avoid.

For example:

"Discover the 5 costly financial mistakes growing businesses should check before the end of the year."

That's much more compelling than saying:

"We provide financial management advice."

Why? Because it speaks directly to something the business owner may already be worried about. But remember, the risks you highlight must be genuine. Good marketing creates awareness. It shouldn't create unnecessary fear.

Challenge Conventional Thinking With the Myth Buster

Another powerful technique is the Myth Buster. This involves challenging something people commonly believe.

For example, many accountants assume that charging by the hour is the fairest way to price their services. But is it?

Consider this statement:

"Why charging by the hour could be costing your accounting firm money."

That immediately creates a question. How could charging for every hour worked be costing me money? The reader wants to know more. And that's exactly what effective accounting firm marketing strategies should achieve.

You don't always need to provide the answer immediately. Sometimes, asking a thought-provoking question is enough to start a valuable conversation.

Make Your Promises Believable

There's one important warning when using curiosity-based marketing. Don't exaggerate. Business owners are naturally suspicious of unrealistic promises.

If you claim you can double someone's profits overnight, they're unlikely to believe you. Mel Martin's approach includes something called Taming Modifiers.

These are words or phrases that make your claims more realistic. For example, instead of saying:

"We'll double your profits in 30 days."

You might say:

"Our advisory review could identify opportunities to improve your profitability."

It's less dramatic. But it's much more believable. And when you're selling professional services, trust matters enormously. Never use impressive percentages or financial claims unless you have evidence to support them.

Three Places to Use Fascinations to Win More Advisory Clients

Now, here's the practical part. Where should you use these techniques?

First, your website.

Look at how you describe your advisory services. Instead of saying, "We provide management accounts and cash flow forecasts," try something more compelling.

For example:

"Are these 3 common cash flow mistakes holding your business back?"

Second, your marketing emails.

Your email subject lines should give people a reason to open them. Try something like:

"The hidden reason profitable businesses run out of cash."

Third, your advisory proposals.

This is particularly important when considering how to write better accounting proposals. Don't simply list everything you're going to do.

Explain the problems you'll help solve and the outcomes your client can expect. Give prospects enough detail to understand the service, its value and the investment required. But don't overwhelm them with technical explanations.

Pro Tip

Here's a simple exercise. Take your latest advisory proposal, website page or marketing email. Read the opening paragraph. Then ask yourself:

"Does this make the prospect curious enough to want to know more?"

If the answer is no, rewrite it. Replace descriptions of tasks with statements about meaningful client outcomes. Then introduce a specific question or problem that encourages further discussion.

It's a small change that could make your marketing much more interesting.

FAQs

What are Fascinations in marketing?

Fascinations are short statements that combine a specific benefit with an element of curiosity. They're designed to encourage readers to discover more.

How can accountants use Fascinations to attract more clients?

You can use them in website headlines, email subject lines, social media posts and advisory proposals. The aim is to highlight valuable outcomes rather than simply describing your services.

Should accountants explain their advisory process in proposals?

Yes, but focus on the information prospects need to make an informed decision. Explain the scope, expected outcomes and fees clearly without providing an unnecessarily detailed technical solution.

Final Thoughts

If you want to win more advisory clients, think carefully about how you're presenting your services. Stop overwhelming prospects with technical details.

Instead, focus on the problems they want solved, the outcomes they value and the questions that make them curious.

Mel Martin's Fascinations provide a useful way to do exactly that. And the best part? You don't need to rewrite all your marketing overnight.

Start with one proposal, one email or one page on your website. Make it more specific. Make it more interesting. Give people a reason to take the next step. Because the purpose of your marketing isn't to explain everything you know. It's to make the right prospects want to work with you.

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Wishing you every success on your pricing journey

The Value Pricing Academy Team