Are you stepping into the world of strategic advising for your accounting clients? That’s a smart move.
Not only does strategic advising help your small business clients make better decisions, but it also opens up new revenue streams for your practice. Many accountants find this work fulfilling and profitable yet the biggest challenge they face is knowing how to start.
The truth is, while creating reports and analyzing numbers may come naturally, launching a successful advisory engagement takes a bit more structure and planning. The good news? You can set yourself up for long-term success with one simple tool: a well-run kickoff meeting.
In this post, we’ll break down the 5 essential components of a successful kickoff meeting, explain how it sets the tone for future advisory work, and show you how to establish an efficient, scalable process for growing your advisory services.
Why Strategic Advising Needs a Kickoff Meeting
Before diving into metrics and forecasts, it’s important to get the relationship with your client off on the right foot. A kickoff meeting isn’t just a formality it’s your opportunity to:
- Engage your client from the start
- Show immediate value through insights and tools
- Establish expectations and boundaries
- Position yourself as proactive rather than reactive
In other words, this meeting lays the groundwork for a high-impact, long-term advisory relationship.
The Role of Growth Planning in Advisory Services
Strategic advising thrives on growth planning a lean management principle that removes unnecessary steps and focuses on continuous improvement. It’s about delivering maximum value efficiently and effectively.
Instead of billing hourly, growth planning allows you to charge flat or value-based fees. The more streamlined your process, the more profitable each engagement becomes.
5 Must-Have Elements of a Strategic Advising Kickoff Meeting
A successful kickoff meeting is structured, yet flexible. It introduces your client to the advisory process, builds trust, and creates excitement about what’s to come. Here are the five key elements to include:
1. Frame the Relationship Clearly
Begin by explaining what your strategic advising service involves, including:
- How often you’ll meet
- What’s in scope vs. out of scope
- Communication channels between meetings
Be transparent about how your services are structured and what’s included in each package. This is also a great time to offer the kickoff meeting as a free trial a preview of what working with you will look like.
Pro Tip: Use this meeting as an opportunity to upsell or reinforce the value of your advisory packages.
2. Demonstrate What Working With You Feels Like
Don’t just tell show your value. Walk your client through a live snapshot of their financial data. Pick one or two key metrics and offer a brief insight or suggestion. This small preview builds confidence and piques interest.
Use the tools you plan to incorporate during future sessions. Whether it’s dashboards, forecasts, or benchmarking software, give them a taste of your hands-on, insightful approach.
Pro Tip: Tools like LivePlan let you import your client’s financials in under 2 minutes, making it easy to impress with real-time data.
3. Create Curiosity and Drive Demand
Strategic advising is a value-based, relationship-driven service. Unlike tax prep or bookkeeping, it requires your clients to feel emotionally invested. By previewing the insights and value they can expect, you increase client buy-in.
Link your insights to big business outcomes growth, profitability, and peace of mind. Leave them wanting more.
Pro Tip: Always schedule the next meeting before ending the kickoff. Build momentum early.
4. Assess the Client’s Knowledge and Confidence
To deliver valuable advice, you need to know where your client stands. Ask questions to understand:
- How they currently define success
- Whether they link goals to financial outcomes
- Their comfort level with forecasting and KPIs
This knowledge helps you tailor your guidance to their experience level and spot potential gaps in your service scope.
5. Identify Their Biggest Business Goal
Every small business owner has a dream scaling revenue, launching new products, entering new markets. End your kickoff meeting by discovering your client’s one big goal.
Understanding this goal not only connects your services to real outcomes, it sets up your growth planning session, the next step in your strategic process.
Remember, many small business owners are solo operators. Their personal goals often reflect their business goals. Knowing this gives you deeper insight into how to best advise them.
What Happens After the Kickoff?
Think of strategic advising as a year-long journey, not a one-off project. Here’s a simple roadmap for delivering consistent value month-by-month:
- Month 1: Kickoff meeting, growth planning, and initial forecast setup
- Months 2–3: Refine and finalize the forecast
- Month 4: Evaluate financial policies like AR/AP, payroll, and benefits
- Months 5–6: Set “push” goals and track progress
- Months 7–9: Conduct competitive and market analysis
- Months 10–11: Handle tax prep and strategic alignment (if applicable)
- Month 12: Annual review and plan the upcoming year
This structured approach ensures you provide continuous value while building long-term client loyalty.
Strategic Advising is Worth It
Strategic advising allows you to make a meaningful difference in your clients’ businesses. With the right process, like a strong kickoff meeting and lean planning principles, you can turn this service into a high-impact, high-revenue part of your accounting firm.
So don’t be afraid to take the first step. Lead with confidence, focus on value, and enjoy the journey.
