It can be challenging to demonstrate the true value of your services to clients, especially when you’re introducing a new service for the first time. But having clients develop an understanding and appreciation of how important an accountant or bookkeeper’s role is, is key to embedding your new service in longer-term with full client buy-in.

We asked business owners what more they wanted from their accountants. Almost a third of people said they wanted their accountant to provide a cash flow forecast. So that means people are crying out for cash flow advisory services, right?

Well, not quite. Here’s a question: do your clients actually connect their business problems with cash flow as the solution?

This is where Float’s Cash Flow Proposal Guide comes in.

We’ve created this conversation guide as a hub of practical advice on how to go from identifying an opportunity for a new cash flow service, right through to having a client paying a recurring fee for it.

The step-by-step worksheet is designed to help you engage clients in meaningful conversations around cash flow. And by meaningful, we mean effective.

Here are 5 key, actionable steps from the worksheet:

• Discovery & groundwork - what are your client’s immediate goals and challenges?
• Requirements to meet goals & address client challenges - what needs to be done to get the outcome both parties want?
• Responsibility - which party is responsible for each task to be done?
• Embedding your cash flow service longer-term - show evidence that cash flow isn’t just for a crisis
• Pricing the jobs to be done - how to price the proposed work

Having a structured conversation establishes a roadmap and proposal for cash flow support that both parties agree on. Shared responsibility to achieve joint goals is an excellent way to encourage client accountability.

Pricing the proposed work you will do for a client can be notoriously difficult, especially when it is an entirely new service. But by dividing responsibility, you’ll be able to price more economically.

For example: if breaking down the responsibilities shows your client will be doing a lot of the work, you’ll be more inclined to set the price lower. If you or your team are shouldering a hefty portion of the responsibility, then the price will naturally be higher for the service. Evidencing this cost breakdown will also help you demonstrate to clients how valuable you and your services are in supporting their small business.

Building knowledge and educating your clients on cash flow and working together on their business’s cash management will reap multiple benefits for your practice - not only improving your relationship and cash flow dialogue, but also how your clients tackle or approach problems in the future.