How do accountants follow up proposals that go quiet?
Send the proposal within a day of the meeting, then follow up a few days later and again the following week, each time making the next step easier, like explaining the ID checks and the handover from their old accountant. Most proposals go quiet because the switch feels like work, not because of the fee.
By Sammy Morgan, who runs M1 Studio in Chichester. Updated .
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- Industry
- Accountants and bookkeepers
- Problem
- Quotes that go quiet
- The fix
- Missed-Call Rescue, £800
- Do it yourself?
- Yes, the first steps below
Why it happens to accountants and bookkeepers.
- Switching accountant feels like a chore
- The prospect has to tell their current accountant, arrange a handover and dig out paperwork. If nobody explains how simple that can be, they put it off.
- There are steps before you can start
- Anti-money laundering rules mean you check a new client’s identity before taking them on, and there’s an engagement letter to sign. Each extra step is a place where the prospect can stall.
- They’re comparing on price
- Many owners get two or three proposals. If yours only lists a fee, the cheapest one looks the same as yours.
- Timing is seasonal
- A prospect who met you in December may be busy with their own January deadline, or only think about it again once their year end has passed.
What to do, in order.
Send it fast
Get the proposal out within a day of the meeting, while they still remember the conversation.
Explain what switching involves
A short note on the handover from their old accountant, the ID checks you have to do and what they need to send you. Make it sound manageable, because it usually is.
Follow up twice, usefully
A few days later, ask if they have questions. A week after that, send one helpful thing, like a key date for their business, and ask if they want to go ahead.
Keep every open proposal in one list
Name, date sent, fee and next follow-up date. A spreadsheet works, but reminders that come to you are better.
Automate the reminders
Missed-Call Rescue (£800) includes a simple CRM with automatic reminders, so no proposal is forgotten. Text and app fees are paid at cost or directly by you, and listed before you agree.
Where M1 can do it for you.
Fixed prices, or a fixed quote before any work starts. No VAT is charged. Any running costs are listed before you agree.
- Missed-Call Rescue £800
It keeps every enquiry and open proposal in one list, with reminders to follow up and a text back when you miss a prospect’s call.
Missed calls get a text back, automatically.
- Sales Call Kit £800
A sales call script written for your practice and answers to objections accountants hear, like “my current accountant is cheaper” or “switching sounds like a hassle”.
Know what to say on every sales call, and who to call.
- Growth Build from £6,500
A new practice website with a CRM, follow-up reminders and a chat assistant, for practices ready to replace their site too.
Turn enquiries into bookings.
Want to check the rest of your business first? Take the free Scorecard: 12 questions, about 3 minutes.
Before you decide.
Something else? Ask Sammy on WhatsApp.
How many times should I follow up a proposal?
Two or three times over two or three weeks is usually enough, each with something useful. After that, a short note saying you’ll close the file unless they want to go ahead often gets a reply. The guide to following up a quote has wording you can adapt.
Should I mention the ID checks in the proposal?
It helps to explain early that you have to check identity before taking on a new client, what you need and how quick it is. Surprises later are a common reason prospects stall. What your checks must cover is for you and your supervisor to decide.
Can the follow-up be automatic?
Reminders to you can be. The messages themselves are better in your own words. A follow-up sequence can send a short, personal-sounding note on set days, and stop as soon as they reply.
Keep reading.
Know what to fix. Then decide.
Sammy writes down what’s holding your business back and what to fix first. The Foundation Blueprint is yours within 5 working days of your answers.
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