Pricing: The Biggest Lever in Your Firm (And Why You’re Not Pulling It Hard Enough)
Every accountant knows they should “get better at pricing,” but few grasp the scale of the opportunity. Pricing is not a side note in your business model. It’s the single biggest lever you have to transform and grow your firm. Yet most accountants aren’t pulling it nearly hard enough.
At Renew, we coach firms to adopt a new mindset:
- Make your firm the #1 client. That means setting target pricing that fits your business model, subsidizing clients at your own expense.
- Play to win, not to not lose. Playing to not lose is taking on anyone who calls, quoting fast to “get the job,” and apologizing for your fees. Playing to win is selecting the right clients at the right price and walking away from the rest.
- Focus on success, not survival. Survival pricing is about keeping the lights on. Success pricing builds a firm you can sell, a team that thrives, and a life outside of tax season.
- The world is one of unconditional abundance. Scarcity says, “If I raise prices, I’ll lose clients and not be able to meet payroll.” Abundance says, “There are more than enough great clients who will pay for value.” Which mindset you choose will dictate your future.
- Be accountable. Own your pricing process and never price alone.
With this foundation in place, let’s look at what it means to pull the pricing lever properly.
Positioning First, Price Second
Before you ever talk numbers, you need to position your firm clearly. For example:
“We work with select businesses and individuals on a year-round basis. We’re not the least expensive option, but we create the most value for clients who want a long-term relationship.”
That statement does two things. It filters out price-shoppers and sets the tone for a partnership, not a transaction. Pricing confidence starts with positioning confidence.
Stop Selling Time
Time is the weakest metric in professional services. It doesn’t capture the years of expertise, the sleepless nights of tax season, or the risk you shoulder for your clients.
Clients don’t buy hours. They buy outcomes: peace of mind, financial security, better decisions. If you’re still thinking in hours, you’ll always underprice.
Diagnose Before You Prescribe
Too many firms still quote based on last year’s return or a quick glance at financials. That’s not pricing. That’s guessing.
Like a doctor, you need a diagnosis before you prescribe. What’s the client’s situation? Their goals? Their pain points? Without this, you’re selling a form. With it, you’re selling transformation.
At Renew, we teach firms to use a repeatable sales process—our Renew Sales Ladder—that ensures you’re pricing the client, not the service (or worse, the form).
Value Up, Clients Down
Here’s the paradox: when firms raise prices, they usually end up with fewer clients…and more profit.
With fewer clients, you have more capacity to be proactive. You deliver greater value. Your team breathes easier. Everyone wins.
That’s what happens when you stop surviving and start playing to win.
Stop the Discounting Habit
One of the most damaging lines an accountant can utter is: “We’ll do a better job and charge you less.”
Why would you do that? Better service must command a higher price. Every time you discount, you reinforce the scarcity mindset and weaken your model. Clients expect to pay more for better value. Let them.
Pricing Is an Attitude
Your mindset at the moment of pricing matters. If you’re stressed, rushed, or feeling needy, don’t price that day. Wait until you’re in a stronger headspace.
Because here’s the truth: you think about your price far more than your clients do. What they want is clarity and confidence. If you deliver that, and they are a target client, they’ll accept your price.
Pull the Lever
Pricing is not about hours. It’s not about matching competitors. It’s about building a business model where your firm thrives and where you and your team can reclaim your life.
So, here’s the challenge: Stop being a pricing apologist. Stop selling time.
Pricing Goals
Most aim at nothing at hit it with amazing accuracy. Our benchmarking study suggests the following targets:
- Average Hourly Charge Rate of $200 per hour. If you don’t complete timesheets, just estimate it.
- Revenue Per FTE of $250K (includes partners and excludes admin)
Instead:
- Position your firm for year-round, advisory-led relationships.
- Diagnose before you price.
- Sell outcomes and value, not hours.
- Pull the pricing lever with confidence.
- Don’t price alone.
- Set pricing goals and review them.
Ready to pull the pricing lever in your firm? Schedule a call with Renew to see how we help accountants reset their pricing, win back their time, and build a business model that truly works.
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