Advisory services are becoming a bigger part of how accounting professionals serve clients, but technical knowledge alone isn’t enough to make those services stick. What separates a valuable advisor from a forgettable one is often something less tangible: human connection.
Clients may come for the financial expertise, but they stay because they trust the person behind the advice. When CPAs and firm leaders integrate emotional intelligence, active listening, and presence into their advisory process, the results reach far beyond improved margins or projections. They create relationships that generate long-term loyalty and real impact.
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Understanding What Clients Actually Need
Most clients don’t speak “spreadsheet.” They’re not looking for a data dump or a list of tasks. They value clarity—knowing what their numbers mean, how those numbers affect their goals, and what choices are in front of them. It’s easy to assume that more data equals better value, but without context and conversation, reports are just static information.
To better meet client expectations, consider asking these three questions before any advisory meeting:
- What does this client care about most right now?
- Where are they feeling uncertain or overwhelmed?
- What kind of support (emotional or strategic) do they actually need?
These prompts help reframe the meeting from a transaction into a conversation and help you show up as a guide, not just a technician.
Bringing Emotional Intelligence into Advisory Work
Emotional intelligence isn’t about being soft; it’s about being perceptive. Recognizing subtle shifts in a client’s tone or hesitation can signal concerns they aren’t articulating yet. These moments are opportunities. Advisors who notice and respond to the emotional undercurrent in a meeting often become the person a client turns to first, not just for financial insight, but for decisions that affect their business or family.
Start small. During your next client conversation, try this:
- When you ask a question, wait at least three seconds before responding. Silence gives people space to share more.
- Instead of jumping to solutions, reflect on what you heard: “It sounds like you’re trying to decide between stability and growth right now.” This validates their experience and builds trust.
- Avoid jargon. Even the most sophisticated clients appreciate accessible language focused on what matters to them.
These techniques create a more collaborative and respectful dynamic, and that dynamic is what builds long-term advisory relationships.
Checking in With Yourself First
Advisory services are relational. Clients will feel it if you’re stressed, unfocused, or depleted. That’s where self-awareness and intentional habits come into play. One of the core principles of my framework, the B³ Method®, Business + Balance = Bliss, is that how you show up matters just as much as what you deliver.
Here are a few practices that support a more grounded presence:
- Five-minute reset before meetings: Take a few deep breaths or write down your intention for the session.
- End-of-day check-ins: Ask yourself, Did I really listen today? Where was I present, and where was I distracted?
- Boundaries around availability: Structure your day with space between meetings so you don’t carry one client’s stress into the next conversation.
Designing Advisory Experiences That Feel Personal
Think beyond templated agendas. Start thinking about the client’s experience from their side of the table. What does it feel like to work with your firm? Is there time built in for questions? Are meetings focused only on deliverables, or do they leave space for forward-looking strategy?
If you want your advisory services to feel different, start by shifting the format:
- Begin each meeting with a grounding question: “What’s top of mind for you today?”
- Set a clear intention for the conversation that connects back to their long-term goals, not just this quarter’s numbers.
- Close with a reflection: “What’s one thing that feels clearer or more manageable now?”
These micro-moments build loyalty. They signal that your role is more than just reporting numbers—it’s helping clients create meaning from them.
Human-First Advisory Leads to Better Business
When clients feel understood, they’re more likely to follow your advice, refer you to others, and stay with your firm long-term. But beyond the business outcomes, there’s a deeper benefit: work becomes more meaningful. You’re no longer just delivering services. You’re shaping lives, helping businesses grow sustainably, and becoming a trusted part of someone’s journey.
Advisory services are evolving. The firms that thrive will be the ones that remember what technology can’t replace: the power of being fully present, the ability to listen deeply, and the wisdom to know when to speak and when to pause.
That’s the kind of advisor people remember and rely on.
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Amy Vetter, CPA, CITP, CGMA, is an accomplished c-suite executive and board member with deep experience in cloud technology and transformation, creating go-to- market (GTM) strategies to scale businesses nationally and internationally. Amy has held multiple roles in Fortune 500, startup, small company rapid growth, and is a serial entrepreneur.
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