I’m going to tell you something that is so easy to overlook when it comes to marketing:
Your clients don’t come to you because you’re the most logical decision.
So, why do they come and stay with you?
It’s because of how you make them feel.
Marketing becomes easy once you understand the psychology behind it.
Below, I’ll explain how to use marketing psychology to grow your client list.
Don’t have time to read? Watch my video on this very topic below:
As accountants, we’re very logical.
Wouldn’t you agree?
We love that 1+1 = 2, but not everyone shares this preference.
Buying decisions are 95% emotional, and logic only comes into play later on when the person starts to justify their decision.
I’ll explain using a personal story that I want to share with you:
Growing up, I was stingy with money. Overspending? It wasn’t going to happen to a saver like me. When it came to getting my nails done, I thought that was too “spendy.”
I know getting your nails done is such a minor investment, but remember, I was a big saver. If an expense wasn’t necessary, it was wasteful.
What changed my mind (with my nails at least) was emotional reasoning. “I want to do this. I want to get my nails done.”
How did I justify it?
If I get my nails done, I’ll be more willing to:
So, logic led to justifying my decision to get my nails done because doing so made me more confident.
It’s a tiny example, and I’m sure you can think of a scenario like mine where you made these justifications.
Maybe you bought a bigger car or moved into a new office and said, “You know what, this is actually a tax write off.”
People make purchases based on emotions all the time, and they justify it later with logic. That’s how people buy.
That’s how you and I buy.
For prospects, their emotional feeling is trust. They ask themselves:
Based on these two questions, it’s clear that your delivery matters.
The way you speak to prospects matters.
They way you show up to meetings matters.
Heck, even your content on social media matters.
From there, create an emotional connection with your delivery, and that’s how to transform leads into clients.
Instead of saying, “Hey, we do tax planning.” Say, “We do tax planning so that you get A, B and C.” Adding in this emotional piece into your delivery is how you sell yourself to clients.
Think back to the last time you tried a new restaurant.
Why did you try it? What pushed you to take the dive?
For most of us, we try new things because of some sort of social proof.
There was some sort of social proof that gave you an indicator that you would have a good experience.
Your prospects? They want this social proof, too.
They want to see that you’ve helped other people who have been in their shoes.
Social proof can come in the form of trust-transfer content, which includes:
Sharing this feedback, this proof of your value, is game-changing. It builds trust, and potential clients will have an easier time saying “yes.”
Ultimately, reviews do more for your marketing than just about anything. In fact, reviews influence 93% of purchasing decisions.
Before we dive into this principle, I want you to close your eyes and imagine these two scenarios:
Which of these scenarios gave you a stronger emotion?
For many of us, the answer is going to be the one where we lost the client.
Why?
People are more motivated to avoid losing something than they are to gain something.
This phenomenon is known as loss aversion.
That’s why strategies that create urgency (price increases tomorrow or “there’s only two spots left”) motivate people to take action.
They don’t want to miss out.
Now, in accounting, this could look like:
So, when you’re creating your marketing content, think about ways to incorporate fear of missing out. If they don’t do this, what are they losing?
Highlight what they’ll be missing out on, and they’ll be more motivated to take action.
For this principle, I want you to imagine that you’ve just gotten off work after a long week. It’s Friday, and you just want to zone out.
What do you do?
A lot of us, we turn on the TV and go to Netflix (or some other streaming platform).
What do you notice? There are SO many options.
And if you didn’t already have a movie or show in mind to watch, it can be so hard to decide.
There are so many options that you actually never wind up choosing one.
You scroll around, watch some trailers, and ultimately decide not to watch anything.
It’s the same idea as restaurants that have super long menus. There are just too many options.
It’s called the paradox of choice.
And if your firm is offering too many options or packages, this may be why you’re struggling to grow.
Logically, it makes sense to offer as many options as possible to prospects.
But in practice, it doesn’t work.
You’re overwhelming potential clients. You may even be confusing them.
People don’t like having a lot of choices. Why? Because then they have to weigh the opportunity cost of picking the wrong decision.
So, what’s the solution?
That makes it really easy for potential clients to say “yes.”
Here’s why: The expert they trust is making the recommendation.
Now, along with narrowing down client options, you also have to think about pricing psychology.
Let’s talk about this in terms of three tiers.
Because here’s the thing: People don’t like to pick the cheapest option, and they don’t like to pick the most expensive one either. The middle feels balanced. It’s smart and reasonable.
If I’m buying a provider’s biggest package, I may start wondering whether I’m ready to outgrow them or if I’m the most complex company or individual they deal with.
It raises some red flags.
That’s why I always suggest recommending your middle tier to clients.
It feels balanced.
Clients don’t feel like you’re trying to upsell them, and there’s room to upgrade in the future.
Think about a time when someone really went above and beyond for you.
They really helped you out and made the situation so much less stressful.
For me, an example that instantly comes to mind is a time when my mom really helped me out.
I have two small kids, and my husband and I were traveling. Some of our travel plans even overlapped.
My mom really stepped up and helped us out, making sure the kids were taken care of and safe.
After she did all of this for us, I found myself constantly looking for ways to give back to her.
When someone does something for you and genuinely helps you, you often trust them more. You listen to them differently. You want to give back.
Now, I’m not suggesting that you should do free work. But what you should do is be helpful.
This could mean:
When someone gives you thoughtful advice without pressure (just because they genuinely want to help you), you don’t feel sold. You feel supported.
That’s how you earn trust and ultimately, new clients.
When you bring all these points together, you see that marketing psychology isn’t actually about manipulation.
It’s about aligning your actions with how people naturally respond.
You already respond to these principles every day, and your prospects do, too.
If you’re not aligning with these principles and rely too much on logic, you’re fighting human behavior.
In other words, your marketing won’t be as effective as it could have been.
So, keep all of these principles in mind when you’re creating marketing materials, talking to prospects or networking. It’s going to be an absolute game-changer for your firm.
Clients often make decisions based on emotions and later justify them with logic. By connecting emotionally, you can build trust and encourage prospects to choose your firm.
Share testimonials, case studies, and client interviews to demonstrate your value. This builds trust and helps potential clients feel more confident in choosing your services.
Loss aversion means people are more motivated to avoid losing something than to gain something. Highlight what prospects might miss out on if they don’t act, creating urgency in your marketing.
Limit your options to three clear choices. This helps clients make decisions without feeling paralyzed by too many options.
Offer three pricing tiers, recommending the middle option. This feels balanced to clients and avoids the perception of upselling while leaving room for future upgrades.
Provide helpful content, advice, or resources without pressure. This shows you genuinely want to assist them, fostering trust and increasing the likelihood of them becoming clients.