The Successful Bookkeeper Podcast
Ask 500+ episodes anything.
Twelve years of conversations with the bookkeepers who built it — every episode and article, instantly searchable and answered in their words.
500+ episodes
100+ articles
10,000+ members in the TSB Community
Ask TSB · 3 episodes · 1 article
Preview
How do I raise my prices without losing clients?
Answer
Across the episodes, the bookkeepers who raised prices successfully did three things in common — and the order matters.
1. They got crystal clear on the value before the conversation. Every pricing shift in the library happens at a catalyst moment, not from learning a methodology. For Kimme Lafayette it was COVID hitting her cash flow. For Dan Baker it was a client doing $600K in revenue with a $19K T4 — the number was undeniable.
2. They structured the conversation as an invitation, not an announcement. Brad Wolford's "reverse opt-out" letter is the cleanest template: clients had to opt out of the new pricing, not in. Almost nobody opted out.
3. They accepted that some clients would leave — and that's the point. The clients who don't pay more are usually the clients draining your evenings and weekends. Letting them walk is what unlocks the capacity for the next tier.
Sources
522
Reverse Opt-Out Pricing — From $14K in Year One to 11 Staff
"I told them the new price was going into effect. If they didn't opt out, that's what they'd pay. Less than 5% opted out."
481
Value-Pricing Your Way Through a Crisis
"COVID hit and I had to pick — drown or rebuild. Value pricing was the rebuild."
407
The $600K Client Who Changed Everything
"A client doing $600K in revenue paid his kid $19K on a T4. That was the number that broke me."
📝
The Two Critical Mistakes Bookkeepers Make in Pricing Their Services
"Most bookkeepers underprice because they're charging for time instead of the outcome. Fix the frame and the conversation changes."
2 of 3 free questions used today
Members ask unlimited questions — plus download Brad's actual letter as an Action Pack.
Unlock unlimited
Find what you need by topic.
Raising prices without losing clients
33 episodes
Making your first hire
22 episodes
Firing clients who drain you
7 episodes
Installing systems that run without you
22 episodes
Scaling a real team
19 episodes
Building a 6-figure solo practice
24 episodes
Mindset, burnout & the ceiling
31 episodes
Selling, exiting, legacy
16 episodes
What bookkeepers are asking.
Browse the archive.
EP220
Laura Vanderkam - How To Successfully Work From Home
30-sec brief
Laura Vanderkam is a time management and productivity expert.
EP219
Brandi Bernoskie - How To Create A Website That Attracts Bookkeeping Clients
30-sec brief
This episode features website developer, Brandi Bernoskie and how she can help you attract more bookkeeping clients with your website.
EP218
Ron Saharyan & Ean Murphy - Make Your Bookkeeping Clients Profitable FIRST
30-sec brief
This episode features Profit First Co-Founder, Ron Saharyan and Ean Murphy is the owner of Moxie Bookkeeping and a Profit First Professional.
EP217
Joey Coleman - What You Need To Know About Customer Retention
30-sec brief
Joey Coleman is a speaker, consultant, mentor and the author of the bestselling book, Never Lose a Customer Again.
EP216
Twyla Verhelst - Why You Must Get To Know Your Bookkeeping Clients
30-sec brief
Twyla Verhelst is the head of the FreshBooks Accountant Channel and Leader of the Accounting Professionals Program.
EP215
Mark Wickersham - What You Need To Know About Pricing Your Bookkeeping Services
30-sec brief
Mark is a Value Pricing expert, Chartered Accountant, public speaker, author of various books and he has a terrific new training called The Business Advisory Masterclass.
EP214
Lisa Campbell - What You Need To Know About Scaling Your Bookkeeping Business
30-sec brief
Lisa Campbell is a Profit Strategist and creator of the Accelerator 2 Advisor Mastermind Program.
EP213
Sarah Facio-Davis - How Relationships Can Grow Your Bookkeeping Business
30-sec brief
Sarah Facio-Davis is the owner of Accurate Office Help which exceeds the expectation of timely and accurate bookkeeping so business owners can focus on growing their business.
EP212
Nikki McGraw - How You Can Overcome Challenging Times
30-sec brief
Nikki McGraw is the owner of GreenLeaf Bookkeeping Solutions and a Pure Bookkeeping licensee.
EP211
Michael J. Gelb - What You Need To Know About Public Speaking
30-sec brief
Michael J. Gelb is the author of 17 books (including Mastering The Art of Public Speaking), a consultant, trainer and speaker who helps businesses become more creative and successful.
EP210
Carl Reader - What You Need To Know About Business Strategy
30-sec brief
Carl Reader is the Head of Accounting at Practice Ignition for Europe, the Middle East, and Africa.
EP209
Cheryl Parker - How To Manage Grief While Running Your Bookkeeping Business
30-sec brief
Cheryl Parker is a grief recovery specialist, who endured then recovered from the loss of her own daughter, that focuses on helping individuals heal, rebuild, and prosper again.
Membership
The podcast is free.
What makes it useful — that's membership.
Unlimited Ask TSB. Live coaching every month with Lisa and Michael. A weekly call to keep you moving. A year of BKOS Marketing. 10,000+ members in the TSB Community who've been where you are. All for less than one billable hour a month.
Member
$0
forever
Everything a listener needs
- All 500+ podcast episodes
- Basic show notes
- 30-second AI briefs on every episode
- Ask TSB — 3 questions per day
- Free weekly newsletter
- Summit live access
- Limited community access
- Partner discounts on Dext, Profit First Professionals and our partner tech stack
Member Plus
$29
/ month
Or $249/year — save $99 + get Launchpad free ($199 value). Month to month, cancel anytime.
- Unlimited Ask TSB — plus saved conversations and memory of your firm
- Monthly TSB Live with Michael Palmer, with past podcast guests
- Monthly Hot Seat coaching with Lisa Campbell
- Weekly Success Blueprint coaching call
- Two 1:1 Clarity Calls a year with your coach
- Full community — every channel, direct messages and Ask the Room
- Partner Webinar Vault — 60+ partner webinars by topic and stage
- Free access to Beyond Bookkeeping intensives and quarterly workshops
- Member trainings, VIP Summit access and recordings
- A free copy of The Successful Bookkeeper book
- 1 year free of BKOS Marketing$1,200 value
-
🎁 Annual bonus: Launchpad Program, bundled free$199 value
Exclusive to annual members. The prerequisite workshop for every program.
More than 10× the value
$2,600+
$249
BKOS Marketing ($1,200) and Launchpad ($199) alone pay for 5+ years.
Your Host
More about Michael
Your move.
Start free. Ask TSB three questions. If one answer is worth $29 to you, you already know what to do.
Start free