Who said law firms and auditing firms don’t need salespeople?
Yes, I know these industries love to hide behind their “professional ethics.” “We don’t advertise,” they say, as if that’s a badge of honor. But here’s the truth: you might not be allowed to advertise loudly, but there’s nothing illegal about marketing smartly.
The old belief was simple “the partners must do everything.” They must audit, sign, advise, manage staff, chase clients, and still go to networking events looking calm and collected. In short, the partner is the accountant, marketer, receptionist, and janitor all in one designer suit.
Now imagine this: the partner goes out and lands 50 hot leads in a week. But the moment one big client calls for an urgent engagement, boom all those 50 leads are forgotten. The phone starts ringing nonstop, but the partner is too busy “in a meeting.” Meanwhile, those potential clients are moving on to another firm whose junior just followed up with a simple WhatsApp message saying, “Good afternoon, just checking in.”
In Zimbabwe today, there are so many law firms and auditing firms big and small and the competition is fierce. Fees are going down, clients are comparing quotes like it’s a vegetable market, and still, some firms are sitting quietly waiting for clients to come to them like it’s 1980.
Let’s be clear: marketing and selling are not the same thing. Marketing is when you post your new partner appointment on LinkedIn with 12 hashtags and hope someone notices. Sales is when a prospect shows interest, and you actually follow up nurture them, understand their needs, close the deal, and end up with a happy client who refers more. That’s sales.
In the 21st century, clients are busy. They won’t walk into your offices because your brass sign says “Chartered Accountants” or “Legal Practitioners.” You must go out there hunt for clients, follow up, and stay visible.
So maybe, just maybe, law firms and auditing firms should stop acting like sales is beneath them. Because the truth is even the most brilliant audit report or legal argument won’t pay the bills if there’s no client to bill!
Sometimes you don’t need another partner you just need a hungry salesperson with Wi-Fi and follow-up skills.
If your law firm or auditing practice is still relying on “word of mouth only,” you’re already losing clients to firms that follow up faster, communicate better, and stay visible. The market has changed and so must your strategy. Let’s help your firm build professional, compliant and effective sales pipelines that bring in clients consistently, without violating ethics. +263 77 961 9739 | +260 972 936 033 Grow your practice the modern way.**
By The Chartered Vendor
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