Tim Williams roams the globe in search of “next practices” in the world of professional services. As the founder of Ignition Consulting Group, he teaches leaders of professional services firms the principles and practices of effective positioning and pricing strategy. His assignments have taken him literally around the world, where he has worked with advertising agencies, law firms, accounting firms and business associations on every continent.

Tim is author of two books, the latest of which is “Positioning for Professionals: How Professional Service Firms Can Differentiate Their Way to Success.” He is serves as one of LinkedIn’s global influencers, where several hundred thousand followers regularly read his articles on positioning and pricing strategy. Shownotes:

Why law firms are to blame for the billable hour and charge out time sheets

Why getting pricing right is so critical for profitability in accounting firms

The four factors that improve margins in an accounting firm

The biggest reason professionals like accountants struggle with pricing

Why most professional firms don't actually have a revenue model but a cost structure, which is not the same

The ideal revenue model that represents the future of pricing for accounting firms

The difference between creativity in accounting and creativity in pricing accountancy services

Why the billable hour is a sub-optimal way of pricing for accountants

Why costing is a science but pricing is an art

The different pricing options available to accountants and the merits of each

The major problem with the term 'value pricing'

Evidence that the world is shifting towards a subscription economy

The main reason why an accountant should always offer a client options

How accountants have ceded power to buyers over the years by educating them wrongly on pricing

One of the worst things accounting firms do when it comes to pricing

Are you selling activities, efforts and inputs or outcomes, results and outputs?

What it means for your accounting firm if your prospects or clients are shopping or choosing you on price

An excellent metric to decide whether your accounting firm is pricing correctly

How accountants can change the dialogue around pricing with existing clients

Tips for pricing outcomes or results that are out of your control or influence

How your positioning in the marketplace affects your ability to price optimally

Shout out to pricing experts Ron Baker and Mark Wickersham

What accountants must consider to avoid becoming trapped on the 'hourly rate treadmill'

Although Tim started his career on New York’s Madison Avenue, today he finds it much more rewarding living in the Rocky Mountains, where he spends his spare time in Utah’s red rock country hiking with his wife and two Airedales. Contact Tim here:

http://www.ignitiongroup.com/ (Website and blog)

http://www.linkedin.com/in/TimWilliamsICG (LinkedIn)