In a recent CPD webinar, Rachel Harris — award-winning accountant, TEDx speaker, Forbes contributor, and founder of Strivex Accountants — shared the strategy behind her extraordinary ability to consistently bring in £100,000 of new client enquiries every month, all without paid ads or cold outreach.

Her approach is grounded in personal branding, content systems, and trust-building processes that turn visibility into tangible business growth.

Why does Personal Branding Matter?

Rachel set the stage with key data:

• 82% of buyers trust a business more when its leadership team is active on social media.
• 76% of B2B leads come from LinkedIn.
• 93% of buyers say trust is the number one factor in choosing a service provider.

For Rachel, personal branding is not about logos or colours, but about curating the narrative people share about you when you’re not in the room. It is this authenticity and visibility that builds trust at scale.

The Sales Funnel That Works

Many firms jump straight to “Book a call today!” messaging. Rachel argues this is a mistake. Her funnel focuses on progressively moving prospects from awareness to engagement, then to trust, before enquiry and finally conversion.

• Awareness: High-reach social content (short videos, posts).
• Engagement: Replies, comments, DMs, polls, stories.
• Trust: Repeated interactions, Q&A sessions, transparency.
• Enquiry: Booking discovery calls.
• Conversion: Guided onboarding into the firm.

This structured approach explains why many of her clients say they followed her for years before becoming ready to commit.

How to Create a Content Strategy that Works?

Rachel’s secret is data-driven content. Rather than guessing what to post, she draws ideas directly from:

• Prospect call conversations.
• Client feedback and objections.
• Common questions accountants avoid.
• Industry pain points and case studies.

For example, after hearing prospects say, “I follow Rachel because she answers the questions my accountant won’t,” she launched a 30-day video series tackling exactly those topics.

Her content is segmented for four audiences:

1. Business owners – potential clients for Strivex.
2. Accountants – learners who purchase CPD and resources.
3. Potential hires – future employees attracted through brand culture.
4. Practice owners – podcast listeners and peers.

By tailoring messaging to each, she maximises impact across Instagram, LinkedIn, TikTok, YouTube, and her podcast.

Beyond Social Media: The Workflow That Closes Deals

Rachel stressed that socials are only the top of the funnel. What happens next is just as critical:

1. Direct booking system into the Business Development Manager’s diary.
2. Pre-call resources and questions that highlight Strivex’s value and set expectations.
3. Values-led discovery calls with transparent pricing shared upfront.
4. Objection handling fed back into future content.
5. Guided onboarding process, praised in over 180 five-star Google reviews.

She highlighted the importance of feedback loops: every objection or hesitation feeds back into content and workflows, continuously refining the process.

Measuring and Improving Every Week

Every Monday, Rachel receives a KPI report tracking:

• Enquiries received.
• Work quoted.
• Work won.
• Conversion rates.

By reviewing results weekly (not monthly), she identifies whether issues lie in content, messaging, or conversion. Her BDM is incentivised on work won, not just quoted, ensuring alignment with real growth.

Key Takeaways for Practice Owners

Rachel concluded with advice that applies to firms of any size:

• Start where you are: You don’t need thousands of followers; you need clarity, visibility, and consistency.
• Use client language: Build content from what your ideal clients actually say, not from generic marketing jargon.
• Ask questions: Don’t be afraid to gather feedback from clients and prospects directly.
• Always include a call to action: Every post should guide the audience on what to do next.
• Think long-term: Content is not a one-off sales pitch, but an asset that builds trust over time.

Rachel’s message is simple yet powerful: with the right systems and consistent personal branding, accountants can transform their visibility into a reliable, high-value client pipeline — without ever needing to rely on ads or cold calls.

FAQs:

1. Do I need a huge social media following to make this work?

No. Rachel started five years ago with a small audience and one platform. What matters is visibility, clarity, and consistency. A focused, engaged audience that trusts you is far more powerful than big numbers.

2. Does this strategy only work if I’m comfortable on social media?

Not at all. While Rachel uses Instagram, LinkedIn, TikTok, and YouTube, her system is about processes and workflows, not just content. Even if you dislike showing your face online, you can use blogs, newsletters, or podcasts to achieve the same trust-building effect.

3. How do I know what content to post?

Rachel recommends building content from:

Real client questions and objections.

Feedback from discovery calls.

Case studies and success stories.

Your audience’s language (not industry jargon).
This ensures your content resonates with the exact people you want to attract.

4. How long does it take for this to start working?

It’s not instant. Many of Rachel’s clients followed her for months or even years before enquiring. Think of it as a funnel: consistent visibility leads to engagement, then trust, and finally enquiries.

5. What happens after someone enquires?

Rachel’s workflow includes:

Direct booking with her Business Development Manager.

Pre-call resources that showcase Strivex’s high-value approach.

A discovery call with transparent pricing.

A guided onboarding process that removes friction and builds confidence.

6. How do you handle objections like “you’re too expensive”?

Rachel builds objection handling into her content and workflows. For example, she openly shares her pricing so unqualified leads don’t waste time. She also turns objections into posts, helping prospects self-qualify before a call.

7. How do you track whether this is working?

Rachel receives a weekly KPI report that measures:

Enquiries.

Work quoted.

Work won.

Conversion rates.
If enquiries dip, she adjusts content. If conversions drop, she refines messaging or workflows.

8. Can this work for smaller firms or solo accountants?

Yes. Rachel stresses that her process can be scaled up or down. A solo accountant might focus on just one platform and one client avatar, while a larger firm can expand to multiple audiences and platforms.

9. Does this mean I should never run ads?

Rachel’s growth is 100% organic. She’s proven it’s possible to build a seven-figure practice without ads. However, once your system is working, ads can be layered on to amplify results — they just aren’t essential.

10. What’s the biggest mindset shift accountants need to make?

That personal branding isn’t about logos or fonts. It’s about building trust by being visible, helpful, and consistent. Clients don’t buy because you exist; they buy because they feel they know and trust you.

The contents of this article are meant as a guide only and are not a substitute for professional advice. The authors accept no responsibility for any action taken, or refrained from, as a result of the material contained in this document. Specific advice should be obtained before acting or refraining from acting, in connection with the matters dealt with in this article.