Bissett Bullet: How Much is Too Much?

Today’s Bissett Bullet: “What level of detail should I go into during my first meeting with a prospective client?”

By Martin Bissett

There is no hard or fast rule and so the answer to this question is – it depends. The level of detail should be governed by how much the business is willing to discuss their situation with us. When it comes to talking about them, their business and what they find challenging, there is no such thing as too much detail. The more you discover, the better your understanding will be of how you can best help them and the stronger your proposal will be as a result.

Today’s To-Do:

In readiness for your next meeting, remember – the two things you don’t want to do are a) talk about price and b) bore them rigid with the ins and outs of YOUR firm. Arrive ready to talk about THEM.

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Bissett Bullet: Put It In Writing

Bissett Bullet: What Are You Known For?

Posted on May 14, 2026

Martin Bissett

About the Author

Never Mind the Bullets digital daily | Learn more.

Martin Bissett is the author of

Never Mind the Bullets, the 366-day year-long daily email subscription providing guidance and inspiration for practicing professionals. | Learn more
Winning Your First Client,
Passport to Partnership, and
Meet Your New Best Client

Shop the Martin Bissett Practice Growth Collection

He is the founder of The Upward Spiral Partnership Ltd., the UK-based consulting firm that specializes in the implementation of professional selling and leadership skills in the next generation of accounting professionals.

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Previously, Martin served ten years on the board of directors of the UK’s leading provider of high-quality new business appointments for accountancy firms. There, he held the responsibility for the nurture and organic growth of the organization’s new client base, including six of the UK’s top 30 firms of accountants.

Martin became fascinated by the apparent juxtaposition of partners not vocalizing what they were looking for in terms of an accomplished skill set from their potential future partners and their managers not asking to discover what that skill set included, despite wanting to reach that very position. In a profession with a supposed “Succession Crisis” on the horizon, this apparent stand-off struck him as curious.

This has led Upward Spiral Partnership to personally interview several hundred partners and managers in the US and UK to learn what partners are looking for and how the managers see their own future in the firm. There are, of course, firms that have addressed this issue already, and their initiatives have also been captured.

The results of the research, including both the consensus and the exceptions to the general opinion, is called “Passport to Partnership.” This study provides the highlights of each factor that the majority of partners interviewed use as their criteria when evaluating whether someone in their organization can make it to the top.

As a result of the combination of his experience, intellectual property, and this proprietary research, Martin now consults with accounting firms in the UK, Europe, and the USA to support them in their transition through to the next stage of their development and growth.

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