How professional-service Pros can build a profile clients understand

When someone is looking for an accountant, legal practitioner, tax professional or business consultant, they're often dealing with something important: money, tax, contracts, compliance or a major business decision.

Your profile shouldn't simply tell them you're a “trusted professional.”

It should give them useful information so they can understand what you do, who you help and which credentials genuinely apply to your work.

Be specific about what you actually do

“Professional services” is far too broad on its own.

Depending on your practice, clearly identify services such as:

• bookkeeping;
• management accounts;
• payroll;
• annual financial work;
• tax-return preparation;
• tax advice;
• CIPC or company-secretarial assistance;
• contract drafting or review;
• legal representation;
• estate planning;
• business plans;
• financial modelling;
• strategy consulting;
• operational consulting; or
• other professional services you genuinely provide.

If you specialise, say so.

A client looking for monthly bookkeeping shouldn't have to contact you to discover that you only provide strategic consulting.

Explain who you work with

Give potential clients enough context to understand whether your experience is relevant.

You might work mainly with:

• individuals;
• sole traders;
• startups;
• SMEs;
• larger companies;
• non-profit organisations;
• particular industries; or
• clients facing a specific type of legal, tax or business issue.

Don't claim specialist expertise simply because you've handled one similar matter before.

Describe your actual experience accurately.

Accountants should describe their credentials accurately

Accounting includes different roles, professional designations and areas of practice.

If you hold a professional designation or belong to a professional body, identify it accurately.

Depending on your actual credentials, this could include membership or designation associated with bodies such as SAICA, SAIPA, CIMA or another relevant professional organisation.

Don't simply write “registered accountant” without explaining what registration, membership or designation you're referring to.

Also don't imply that every accounting or bookkeeping service requires the same designation.

Tell clients:

• your relevant qualification or designation;
• the professional body, where applicable;
• your areas of practice;
• your experience; and
• which services you actually provide.

Keep professional information current.

Tax practitioners have separate requirements

Providing tax-practitioner services isn't the same thing as simply offering bookkeeping.

SARS states that a person who is required to register as a Tax Practitioner must be registered with SARS and a Recognised Controlling Body, subject to the statutory exemptions.

Recognised Controlling Bodies currently include organisations such as SAICA, SAIPA, SAIT, CIMA, ACCA and others.

If you provide services that require Tax Practitioner registration:

• describe your status accurately;
• keep it current;
• don't use another accounting credential as a substitute for SARS Tax Practitioner registration; and
• give clients enough information to independently check your status where appropriate.

Don't imply that Know a Pro's identity verification confirms your SARS Tax Practitioner registration.

Legal practitioners should make their status clear

Legal services have their own professional framework.

If you practise as a legal practitioner, describe your professional status accurately and keep your Legal Practice Council information current.

Depending on your practice and whether you handle trust money, Fidelity Fund Certificate requirements may also be relevant.

Don't use vague labels such as “legal expert” to create the impression that you're entitled to practise as an attorney or advocate if you're not.

Likewise, don't imply that Know a Pro's ID verification confirms your LPC status or Fidelity Fund Certificate.

Consultants should explain their expertise

“Consultant” can mean almost anything.

That's exactly why your profile needs detail.

Explain:

• your area of consulting;
• industries you've worked in;
• the types of problems you help with;
• your relevant experience;
• what a typical engagement involves;
• what clients receive at the end; and
• what isn't included.

If you offer business plans, for example, explain whether the service includes research, financial modelling, market analysis, editing or simply formatting information supplied by the client.

Specificity is more useful than calling yourself a “leading business expert.”

Show credentials without overclaiming

Professional credentials can be useful information.

But they need to be described accurately.

When listing a credential, consider including:

• the designation;
• issuing or professional body;
• area it relates to; and
• current status where relevant.

Don't:

• invent designations;
• use expired membership as though it's current;
• imply that one credential qualifies you for unrelated professional work;
• imply Know a Pro has independently checked a registration unless the platform specifically confirms that it has; or
• describe ID verification as professional accreditation.

Understand what ID Verified means

South African Pros complete identity verification as part of the Know a Pro signup process before their profile can go live.

Once completed, their profile can display the ID Verified badge.

ID Verified relates to identity verification.

It does not prove professional qualifications, professional-body membership, SARS Tax Practitioner registration, LPC status, consulting expertise, competence, honesty, trustworthiness or quality of advice.

It also doesn't replace any professional registration required for the services you provide.

Keep identity verification and professional credentials separate.

Explain your fees clearly

Professional services aren't always suited to one fixed price.

That's fine.

What matters is helping clients understand how you charge.

Depending on your service, explain whether fees are:

• hourly;
• monthly;
• once-off;
• project-based;
• retainer-based; or
• quoted after an initial consultation.

Also explain where relevant:

• what's included;
• what is billed separately;
• whether VAT applies;
• whether government or third-party fees are additional;
• whether consultations are charged;
• when payment is due; and
• what happens if the scope changes.

Separate government fees from your service fee

If you assist with CIPC registrations, filings or other government processes, make it clear which amount is the official fee and which amount is your own professional or administration fee.

For example, CIPC currently lists R125 for registering a private company with a standard Memorandum of Incorporation, with an optional R50 name-reservation fee.

If you charge R800 for a company-registration service, don't describe the full R800 as “the CIPC fee.”

Explain what the customer is paying you to do.

Tell clients who will perform the work

If you run a practice or firm, the person attracting the client isn't necessarily the person handling every task.

Explain your structure where it matters.

A client may interact with:

• partners or directors;
• professional accountants;
• bookkeepers;
• candidate legal practitioners;
• junior professionals;
• administrators; or
• other team members.

Be clear about who is responsible for the engagement and what supervision applies where relevant.

Don't create the impression that a senior professional personally performs every task if that's not how your practice operates.

Handle confidential information carefully

Professional-service clients may share:

• identity documents;
• tax records;
• financial statements;
• bank information;
• payroll;
• contracts;
• employee information;
• legal correspondence; and
• commercially sensitive business information.

Don't ask potential clients to post sensitive information publicly.

Use appropriate private channels when confidential information is genuinely required.

Ask only for information relevant to the work and handle access responsibly.

Use reviews responsibly

Genuine reviews can help potential clients understand previous customers' experiences.

Encourage clients to leave honest feedback after working with you.

Don't:

• write the review for them;
• request a particular star rating;
• invent testimonials;
• disclose confidential client matters in your response;
• claim reviews prove your qualifications or professional registration; or
• present positive reviews as a guarantee of future results.

Professional confidentiality doesn't disappear because someone left a public review.

If you respond, avoid revealing tax, legal, financial or business details that aren't appropriate for public discussion.

Don't promise outcomes you can't control

Be careful with marketing claims.

Avoid promises such as:

• guaranteed tax refunds;
• guaranteed SARS outcomes;
• guaranteed court victories;
• guaranteed funding;
• guaranteed investment;
• guaranteed business growth; or
• guaranteed approval by a regulator or third party.

Explain what you will do and what you'll deliver.

Don't guarantee decisions that belong to SARS, a court, CIPC, a bank, an investor or another third party.

Respond to enquiries with the right questions

A useful enquiry isn't always one you should immediately accept.

Establish:

• what the client needs;
• relevant deadlines;
• the type of business or matter;
• whether the work falls within your scope;
• whether another professional is already involved;
• what records may be required; and
• whether you have any conflict or other reason you can't accept the engagement.

For legal, accounting, tax or other professional matters, follow any professional obligations that apply to your practice before accepting work.

Keep your profile current

Update your profile when you change:

• services;
• areas of practice;
• professional designations;
• registrations;
• service areas;
• pricing information;
• availability;
• team information; or
• contact details.

Remove outdated professional information rather than leaving clients to assume it's still current.

Share your Know a Pro profile

Your Know a Pro profile has its own page link, so you can share it through appropriate business channels.

Depending on your practice, that could include:

• your website;
• email signature;
• WhatsApp;
• business social-media profiles; or
• other appropriate marketing material.

Your profile gives potential clients another place to review your services, available professional information and genuine reviews before deciding whether to contact you.

What it costs to list on Know a Pro

Know a Pro uses a monthly membership model.

Independent Pro — R300/month

For independent Pros and sole traders.

Registered Business — R500/month

For registered businesses.

Know a Pro does not take a percentage of the jobs you receive through the platform. Your applicable monthly membership fee still applies.

Prices shown are current at the time of publication and may change.

Help clients understand your professional service

A strong professional profile doesn't need to promise that you're the most trustworthy accountant, lawyer or consultant in town.

Give potential clients clear information about what you do, your relevant credentials, your experience and how working with you operates.

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