The accounting software market
Accounting software is one of the most competitive but also one of the most rewarding SaaS categories for commission agents. Every business needs accounting software, and many are still using outdated systems, spreadsheets, or even paper records.
In Australia, the market is dominated by Xero, MYOB, and QuickBooks, but there are dozens of niche products serving specific industries and use cases. The commission opportunities exist both in selling the dominant platforms and in selling complementary or specialised tools.
Understanding the buyers
Small business owners
Most small business owners choose their accounting software based on:
- Recommendations from their accountant or bookkeeper
- Ease of use (they are not accountants)
- Price relative to features
- Integration with their bank and other business tools
Accountants and bookkeepers
These are the power users and influencers. If an accountant recommends a specific platform to their clients, those clients usually follow. Building relationships with accountants and bookkeepers can be one of the most effective strategies for selling accounting software.
Business managers
In larger businesses, the finance or operations manager often makes the decision. They care about reporting, automation, multi user access, and scalability.
The sales approach
Lead with pain points
The common pain points that drive accounting software purchases:
- "I spend hours on data entry every week"
- "I never know how much money I actually have"
- "Tax time is a nightmare"
- "My accountant is frustrated with my current system"
- "I have outgrown my spreadsheet"
Demo the daily workflow
When presenting accounting software, show the daily tasks: creating an invoice, reconciling a bank transaction, running a profit and loss report. These are the activities the user will do every day, so they need to see how easy they are.
Address the switching fear
The biggest objection in accounting software sales is the fear of switching. Business owners worry about losing their data, downtime during migration, and the learning curve.
Address this directly: "Migration typically takes about two hours. Your historical data moves across, and most people are comfortable with the new system within a week."
Building an accounting software sales business
Partner with accountants
Offer accountants a referral fee or a co branded approach. Many accounting software companies have formal partner programs that facilitate this.
Target businesses at transition points
New businesses, businesses changing accountants, and businesses outgrowing their current systems are the warmest prospects.
Focus on complementary products
If you already sell accounting software, look for complementary products on Zepys: payroll, invoicing, expense management, or point of sale systems. Cross selling to existing customers is a natural growth strategy.
The recurring revenue advantage
Accounting software is among the stickiest SaaS categories. Once a business sets up their accounts, enters their data, and trains their team, they rarely switch. This means your recurring commissions are extremely stable and predictable, making accounting software one of the best products for building long term agent income.