I have recently started a bookkeeping business. Could anyone help me with information on how to attract work from accounting firms and independent clients. Your feedback will be much appreciated.
I can only suggest things that I have done which have worked for me.
1. Contacting previous employers. Put word about that you can provide holiday / sickness cover. This of course is just offering your services on a temporary basis, but a job is a job, keeps the pennies rolling in.
2. Place postcards in newsagents and post-offices particularly around industrial areas. You can get passing trade this way, from people who are picking up supplies etc.,
3. Send letter of introduction + your sales flyer to all accountants in your area. You may get a `will keep your details on file` reply but at least its a reply. Also, when you first sign up a client, ask who their accountant is, send them a letter stating that you are your clients bookkeeper.
4. A very long and labourious one this, but make a list of suitable clients from the Yellow Pages / Business Local Directory, send a sales flyer. Check out the local papers for new business start ups.
5. Networking, now this has been suggested many times on the forum and one that I am yet to try.
6. Make sure that your business cards and sales literature are of good quality and hammer home the benefits of using a bookkeeper to help eleviate that boreing paperwork !
When you do contact accountants - mention you are also looking for someone you can pass tax and year end work off... so it's a two-way street.
This may be of more interest and appeal to them, and help get your foot in the door.
Most accountants will want to have confidence in bookkeepers they outsource work to, and have some sort of relationship established. Often the only way they can have confidence is see your work, so by taking on a year end job, they will get an idea of the quality of your bookkeeping and if it's something they would be satisfied with for their own clients.
