Another Quick Introduction - The Book-keepers Forum (UK)

kjmcculloch · Guru

Another Quick Introduction

Julie Dawn · Senior Member

Hi Kris,

I am in a very similar position to you and your post has prompted me to also introduce myself :)

I have also recently bought Bookcert, which is extremely helpful and I am just waiting for my website to be up and running and once I have passed ICB level 2 I will be applying for membership with practice licence then off I go!!

Julie

Terri · Senior Member

Hi Kris,

I am taking my ICB Manual Level 2 exam on the 10th June and I bought the Bookcert too so we are kinda at the same place, both starting out. I recently started working as a self employed bookkeeper from 1 April and I have a client and have made a great contact also, who I am sure will provide me with help if I need it.

I am always on here asking questions - I bet everyone is getting tired of me lol I just look forward to being able to answer a few questions too.

Good luck with the studying

Terri

Terri · Senior Member

Hi Julie,

I have seen some posts from you, sounds like you have a plan in place. Are you taking the level 2 exam next month?

Terri

Julie Dawn · Senior Member

Hi Terri,

I am waiting results for level 1, ICB would not accept my ACCA Accounting technician certificates, even though I have passed 8 exams! Plus they wouldnt let me order level 2 computerised until I have passed level 1.

I wanted to go through ICB as they offer a good practice licence package plus logo and insurance, etc.

I am also about to take my last ACCA exam, so once thats done I can concentrate more on the advertising etc....I have discovered there is lots to do when setting up bookkeeping from home!!

Do you have your own business and are you finding the current climate difficult??

Julie

sarahwilson · Veteran Member

I may as well say hello too!!

I've passed my Level 1 ICB, have sent off my Level 2 computerised and am awaiting the results & am sitting Level 2 manual next month. I am also doing the AAT, I've passed all the Foundation and have almost completed Intermediate.

I'm wanting to start bookkeeping working for myself alongside my fulltime accounts job and see where it takes me so if anyone has any tips I'd be glad to hear the.

Denise · Senior Member

Hi Kris, Julie, Terri and everyone else too!

You have also prompted me to introduce my self. My name is Denise and I have also recently started my own bookkeeping business. Unfortunately I am not doing very well at it at the moment. I have had a couple of enquiries that came to nothing. I think the problem is I am not a very good sales person, I need to be more confident and be able to sell myself better. I do have a part time accounts job though, and also do my daughters bookkeeping which gives me lots of practice.

I am also taking the I.C.B Level 2 manual on 10th June, so fingers crossed for all of us taking exams that day.

sarahwilson · Veteran Member

I'm the same Denise, I need to try and come up with a good sales pitch!!

Julie Dawn · Senior Member

Yes I have been thinking about that part too, maybe the most important fact we need to get across that they can have complete confidence in our work?

Terri · Senior Member

Well there seems to be a little bunch of us all starting out at the same time. I hope that we can support eachother and offer advice or a listening ear from him to time. It is hard starting out. I have no previous experience and having two small children (eldest is 3 next month and 8 month old baby) to look after full time as well adds a bit more pressure.

Julie

I started offering my bookkeeping services on 1 April this year and havent had a great response at all despite a lot of advertising. I think that my lack of experience is letting me down but we all have to start somewhere right? I have one client at the moment and a contact who has given me some work to do for him which is really helpful. I am making small progress, but small is better than nothing right so I am trying to be positive.

Denise

Like you, I find the whole selling prospect hard. I am not comfortable about it and I am a very nervous and shy person anyway. I find over the phone much easier than face to face. With time and practice I hope that my reputation of being a good bookkeeper will be passed from client to prospective client and that may help get a foot in the door before actually meeting the client. I am confident that my quality of work speaks for itself and will win me work through recommendations.

It is great to know that I am not the only one starting out at the moment. I wish you all loads of success with your businesses and with any upcoming exams.

Terri

Julie Dawn · Senior Member

I would like also to wish everyone success with their new ventures :)

I think it is a very difficult time for any business at the mo, let alone a new one. I am currently working for a marketing company who has been established over 10 years and our sales have dropped loads, to the point where we let 6 people go in Feb.

Having said that I think we should all be positive as things will get better and all companies new or old need good bookkeepers, which we all are! The best marketing is word of mouth so I am sure once we all get started things will be looking up!

I too am quite nervous and shy and am dreading that meeting with the first client (presuming I get some!) but I dont think its something that needs a lot of selling. I am going to just make sure I have everything super prepared before I start. Well thats the plan anyway!

sarahwilson · Veteran Member

I see a lot of you have Book Cert, have you got that instead of ICB/IAB or as well as and why? I'm just pondering the merits of it if I already have software.

Terri · Senior Member

I studied from home and I am taking my exams with the ICB but I bought the bookcert as it helps you find customers and work as a bookkeeper. I found it really useful and the Cash Book software that you get with it is what I use for my own books. I find it is really easy and quick to use. I found that learning how to do double entry bookkeeping and actually working as a bookkeeper and doing the work is really different so the bookcert was worth the money for me.

sarahwilson · Veteran Member

It sounds like it might be a good thing for me, I know the theory bit but I am bit worried about putting it into practice and that nervousness might put people off.

I'll take a look at the site and see what its all about. Thanks Terri smile

Terri · Senior Member

Feel free to ask any questions if you think of any after looking at the site. I forgot to add before that there are a few templates too, such as a letter of Engagement which I found really useful. I would have really struggled to put one together myself

Terri

sarahwilson · Veteran Member

That sounds really useful, I can't access their website at the moment but if I think of anything once I've taken a look I will give you a shout. Thanks Terri wink

kjmcculloch · Guru

I actually swayed for months about whether to get bookcert or not. With the ICB I felt I probably had everything I needed to go for it. I managed to get a second hand copy for just over £100 on this forum, and I found it had a lot of stuff in it I hadn't even thought of. It includes some good advice for going it alone, and to an extent holds your hand. A lot of the stuff in it is also pretty elementary, but I guess it depends on your current skill base, and confidence.

The software that comes with it is much simpler than sage that I was using for my ICB, which I feel would have been too expensive and complex for the type of businesses I will be targeting. With some small changes I have the bookcert package just how I want it.

I think I got a great deal for £100, and after paying almost £1200 to the Home Learning College for my ICB it was without a doubt the better of the two.

Just quickly in reply to Julie, I agree with you that it seems to be a difficult time for businesses right now. However what I have notcied locally over the past few months is that with big business hitting on hard times and paying off a lot of staff, these staff members are seeing this as the push they need to go it alone and setup small businesses. These are the people we will be targeting, not big business (who appear to be hardest hit this time). So far from being a bad thing, I think it is the perfect time to be setting up as a bookkeeper.

-- Edited by kjmcculloch on Friday 22nd of May 2009 03:44:20 PM

Julie Dawn · Senior Member

Thats good news, gives me a bit more confidence that I will get some clients.

I will be finishing with my Bookcert in a few weeks and I am happy to sell it on, although you wont receive the support or website, which you may find very useful.

stephen72 · Senior Member

Hi,
I thought i would introduce myself too.Like most of you i have just set up my bookkeeping business in February but as yet i have had no clients despite adverts in local newspapers and calling on over 100 local businesses.Despite this i am determined to keep plodding on and try to find clients.I have been reading the posts on the forum and have found them to be very usefull and it is nice to know that others are facing the same problems as me and it is interesting to see what methods people are using to overcome the problems.I would like to wish everyone who is just starting out all the best i hope that they all find clients soon.

Marky65 · Guru

Hi
I have just posted a new thread introducing myself but I would just like to say that it is great to find a forum dedicated to us bookkeepers. It is also good to know that having started on April 22 I am certainly not alone.
Good luck to you all.
Regards
Mark

lor · Guru

Hi There

I thought I would take the opportunity to say that i am just starting out too and am new to this.

Terri · Senior Member

Hi Mark & Lorraine

lor · Guru

Hi Terri,

sometimes my posts are sort and sweet but its difficult sometimes finding the time. I started out self employed bookkeeping in January this year, I have tried quite a few things to try to find clients but hopefully will soon. It good to know that there are other people in the same boat and if i have any questions i feel i can ask and likewise if i can help i will.

I am currently working full time as a bookkeeper, i feel experience where i work currently am finding the thought of doing bookkeeping for someone different a little daunting but i guess the more you do it the more easier it gets, thats normally the way it is.

I wish everyone good luck!

thought i would add that i went via the aat route and am now fully aat qualified and a member in practice, different to most of you i notice, but i think we are all able and knowledgeable to be good bookkeepers and get clients! fingers crossed touch wood and all of that

-- Edited by lor on Wednesday 27th of May 2009 07:12:28 PM

Terri · Senior Member

lor wrote:

Hi Terri,

sometimes my posts are sort and sweet but its difficult sometimes finding the time. I started out self employed bookkeeping in January this year, I have tried quite a few things to try to find clients but hopefully will soon. It good to know that there are other people in the same boat and if i have any questions i feel i can ask and likewise if i can help i will.

I am currently working full time as a bookkeeper, i feel experience where i work currently am finding the thought of doing bookkeeping for someone different a little daunting but i guess the more you do it the more easier it gets, thats normally the way it is.

I wish everyone good luck!

I know what you mean about not being able to find the time, I set myself up as a self employed bookkeeper with effect from the 1 April this year and I am a fulltime mum to two boys aged 3 next month and 8 and a half months so I am quite busy. I am enjoying working though.

Unlike you I have no previous experience, I learned via a home learning course so I am still finding my feet but my confidence is growing and like you say, the more you do something, the easier it gets.

Good luck to you

lor · Guru

Im still feel like its daunting as i only have experience with a small ltd company, would love to gain self employed work with one man bands, hopefully wont find it too difficult and hopefully my experience i have already will help. I think it a case of fear of the unknown.

Alison · Senior Member

Hi

I am not new to bookkeeping, set up as self employed in August 2006, became a Limited Company in December 2008.

I understand how difficult it is to get clients. In August 2006 it was much easier to get clients, what I am finding difficult now is when lose clients for varying reasons from redundancy, to that client getting a bookkeeper as employee for lower rate than paying me, client decides want to do their own bookkeeping. It is so much harder to gain new clients to replace the ones lost.

Think in the locality I am based is really tough at the moment and affected by the credit crunch. I sent hundreds of letters out recently, have commercial premises where I have advertising on the windows and still not getting new clients not even enquiries.

Good luck to all new bookkeepers.

Alison

Terri · Senior Member

To be honest Alison, after all the advertising that I have done I was losing faith in myself a bit but from reading yours and other posts on here lately it sounds like a few of us are having trouble getting new clients. The majority of small businesses that I have spoken to are struggling for money at the moment and so are doing their own books. I hope that things pick up for us all soon.

Terri

lor · Guru

I feel a bit disapointed after paying for my practising license, the MLR, professional indemity insurance, advertising, email inbox, business cards and also my website I have now had a few enquiries but they haven't gone anywhere. It is disapointing but I keep telling myself it will be soon but so far to be honest waste of money hopefully soon i can say different.

Terri · Senior Member

lor wrote:

I feel a bit disapointed after paying for my practising license, the MLR, professional indemity insurance, advertising, email inbox, business cards and also my website I have now had a few enquiries but they haven't gone anywhere. It is disapointing but I keep telling myself it will be soon but so far to be honest waste of money hopefully soon i can say different.

I completely agree with you - the amount of money so far that I have spent on studying, insurance, ML, advertising, stationery etc is just over £2,000 and I am hoping that I get the money back within the first few years. I am still quite hopeful though, I am sure that I will get another client soon. Luckily I am still studying so not having much work is giving me chance to study and I'm not sat waiting for work (although it would be nice). I haven't had a single enquiry for about two weeks now despite lots of advertising. When I was studying and even now I get adverts through the post saying train to be a bookkeeper - they are in huge demand and I think hmmmm? I do enjoy the work though so I am going to stick at it. Sorry, just venting a little, I am sure that things will pick up for us both soon