Letter of introduction - The Book-keepers Forum (UK)

chellawson · Senior Member

Letter of introduction

kjmcculloch · Guru

I have a few letters I've sent to local businesses, I can email you them if you pass me your address.

I've found that I got very little response from letters alone, but by following them up with a phone call I was getting better returns.

I have now turned it on its head (almost) by phoning first to gauge interest, then sending letters to only those interested, then following up with another phone call. I found it saved me a lot of time and money.

Another way to save a bit of cash it to use a service like CFH Docmail. You upload your letter and mailing list. They then merge the letters, print them, put them in envelopes and post them for about the price of a second class stamp. I use them loads, the only tiny problem is they print a barcode on the letter, but it never bothered me.

Kris

chellawson · Senior Member

That sounds like a good idea perhaps I should call first like you suggest anything to reduce cost as Im just starting out and have yet to get my first client. I went to all my local shops today that do advertising and put postcards in the windows so im now on stage two with the introductory letter.

Thank you every so much.

My email is chellawson@msn.com

Peasie · Expert

chellawson wrote:

I went to all my local shops today that do advertising and put postcards in the windows so im now on stage two with the introductory letter.

How much do these cost on average?
How long do people generally keep them in for?
I realise it will vary because of various factors but I really haven't the slightest clue.

kjmcculloch · Guru

Our local post office displays cards and leaflets for 5p per week.

Others I have asked just stick them up free. I targeted shops that do hot food. You get loads of tradesmen in during lunch time with nothing to do while they wait for their rolls than read your flyer/card.

Kris

chellawson · Senior Member

My local shops charged 50p per week they said because it was postcard size, I put them all in for a month each and then keep a list of all the shops I have put them in so I can go back and renew them when they run out. I think its a very cheap way of advertising. The postcards I got from Vistaprint they are glossy and look quite professional I think I paid less than £20.00 for them and I have about 200.

Peasie · Expert

Thanks both of you.
I had thought about the hot food place as my brother's wife has one and I thought about them standing about for a couple of minutes. She has a small stand thing where people leave small stacks of business cards.

I also considered the A3 posters they have above the counters in some Post Offices. I know myself how much attention I paid to them while waiting in the queue.

I seem to have drifted off the topic a little.

chellawson · Senior Member

Thats a good idea never thought of that but would you have to commit to a year and how expensive would it be. There are also the card stands at Tesco and Sainburys where you can have business cards.

Peasie · Expert

Yes it would likely be a 12 month contract - from 75p per day.
http://www.pops-advertising.co.uk/

chellawson · Senior Member

kjmcculloch wrote:

I have a few letters I've sent to local businesses, I can email you them if you pass me your address.

I've found that I got very little response from letters alone, but by following them up with a phone call I was getting better returns.

Kris

Hi Kris,

Just wondered if you had, had a chance to email me the introductory letter as I haven't received it yet.

Hope you don't think im being to cheeky

My email is chellawson@msn.com

Mickey · Veteran Member

i would be grateful if you could send me a copy of this letter also. My email is m.ghanni@hotmail.com

kjmcculloch · Guru

Sorry guys, I've not forgotten about you, honest. I'll try to get these out tomorrow. It's been a hectic week and we're only at Wednesday.

Kris

AAAAK · Veteran Member

I am interested please. his is my email labdwasiu@hotmail.com

imnoel · Newbie

Please send me the letter also. I will appreciate it very much. Here's my email address imnoel@gmail.com.

ridgey22 · Member

Hi
I'm just starting out with my business and try to get it off the ground by sending out letters to get interest. Would I be able to have a copy of these letters? Any advice would be gratefully received.
Many thanks

-- Edited by ridgey22 on Monday 13th of September 2010 08:51:11 PM

Andy Smith · Newbie

Hi, I am in the process of starting my own book keeping business for local companies in my area and I would also like to write to them. This really isn't my strong point and would like some help

Andy Smith · Newbie

Would you be so kind to send me the letter also. My email andy_L_Smith"hotmail.co.uk, very much appreciated if you could.... Thank you

morgwick · Senior Member

Hi chellawson,
Was just wondering if you had any success with the letters of introduction?
Its something I've been doing, but not much results yet.

kjmcculloch · Guru

Hi Gill,

I have found that there are a huge number of variables when sending letters.

How many letters do you send? How regularly? Do you follow them up? Where do you get your mailing list? Is it up to date? Do you go for a hard sell?

I realise now that bookkeeping isn't an impulse purchase made on the back of one letter.

Kris

PS. How busy does the family research site of your business keep you? It's something I've thought about for a while.

-- Edited by kjmcculloch on Wednesday 13th of October 2010 10:46:03 AM

chellawson · Senior Member

Sorry everyone I haven't received the letter as of yet. I have tried to compose one myself but it never seems professional enough, so I keep going back and starting it again.

kjmcculloch · Guru

Sorry Michelle,

I thought I had sent the letters to you. I have a new list of people to send copies this week. I'll add you to it.

Kris

Mickey · Veteran Member

Hello Kris,

Can you please also add me to this list?

My email address is m.ghanni@hotmail.com

Thank you!
M. Ghanni

Amanda · Expert

Hi Kris,

So you offer Payroll services as well as bookkeeping?

Do you have different letter templates according to what type of business you are sending it to?? Or do you just use a standard one especially to the one mand band guys?

Cheers
Amanda
PS what sort of percentage you do reckon actually turns into a live client at the end? Hopefully doing some calling this aftenoon, but haven't been sucessful yet!

kjmcculloch · Guru

Hi Amanda,

Payroll is something I am looking at, but not something I offer right now.

I currently have about 6 letters which I send out on a regular basis. Each letter will be slightly altered depending on the recipients industry, legal status etc. I have started sending them on almost a cycle basis of 1 letter every other month as I'm realising bookkeeping isn't an impulse purchase and I need to keep my name fresh in the minds of my potential clients.

In terms of a percentage conversion I would say less than 1 percent with one letter, that rises slightly with a phone call, but hopefully my new system will show better results. Once I have tried it out for a while I'll let you know.

I'm finding with getting new clients it's all trial and error, my letters and other advertising methods are constantly evolving as I learn something new.

Kris

Amanda · Expert

Hi Kris,

What type of business do you target the most, I realise everyones areas are different. Do you get more joy with say Electricians, builders etc or othere types?

I am just finishing off my AAT payroll so will offering this in the future (hopefully), not sure what the market is like out there for it at the moment.

Thanks,
Amanda

kjmcculloch · Guru

To be honest Amanda, I think the successes so far have been a case of the letter landing on the doormat when they're looking for a bookkeeper. The uptake is as diverse as a recruitment agency, a plasterer and mobile DJ.

My new letters invite them to visit my website and download a guide to improving their cashflow. I'm hoping that this will be a less aggressive sell in that I'm not asking them to buy anything, just download a free guide that may or may not be of use.

If they do this and read it, the last page offers a free consultation, which is really what I would offer anyone.

My vision now is to forget sending letters to people in the hope they'll buy my services straight away, I'm realising they wont. I really want to build a relationship with them so that when they are looking for a bookkeeper, or have a friend that is, they think about me first.

Anything else is so difficult, you need to make sure that your letter lands on their mat when they're in the market for a bookkeeper. There's not a mailing list out there that will tell you that, so if that's the aim, it's luck. And until recently that was my aim.

I suppose the question to ask is 'have you ever bought anything off the back of a single marketing letter, from a company you know nothing about?', cos I haven't.

Hope this helps.

Kris

ChrisG · Newbie

Hi Kris,

Just wondered if you would be so kind as to send me the letters also?

My email address is cgibbins80@aol.com

Many Thanks!

Chris

BackOfficeGroup · Guru

Marketing is a whole subject on its own and can swallow money very easily.

These days its all about networking and relationships - building trust so that one day when they need a service such as yours, they will think of you and remember you were not pushy but likeable, professionable and reasonable.

The other day my neighbour told me about a guy whose wife died and now he has to to the bookkeeping that she always did - he knows how to do it but wants to move onto Sage and just wants some training on how to do it - he came to me, I've never sold him anything but over the years we have helped each other out in different ways but he knew my background, so when it came into play, it worked.

I've never found letters any use or advertising, its always been word of mouth for me and lots of networking.

P

OGE · Newbie

just wondered if you would be so kind as to send me the letters also ?

my email address is ask4tiffany@yahoo.co.uk
thanks
oge

chellawson · Senior Member

Thank you Kris I look forward to receiving it, it will be a great help to me.
Much appreciated.

kjmcculloch · Guru

Letters have been sent to all. I partly agree with Philip. I say partly as I do believe that networking is the best way to find clients, but I still think if done as part of a wider strategy letters and other advertisements have a role to play. If they didn't huge companies wouldn't thousands, or even millions of pounds into it.

The challenge for us as small businesses is to try to harness some of this power with a limited budget. I believe that's when we need to make up for our lack of cash with creativity. I can't imagine many of us have pockets deep enough to pay a decent copy writer to come up with award winning sales letters.

I must say though, that my thinking has changed a lot over the past year. I no longer believe that clients will fall into my lap off the back of one sales letter, but I do think that the sales letter can be a catalyst to a more productive relationship.

Ideally you should be sending sales letters to potential clients more than once or twice before giving up. Bookkeeping is not something that people will generally buy based on a letter, but they will if you build a relationship with them. 4 networking say that relationships are built in 4 stages, meet, like, know, trust. They say that business transactions are carried out and referrals made only at the trust stage. My aim is to get to that trust stage without ever necessarily meeting in person.

My letters are now aimed at highlighting a problem, then providing part of the solution. The letter then invites the reader to visit my website and download a free report with a more in-depth solution in exchange for a few details. By acquiring these detail, details which I probably already have I am able to separate from the main body of the recipients a group that may be interested in my services to target with a different letter. The others who don't download the report will get a different letter still. But the readers who get through the report will be offered a unique opportunity to get a one to one telephone consultation around how this general solution can be tailored to fit their specific business.

My hope is that by helping them with this problem I have identified, we will be at the like stage, if not the trust stage. Once here I hope to start to really understand their problems (lets face it, most small businesses have the same issues), or rather help them to understand their problems. And more importantly how my services can offer the solution.

The one important thing to bear in mind is that you are not always selling to the person you send the letter to, they may speak to a friend or family member who needs a bookkeeper, once the relationship is built they may feel more comfortable to recommend you, even if they never bought your services themselves.

I hope this explains part of my thinking for the way forward, certainly for me. I also hope it instigates discussion and debate. The one thing I am quickly realising is that selling services or products isn't an exact science, and there are no gurus.

Kris

morgwick · Senior Member

kjmcculloch wrote:

How many letters do you send? How regularly? Do you follow them up? Where do you get your mailing list? Is it up to date? Do you go for a hard sell?

I realise now that bookkeeping isn't an impulse purchase made on the back of one letter.

Kris

PS. How busy does the family research site of your business keep you? It's something I've thought about for a while.

Hi Kris,

Sorry for the slow reply. I've only been sending introduction letters to accountants since September. Not had any responses from them as of yet. I'm currently looking for accountants who want to outsource year-end accounts preparation, as this is my speciality. I thought as busy time was approaching it may be a good time to contact them.

I haven't followed up any of the letters. Not very good on the phone, but may be something I will have to overcome, as it appears that this has greater effect.

Regarding family research, its very slow at the moment. I think now there are so many resources available online many people try it themselves. I think the economy has had an effect as well, as people have less spare money. The most popular work is actually for researching families that were located within close proximity to me, but the client is based elsewhere in the country. It can be a time consuming process and customers fail to understand why!

AAAAK · Veteran Member

Hi Kris,

I am also interested in the introduction letters you are planning to send to folks, Can you please include me into your mail list for the letter. This is my email address labdwasiu@hotmail.com.

Regards.

Lawanson

chellawson · Senior Member

Hi Kris,

Would just like to say I have received the letters and am very grateful. I will be sending some out this weekend we let you know how I get on.
Once again Thank you!

Mickey · Veteran Member

Received the email today.

Thank you Kris.

Regards
M. Ghanni

OGE · Newbie

hi kris,

pls can you send the letter of introduction to me. ask4tiffany@yahoo.co.uk

ProBowlUK · Senior Member

Hi Kris

Could you also send me some examples of letters ?

Bob Sharp@ntlworld.com

thanks

Bob

morgwick · Senior Member

Any chance you could add me to your email list as well for a copy of the letters.

info@gmbookkeeping.co.uk

Thanks

kjmcculloch · Guru

OK, the list is getting longer now so tomorrow I will upload the letters and post a link, then if you want them you can take them.

I'd love some feedback from those who have them, what do you think?

Kris

Amanda · Expert

Thats a good idea Kris, it will save you e-mailing them to everyone!

I'll be able to have a look at what variations you have, I'm sure maybe I need to tailor my letter more to the individual businesses as oppose to a blanket letter.

Thanks
Amanda

-- Edited by Amanda on Sunday 17th of October 2010 11:05:19 AM

ProBowlUK · Senior Member

Hi Kris

Could you also send me some examples of letters ?

Bob Sharp@ntlworld.com

thanks

Bob

kjmcculloch · Guru

As I said in my last post, I'll post a link today.

Kris

Susie Sue · Senior Member

Very generous - thanks Kris

kjmcculloch · Guru

You can get these at:

http://www.kmbookkeeping.co.uk/download.zip

Kris

kay · Member

Hi Kris

is it possible for you to email the introduction letters that you kindly sent to other members. My email address is kb.01@hotmail.co.uk.

Thanks Kay

packa78 · Newbie

Hi Kris

Is it possible to have letter of indroduction e-mailed to packa@hotmail.co.uk

It would be a great help.

Thank you smile

EyminS · Newbie

Could you send please also some different sale letters examples please EyminSAccountS@mail.com?

Thanks.

Shamus · Forum Moderator & Expert

Hi,

welcome to the forum.

The thread is a couple of years old so I fear that you may draw a blank.

Rather than recycling other peoples though why not write your own.

Try this thread which may give you a couple of ideas

http://www.book-keepers.org.uk/t55265586/letter-of-introduction-to-new-business-start-ups/

kind regards,

Shaun.

Rosemary · Newbie

Hi Kris

I know its been a long time since your last post, but was just wondering If I could also have a template letter.
My email address is crwilliams69@gmail.com
Thank you.

NA_AA · Guru

Are these letters to recruit new clients or to contact accountants with whom you may wish to work with?