I am just starting out building up my client base as I have had one regular client that I have been working for for 2 days a week that is no more as the Company has been sold.
I have been marketing by emailing local businesses (email attached), also local accounting firms to see if they require additonal resources (email attached), also advertised in local free magazine, attended several networking events and have put post cards in local shops?
I have only received a few leads, any advice would be welcome on how to improve things?
Good morning,
My name is Deana Tidby and I am a self employed accountant with a wide experience both in commerce and professional practice.
I am ACCA qualified and offer reliable and professional services in the following areas, book keeping and payroll services, tax return preparation, management & financial accounts preparation, cash forecasting, VAT and payroll processing.
So, if your own accounting business requires an additional pair of hands from time to time or you have a client has a requirement for book keeping services, please give me a call. If not today, then keep my details for the future.
As we start the New Year, why not leave the "number crunching" side of things to an expert and concentrate on generating income from what you do best .............................................................
At TAB's, Tidby Accounting & Business Solutions, we offer a reliable and efficient service to small and medium sized businesses.
Our services include tax return preparation, book keeping, management & financial accounts preparation, cash forecasting, VAT and payroll.
We could help in keeping your accounting data entry up to date? Or produce management accounts to ensure you have timely and reliable information to base business decisions? Or we could take the weekly payroll process off your hands? Or we could prepare your annual statutory accounts at a competitive rate? Or we could take prepare and submit your tax return?
At TAB's we are here to help and do so in a friendly and professional manner.
Its always difficult to start with as getting clients is never easy in our line of business. Mainly because people don't change accountants that often or can't afford bookkeeping services etc..
Join a local network group and get to know local business people and join as many websites such as Freeindex.co.uk or try www.thebestof.co.uk, they have regional websites ran by local people who are most likely a member of a networking group close by.
Plenty of big networking groups such as BNI, 4Networking, Federation of Small Businesses do one too.
Do you have a website? If not, get one! relatively cheap and easy to set up a basic one for now.
Sign up to Google and put you business on Google places as this helps you to be found in the google searches.
There are no surefire ways of getting clients, but if you can get your name out there then all the better.
Just a few suggestions and I'm sure some of us on here will chip in with some more.
I'll "second" Paul's advice regarding Google places, in hindsight it's kind of obvious the affect this would have on Google rankings. Initially I overlooked it and concentrated on other areas.
As others have stated, it's not always easy but I try to work on the simple principle - "If prospective clients don't know about you, don't expect a call".
It is hard work but the clients and rewards are out there.
Good Luck.
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Tony
Responses are intended as outline only. Formal advice should be sort from your Institutes Technical Department or a suitably qualified Accountant.
Also, if you have a budget for it you may find it worthwhile to try using Google Adwords. You can monitor it closely to ensure you don't spend too much and over time you should get some enquiries if you have everything set up well. Also, optimise your website effectively - this can of course take time.....
Contacting local businesses is worthwhile but of course you need to be prepared for only a small proportion being interested in your services. Phoning up local accountants could also be worth looking at.....
