My very first client found me through my website. I hadn't even started really looking for clients. As a small limited company in the recruitment sector it wasn't even the type of client I was aiming for. My second client I gained through choose-your-accountant.com, a website wher you can bid for accountancy jobs. I've stopped using the site now as it's gone rapidly downhill lately. They don't even confirm clients are genuine now meaning you can spend a lot of money on leads for time wasters. Kris

My first client is a chiropractor. I am his patient and he needed a bookkeeper. For the last 3 years I have been his patient and bookkeeper.

In the same day my second client found me in Yellow pages.

Sweetpea wrote:

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My first client is a chiropractor. I am his patient and he needed a bookkeeper. For the last 3 years I have been his patient and bookkeeper.

In the same day my second client found me in Yellow pages.

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 Hi!

Thank you for your story.

I have used online yellow pages and there was no respond at all. May I ask if you used the online yellow pages or the paper printed one?

Thank you in advance.

Hi Julie,

we've had discussions on here before about yellow pages both on and offline version and peoples experiences have been universally negative.

I set up my own site using Sitemaker from Namesco and it costs me £58 per year with unlimited pages (I have a lot more prepared than I have viewable on the site and can patch pages in and out as I see fit) which I feel is really good value hosting.

Don't know how good you are at web design but if it doesn't come naturally then it may be more cost effective to spend more to have someone else build the site for you.

My own experience is that websites do not find clients but when you find a client your website turns your postcard / business card / flyer into a sale.... Or not! (see above paragraph about poor quality sites).

If you get to needing a virtual local number I would also recommend Vonage. All of my advertyising has a single number but when anybody calls it the number is attached to half a dozen real numbers including a mobile (#1). From a clients perspective they have no idea that I'm not sitting at my desk in the office.

kind regards,

Shaun.

#1 clients only pay for local calls. You pick up the tab for the transfer to the mobile which is still really cheap.

JulieS wrote:

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 Hi!

Thank you for your story.

I have used online yellow pages and there was no respond at all. May I ask if you used the online yellow pages or the paper printed one?

Thank you in advance.

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 Hi Julie,

I used the free online add. As I was an ICB member at the time, and this was one of the benefits they offered to their members, I took advantage of it and advertised with yellow pages. I suppose I was just lucky.

Hi Julie,

My first client came through a local bookkeeper who was scaling down her business and the next three came via postcards I placed with local newsagents along with a 6 week advert in a local newspapers handy numbers section.  It then grew steadily through recommendations and continues to grow that way, although I have since introduced a website and attend regular networking groups.

I hope you get up and running soon.

AngelaWBS wrote:

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Hi Julie,

My first client came through a local bookkeeper who was scaling down her business and the next three came via postcards I placed with local newsagents along with a 6 week advert in a local newspapers handy numbers section.  It then grew steadily through recommendations and continues to grow that way, although I have since introduced a website and attend regular networking groups.

I hope you get up and running soon.

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 Thank you Angela!

Shamus wrote:

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If you get to needing a virtual local number I would also recommend Vonage. All of my advertyising has a single number but when anybody calls it the number is attached to half a dozen real numbers including a mobile (#1). From a clients perspective they have no idea that I'm not sitting at my desk in the office.

kind regards,

Shaun.

#1 clients only pay for local calls. You pick up the tab for the transfer to the mobile which is still really cheap.

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 Thank you Shaun. On the flyers I have printed at the moment I have my how landline number. I am thinking that this is not a good idea, is it?

kjmcculloch83 wrote:

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A lot of people will tell you that clients will phone at stupid o'clock, I have to say that it's not my experience. My business phone is transferred to a call centre after hours and clients very rarely phone after about 6. If you're happy using your home number go with it. I use a similar VoIP service to Shaun but it's called voipfone. I looked at many services but this was by far the best and most cost effective for me.

Kris

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 Sorry, Kris, do you mean you pay for a call centre services as well? Thank you!

kjmcculloch83 wrote:

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I do indeed, they handle my calls when I'm out of the office or when I switch off for the night. The reason I do it is because I hate leaving messages on answering machines and if I phone looking for a service and get an answering machine I simply hang up and move to the next person on my list. I can't possibly be the only person who does this, so didn't want to risk losing a potential client because a human didn't answer their call.

Kris

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Hi

 

I do exactly the same as Kris for the exact same reasons as well and because clients will often call you at stupid o'clock. I have even had to get a personal mobile now because clients have started calling me on my business one when I wasn't answering the office number

I know Kris used to use them and I still use www.answer.co.uk for my call answering service, on their pay as you go service, which costs £1 per message that they take and then they email & text you the details.

I also use www.voipfone.co.uk for my calls, so I can receive calls whenever I am not in the office by transferring them to my mobile (which costs the caller nothing extra)

Regards

 

Mark

Hi Kris

That's good to hear and thanks for the correction :)

Mark

Marky65 wrote:

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I know Kris used to use them and I still use www.answer.co.uk for my call answering service, on their pay as you go service, which costs £1 per message that they take and then they email & text you the details.

I also use www.voipfone.co.uk for my calls, so I can receive calls whenever I am not in the office by transferring them to my mobile (which costs the caller nothing extra)

Mark

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 Thank you Mark!!!!!

Hello everyone!

I am happy to share with you a good news. I have passed my last ACCA exam and now I am an ACCA Affiliate.
Such a relief!

-- Edited by JulieS on Wednesday 8th of August 2012 10:34:10 AM

JulieS wrote:

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Hello everyone,

 

I am keen to learn how other freelance accountants/bookkeepers found their clients when they just started in this business.

If you can and want to share your personal experience then please do.

Thank you.

 

 

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I was working at a top 20 accountancy firm when and uncle asked if I could help him make a claim for R&D tax relief.

As this was something I had already been doing for clients, I cleared it with my current firm first and then helped him.

A few weeks later his accountants contacted me to ask if I this is something I could help their other clients with, the firm I was working for refused to do a partnership, so I resigned and started my own firm offering just R&D tax advice.

My uncle's accountants have passed me a few leads and I'm also doing the same for a number of other smaller accountancy firms who don't offer the service but would like to.

 

 

 

 

Paul wrote:

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I was working at a top 20 accountancy firm when and uncle asked if I could help him make a claim for R&D tax relief.

As this was something I had already been doing for clients, I cleared it with my current firm first and then helped him.

A few weeks later his accountants contacted me to ask if I this is something I could help their other clients with, the firm I was working for refused to do a partnership, so I resigned and started my own firm offering just R&D tax advice.

My uncle's accountants have passed me a few leads and I'm also doing the same for a number of other smaller accountancy firms who don't offer the service but would like to.

 

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Great success story, Paul!

Are you growing? and how fast?

Thanks

 

-- Edited by JulieS on Sunday 12th of August 2012 10:29:37 PM

JulieS wrote:

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Great success story, Paul!

Are you growing? and how fast?

Thanks

 

 

Hi JulieS,

I'm growing quite fast, only started in July and have 10 clients already, plus speaking to a number of accountancy firms about offering the service to their clients.

Also have a few referals from clients to process, which is always nice.

Thanks

Paul

 

 

JulieS wrote:

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Paul wrote:

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Hi JulieS,

I'm growing quite fast, only started in July and have 10 clients already, plus speaking to a number of accountancy firms about offering the service to their clients.

Also have a few referals from clients to process, which is always nice.

Thanks

Paul

 

 

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 Let me know if you need a hand. I have no problem finding jobs as a contractor, but have not managed to sign any client of my own yet.

 

 

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Sadly I'm not allowed as most of my clients come from accountancy firms they were very strict that I can only provide R&D services to their clients and can't recomend anyone else to them.

I've got the chance to bid for a job on PPH doing the books for a lady in Morpeth. The need completing for the last 12 months with approx 15 transactions per month. As it is my first shot at this and I am new to bookkeeping I have no idea what to charge and how long it will take.

any help appreciated

Thanks Kris, I do management accounts as my full time job but am looking to branch out into bookkeeping as a side line from home in the evenings. I'll put a bid in at £300 and see what she comes back with.