My name is Claire and I have started a bookkeeping/Payroll business in Blackpool. I am a single mum with 2 girls and am doing a degree in business and financial management. I currently have a handful of clients but am looking to expand
welcome to the forum, hope that you have fun here and your business becomes nice and profitable,
all the best,
Shaun.
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Shaun
Responses are not meant as a substitute for professional advice. Answers are intended as outline only the advice of a qualified professional with access to all relevant information should be sought before acting on any response given.
I hope you are well. We recently started working with a bookkeeper who has found our service useful in picking up clients. If you are interested we can discuss more?
Essentially, our client targets companies whose accounts are due within a certain time period eg March 2015, and we send all the information necessary so that he can reach them via post or linkedin. We scan all the companies registered at companies house in one go (not one by one as you can find elsewhere). We can target by industry, turnover, location (or any field from annual accounts data), in addition to accounts due date. I think one strategy is to send a letter with 'reminder annual accounts due' in red ink on the envelope...! Its a really good way of
If you would like to market to companies who are due to submit accounts at any time you specify, get in touch!
And how would anyone like to be the financial professional on the receiving end of your clients receiving such approaches????
Christmas competition....
Finish the line from the above post : "Its a really good way of.......".
I'm going with " annoying the incumbant accountant to the point where you get blacklisted for any outsourcing of work by the local professionals (who all talk to each other) and your ettiquette letter will be answered with the bare minimum of information and assistance that professionalism allows... And at a speed that makes continenttal drifts seem fast by comparrison".
Best answer gets a free get out of jail free card (Dave, if you win remember not to use it inside five minutes this year! lol).
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Shaun
Responses are not meant as a substitute for professional advice. Answers are intended as outline only the advice of a qualified professional with access to all relevant information should be sought before acting on any response given.
lol. Yours is definitely more succinct and snappy Tim.
Sure that I need to include something in the rules that moderators and site owners are not allowed to win this.
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Shaun
Responses are not meant as a substitute for professional advice. Answers are intended as outline only the advice of a qualified professional with access to all relevant information should be sought before acting on any response given.
I see you disagree, and indeed you are entitled to your opinion...
However, it is a fact that some people do this as a form of marketing and they win clients and grow their business, as Claire seeks to do.
I am aware of firms who target existing businesses (where there is likely to be an incumbent), but the thinking behind my post was that as Claire is just starting out she could well benefit from targeting new businesses or young businesses who may have been trying to do it themselves.
I know its easy to bash someone who suggests something, but why not post a new suggestion to Claire rather than look for a negative in my (attempted) constructive post?
this is not that sort of business where members of professional institutions act like reservoir dogs over clients. There are two codes of ethics to which we need to adhere, our own professional bodies and the IFAC code. Ofetn our own bodies are derivatives of the code so I will only quote (paraphrased) a few paragraphs from it here).
Section 250 of the IFAC code of ethics, marketing professional services.
You will not make unfounded claims of the superiority of your services, be dispaiging of other firms, make unsubstantiated comparisons to one's own services or do anything to bring the profession in to disrepute.
Section 110 of the IFAC code of Ethics, Integrity
To act in a manner beyond reproach
Section 150 of the IFAC code of Ethics, Professional Behaviour
To treat each other professional accountants with respect and not not make comparrison to the work of others
I fear that marketing people innocently have no realistation that like law professional, accountants adhere to a code of honour or face potential punishment (which may include expulsion) by our professional bodies.
Poaching clients would be frowned upon although if the client comes to us (rather than us approach them) we are free to attempt to win the client provided that we write to the incumbent asking if there is any reason why we should not take the client (thats called an ettiquette letter).
Targeting new business is quite different to targeting people whose accounts are coming due which was the thrust of the first post. Also clients without current representation are also fair game and there should be no issue there.
In my above initial somewhat tongue in cheek response you will note that it emphasises effect rather than punishment. Thats because not all bookkeepers are bound by the IFAC code and their own bodies cut down rules miss some important ethical points so the thrust of the reply was on the effect that such action might have upon future interaction with local accountants agrieved by client loss to people not bound by the same rules.
Welcome to the minefield Jay, sure that you are already realising that marketing in this arena is not quite as straight forward as some other less restrictive business types.
My comments were not meant against you personally but like many in this field I've had my fair share of attempted poaching of clients and as you will imagine that can be frustrating and leave one angry when some others are not playing the game to the same rules. (I've not lost any clients due to this but have wasted too much time keeping clients that could have been more profitably spent serving them).
kind regards,
Shaun.
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Shaun
Responses are not meant as a substitute for professional advice. Answers are intended as outline only the advice of a qualified professional with access to all relevant information should be sought before acting on any response given.
I see you disagree, and indeed you are entitled to your opinion... However, it is a fact that some people do this as a form of marketing and they win clients and grow their business, as Claire seeks to do. I am aware of firms who target existing businesses (where there is likely to be an incumbent), but the thinking behind my post was that as Claire is just starting out she could well benefit from targeting new businesses or young businesses who may have been trying to do it themselves. I know its easy to bash someone who suggests something, but why not post a new suggestion to Claire rather than look for a negative in my (attempted) constructive post?
Hi Jay
one other point that Shaun has not covered is the fact that this is not the type of forum where you join and market your services to members, within the first post you make!! Such posts mostly turn most folks on this site completely off And are very aggravating. Most people rarely outwardly market their services to others on here, they aim instead to provide help by answering specific questions and only offering services when they are asked or if they cannot take a problem further on site and have proved their worth on here by helping many people via informative posts showing that they are experts in their field by the help they have provided. Yes quite a few people have their websites and or email addresses listed in their profile/signature sign off banner but arent pushy.
Claire will get plenty of help marketing her business on this site, if she indeed wants or needs it, but I for one know that blanket marketing of this type doesn't work In this arena. How many of your accountant/bookkeeper clients have won business And at what cost? Also how do you target firms with no incumbent....not public ally known information so I find that comment bizarre.
I received a huge pile of such letters, in varying formats when I set up my business, all from other accountants and bookkeepers and I'm a bookkeeper! (Clearly you will suggest they focus their marketing away from such as me but for a lot of new businesses this isn't so easy as you need don't need to classify your business fully at inception). The personal touch is always a better way of marketing yourself Claire and if you want any help on this front please post.
Apologies if you don't like our opinions but I would suggest you offer free constructive help on here, prove you are the king of all things marketing and you will I'm sure then gain some business and be able to market yourself more successfully on this forum.
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Essentially, our client targets companies whose accounts are due within a certain time period eg March 2015, and we send all the information necessary so that he can reach them via post or linkedin
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send all info so can reach them by post or linkedin? Can do this yourself for free using google!!
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-- Edited by Cheshire on Wednesday 17th of December 2014 07:57:04 AM
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Joanne
Winner of Bookkeeper of the Year 2015, 2016 & 2017
Thoughts are my own/not to be regarded as official advice,which should be sought from a suitably qualified Accountant.
You should check out answers with reference to the legal position
Our principal activity is not marketing but we stumbled into this field due to someone requesting this service. Like I said there is a demand for it and it works. I am happy to prove that statement at my own financial risk to anyone discerning enough to avoid jumping on the bandwagon of criticism.
Claire's point was that she wanted to grow her business and I shared something I have seen work. I have never claimed to know all the issues you face, hence I'm happy to engage with people - which is why I gave my email out.
Apologies to all those offended, but you don't get anywhere in life by seeing an issue you can help with and keeping quiet.
And Joanne, if you were at all fair you would realise it was absurd to equate what I said with a google search. We can target 4,092 financial data points, screen UK businesses for matches and supply relevant company results with one click access to linkedin profiles of directors. I dont know what version of google you are using, but please let me know.
Hi Jay,
It's a shame you seem to have got off on the wrong foot here as we are a friendly bunch normally. I do however have to echo Joanne's post as when I read it, it sounded like you were just here to sell your services and nothing gets our backs up more than a newbie on the hunt. Like Jo said that isn't what the forum is about, we all give our advice freely to try to assist each other, we build 'virtual' relationships and when we know, like and trust each other a bit of 'paid for' work may well happen. I think your offer of a free trial to the 'discerning' members is probably a step in the right direction but first maybe an apology for suggesting Joanne's comment was unfair/absurd would be an even bigger step in the right direction?
(There are plenty more on the site, just enter this (without the quotes) in Google "Site:www.book-keepers.org.uk Marketing"
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Shaun
Responses are not meant as a substitute for professional advice. Answers are intended as outline only the advice of a qualified professional with access to all relevant information should be sought before acting on any response given.
While I do refute the suggestion that our service does not add value, which would be far from the truth, I joined and posted to be of help, build alliances and get to understand you better.
So Joanne my apologies as perhaps you may have got the wrong impression, I would love nothing better than for you to take up my free offer and report back on the value added :)
Hi Jay, It's a shame you seem to have got off on the wrong foot here as we are a friendly bunch normally. I do however have to echo Joanne's post as when I read it, it sounded like you were just here to sell your services and nothing gets our backs up more than a newbie on the hunt. Like Jo said that isn't what the forum is about, we all give our advice freely to try to assist each other, we build 'virtual' relationships and when we know, like and trust each other a bit of 'paid for' work may well happen. I think your offer of a free trial to the 'discerning' members is probably a step in the right direction but first maybe an apology for suggesting Joanne's comment was unfair/absurd would be an even bigger step in the right direction?
Welcome Claire...look what you have started!
Hi Rob
To be fair, Jay said I personally wasnt fair (quote ''And Joanne, if you were at all fair'') as opposed to my comment being not fair! But hey ho I dont take offence at this time of year. But thank you for coming to my rescue.
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Joanne
Winner of Bookkeeper of the Year 2015, 2016 & 2017
Thoughts are my own/not to be regarded as official advice,which should be sought from a suitably qualified Accountant.
You should check out answers with reference to the legal position
While I do refute the suggestion that our service does not add value, which would be far from the truth, I joined and posted to be of help, build alliances and get to understand you better.
So Joanne my apologies as perhaps you may have got the wrong impression, I would love nothing better than for you to take up my free offer and report back on the value added :)
Hi Jay
Apology accepted. Whilst I had a little 'rant' I thought I was trying to be fair by suggesting how to gain business from here.....
you offer free constructive help on here, prove you are the king of all things marketing and you will I'm sure then gain some business and be able to market yourself more successfully on this forum.
Happy for Claire to take up your free offer and feed it back if she wishes as I for one am bombed out and need an assistant!
Suggest we start again - welcome to the forum Jay and Claire and Happy Christmas
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Joanne
Winner of Bookkeeper of the Year 2015, 2016 & 2017
Thoughts are my own/not to be regarded as official advice,which should be sought from a suitably qualified Accountant.
You should check out answers with reference to the legal position
Cheshire wrote:prove you are the king of all things marketing
Now if that doesn't get Kris rushing back home to this site from that other forum (Christmas... Bah Humbug) nothing will....
In the spirit of the time of year I too will happily start again with a welcome to the forum Jay (But for all you SEO bods out there don't think that I've gone soft).
Right Jo, does that take me back off the naughty list again?
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Shaun
Responses are not meant as a substitute for professional advice. Answers are intended as outline only the advice of a qualified professional with access to all relevant information should be sought before acting on any response given.
