Find Work As a Bookkeeper
Setting out as a bookkeeper for the first time can be an exciting time in your life. You have heard reports all across the internet, local newspapers, and friends and family that bookkeepers are in demand and they have so many clients that they are turning away new clients. So you have decided to give it a go and find clients for your bookkeeping service. However you have reached a stumbling block. Where are the clients?
Steps
- Advertise in shop windows with a postcard sized display with you company's name in big capital letters, in blue or black colouring so it stands out with your contact details below (telephone and email). Make sure you post it in every shop in your local area so you can target a large market of businesses.
- Tell your friends and family your a bookkeeper. Explain what you can do such as trial balances, maintaining ledgers, tax returns, payroll, etc. Your friends and family may know somebody else that needs help with there books and they can point you in the right direction.
- Visit small accountancy firms and ask if they have any clients who need bookkeepers. You would be surprised bookkeepers and accountants are not the same and provide a different service and their clients get the two confused.
- Post leaflets to local firms in your local area detailing your services you can do as they can get a better understanding.
Tips
- Stay motivated and don't give up. Its tough out there when you first set up your business by yourself, but keep on plugging away and you will make a success of yourself.
- Look at investing in accounting software to give you an edge over your competitors. Learn how to use them inside out with technical jargon so it comes across you know what your talking about.
- Study your market so you know who your competitors are. Cold call them and ask for their hourly rates, and what software they use i.e Sage 50, Excel, Quickbooks.
Warnings
- Don't mess up on a clients books. Do what you can do and not what you can't do. As they will not be happy and disregard your service. Your meant to impress your new clients.
- Don't out price your clients as they will seek the next cheaper bookkeeper.
- Stay from freelancing website that ask you to pay for membership in return for work. As it can be waste of money.
