Introduction to getting bookkeeping clients
Statistics show that 33.3 million small businesses in the U.S. make up 99.9% of all U.S. businesses. Every day, more small businesses are emerging, and they all need one crucial service: top-notch bookkeeping. But for bookkeeping service providers, how do you get bookkeeping clients? How do you stand out in this crowded market?
In this blog, we will guide you on the process of how to get bookkeeping clients and provide you with strategies to attract more customers.
What Should You Do Before Finding Bookkeeping Clients?
Before you start figuring out how to get bookkeeping clients, you must have a better understanding of your clientele, the services you can offer, and how competitive your prices can be. Here’s where to get started:
Choose Your Niche: Select the markets you wish to enter, such as small enterprises, independent contractors, or a specific specialization like retail or healthcare.
Create a Portfolio: Showcase your prior work, case studies, and customer endorsements on your website, either on a portfolio page or elsewhere. You can start with lower costs if you are just starting out to draw in more clients.
Set objectives: Establish your financial goals and the number of clients you hope to serve. This will help you plan out your marketing and customer acquisition strategies.
Create Templates: Before searching for your work, keep a few templates, such as the
at your disposal to speed up your client acquisition process.
Create Service Bundles: Provide service bundles that clearly outline your offerings and related expenses. Having a bookkeeping services fee structure that has different package levels to satisfy different customer needs can make it easier for clients to choose the services they want.
Choose the Right Software: Get proper practice management software, proposal tools like Cone proposal to payment software, and client collaboration software at a fraction of other products starting at 8$ or 6.5£ per user/month.
Also Read: The top software for accounting firms and bookkeepers for better business management
Develop a Sales Strategy: Decide how you will pitch yourselves to potential clients whether it through emails, or by attending an event, or else reaching out online. Make templates or scripts for communication.
Identify Your Unique Selling Point: For one to become successful in the business and in offering bookkeeping services he or she must discover uniqueness.
Legal and Financial Setup: After starting your business, procure the legal requirements that may well apply to your business as well as incorporating a business checking account.
How To Get Your First Bookkeeping Client?
Searching where to find bookkeeping clients might seem like a giant task, but it is doable if one goes through the right process.
Tap Into Your Network: Your friends and family are a good place to start looking for clients. Inform your professional acquaintances and other past colleagues about your bookkeeping services. They may know someone who does, or they may need assistance themselves.
Make Contact with Neighborhood Companies: Go to neighborhood establishments and make an introduction. Give out a short pamphlet explaining what you do or your business card.
Free Consultation: Offer a free initial consultation to potential clients. This helps them see the
value you bring without any commitment.
Discounted First Month: Consider offering a discount for the first month of services. This can encourage businesses to give you a try.
Ask for Reviews: Once you have a client or two, ask them to leave a review on Google or other platforms. Positive reviews build trust and can help attract more clients.
Collaborate with Accountants or Tax Advisors: Contact other accountants or tax preparers who may not perform bookkeeping, but might refer clients to someone who does. Clients can be advised to refer you and you can in return advise your clients to refer them.
Bookkeeping and Small Business Associations: Join associations or online forums related to bookkeeping for small businesses. These can be good places to learn, share advice, and find clients.
It can take time to get your first client, so don’t stop searching for them, and don’t give up. Every contact you make gets you nearer to securing your first few customers.
Also, learn about how to start a bookkeeping practice.
How To Get Bookkeeping Clients - 13+ Proven Strategies, Channels and Tips
As a bookkeeper, figuring out how to get bookkeeping clients requires a strategy. Getting streamlined in your approach to getting clients is more likely to drive success.
1. Leveraging Your Network
An effective way to expand your client base in the bookkeeping field is by leveraging your network. Word-of-mouth recommendations are very effective because they are normally referred by people one trusts, which, therefore, means business is likely to be brought in.
How to leverage your network efficiently?
- Speak with Current and Former Clients: Once a project has been done and delivered, ask your clients if they have friends who require the services being offered. It has to be polite and to the point, and also the recipient should understand that their suggestions are appreciated.
- Attend Networking Events: Join online and local forums, industry conferences, and local business events. Such meetings offer you an opportunity to communicate, discuss your services, and build relationships with potential clients. You can explore Top US and UK Accounting Conferences To Attend to expand your network.
- Remain Connected: Inform your network about your services from time to time or share with them information often. Due to this, the crowd will have you on their mind when they need bookkeeping services.
2. Online Presence and SEO Profile
These days, having a professional website and social media profile is crucial to attract clients. If you have a good internet presence, you can build a good reputation, talk to possible customers, and show your expertise.
Steps to Build Your Online Presence and SEO:
- Optimize Your Website: Make sure that your website is easy to navigate and contains keywords like bookkeeping services. This is particularly beneficial to the website as it informs the search engines what your site is all about and increases your ranking.
- Create and Share Content: Launching a blog or post on social media platforms like LinkedIn or in forums frequently on bookkeeping topics can help you capture the attention of potential clients.
- Use LinkedIn to Connect: LinkedIn cannot be underestimated as a tool for representatives of the professional level. Start using new links with a focus on potential clients, share articles, and become an active member of the industry community.
Also Read: SEO for Accountants: 20+ Tactics and Guides to Maximize Visibility.
3. Email Marketing
Email marketing is not only cheap but is one of the most effective means of ensuring that your services are constantly in view by potential clients. When you send newsletters, tips, or updates, you also add value to your audience’s life and subtly remind them of your existence.
Steps to Implement Email Marketing:
- Build an Email List: The simplest way of building an email list is to offer incentives, basically anything from an ebook or checklist for sign-up. One can also get their email IDs and proceed to use them for carrying out email marketing.
- Send Regular Newsletters: Compose and distribute e-newsletters that contain materials with which readers can learn more about, for instance, bookkeeping tips, industry headlines, or changes to your services.
- Personalize Your Emails: Ensure that the messages are as personal as possible; this could include using the recipient’s name and sending r information relevant to them.
Also Read: Top Accounting Practice Management Software Options with Integrated Email in 2024
4. Ask for Google Reviews
Google reviews are part of online reputation building. Good comments from your previous clients make it more attractive to prospective clients who are searching for bookkeeping services. They also assist in attaining better rankings in search engine results, hence making it easy for people to locate you.
Steps to Get Google Reviews:
- Request Reviews from Satisfied Clients: Once you are done with a job, it would be wise if you asked your clients to rate you on Google. Tell them how their feedback is useful for the growth of the business.
- Make it Easy to Leave a Review: Insert the link to your Google review page in your emails or when you are creating your website. The more straightforward the process is, the higher the chances that clients will leave a review.
- Respond to Reviews: Do not forget to thank the clients for the good comments and to reply to the bad comments that clients have said. This makes them understand that you are willing to listen more to their opinions and you are also open to constructive criticism.
Pro Tip: Got your first bookkeeping client? The next step is to create engagement letters. Read this essential guide to Bookkeeping Engagement Letters in 2024 to get ideas and free templates.
5. Tap Lead Generation Companies
Lead generation firms principally concentrate on identifying targets who can do business with your firm. When you outsource this activity, you will be in a position to deal with other affairs like the process of transforming these leads to the paying clients.
Steps to Use Lead Generation Companies:
- Research and Choose a Reputable Company: Make sure you select lead generation companies that have a positive track record and that are doing business in your line of trade.
- Set a Budget for Leads: Discover how much you want to spend on lead generation services. Different companies charge differently.
- Follow Up on Leads Promptly: If you get a lead, don’t waste much time contacting the potential customer. The longer you wait, the more the lead cools off.
Also Read: If you are an accountant looking for leads, check out this detailed guide on How To Get Accounting Leads - Step-by-Step Process.
6. Consider Paid Google Ads
Google Ads enables you to market your business by showing your ads each time visitors search for anything related to bookkeeping. This form of advertising can direct a specific lot of traffic to your website which are likely to become your clients.
Steps to Launch a Google Ads Campaign:
- Choose the Right Keywords: Find the specific terms that the potential clients may use when searching for a bookkeeper – this can be “bookkeeper in my area” or “small business bookkeeping services.“ Incorporate such keywords in your ads.
- Set a Budget and Bidding Strategy: Select the amount of money you are willing to spend for your ads daily. Google Ads assists in setting daily budgets and bids with the money you would like to spend per click.
- Monitor and Optimize Your Ads: Monitor its performance often by checking how your ads are doing. If certain keywords or ads are performing well, consider increasing your budget for those. If some aren’t working, adjust your strategy or try different keywords.
- Partner with Complementary Businesses
A good example of this strategy is working with clients who operate in related industries, like accounting, investment, or payroll services. Such businesses can recommend clients to you if they need bookkeeping needs, and you, in the same process, recommend clients to them.
Steps to Build Partnerships:
- Identify Potential Partners: Make sure to find those businesses that are similar but are not competitors of your business. For instance, a tax preparation company may require its clients to seek the services of a bookkeeper.
- Propose a Partnership: Contact these businesses with your proposal for collaboration. Describe how you could help your clients refer to each other and how you could assist them with some ideas as to how they could work together in marketing.
- Maintain the Relationship: Always make sure you reconnect with your partners to build stronger relations. For example, you could partner with a nearby tax preparer to exchange the recommendations of diverse clients during the tax period.
8. Join Professional Groups and Communities
You can join professional groups and communities where you can find other professionals in that field, learn more trends that are current in the market, and find clients. Examples of such groups can be local chambers of commerce, discussion boards, or trade associations.
Steps to Get Involved in Professional Groups:
- Join Relevant Groups: Conduct research and become an affiliate of professional groups within the line of the industry or market to be targeted.
- Attend Meetings and Events: This involves participating in one’s community wherein one can attend meetings, workshops, and other such gatherings. This will also help you in nurturing relations among the members of the group as well as creating awareness of your profile.
- Share Your Expertise: Share your expertise by actively contributing insights, resources, and advice to fellow members, fostering collaboration and mutual growth within the community.
9. Freelancing Platforms
If you are beginning your bookkeeping firm, there is no better way of procuring clients than from freelancing websites such as Fiverr, UpWork, or Freelancer. They let you be able to get clients that require bookkeeping services, thus expanding your market niche.
Steps to Stand Out on Freelancing Platforms:
- Craft a Strong Profile Description: When writing the profile description, use simple and catchy language that captivates the reader’s attention and at the same time demonstrates your proficiency in bookkeeping.
- Showcase Your Portfolio: State examples of work and case studies that are proof of your ability to handle clients’ books appropriately. If you are just starting and have not accumulated many clients, you can create examples or stories with fictitious cases.
Gather and Display Client Reviews: Client and customer satisfaction reviews are important for establishing the firm's credibility to attract more customers. Make sure your clients leave their reviews and reply to them to show that your business cares about your client's opinions.
10. Local Small Businesses
Visit in person, introduce yourself, and leave business cards or flyers.
Coffee shops, salons, boutiques. Business directories like Yellow Pages, Yelp.
11. Networking Events and conferences
Attend events, introduce yourself, and share your services with potential clients.
Local business meetups, Chamber of Commerce events, Virtual networking events, webinars
12. Referrals from Other Professionals
Build relationships and create referral agreements or partnerships.
Accountants, tax preparers, business consultants, and complementary businesses (e.g., payroll services)
13. Online Marketplaces
Post detailed ads highlighting your services, experience, and contact information.
Google My Business, Craigslist, local classifieds, Upwork, Fiverr, Freelancer, Facebook and LinkedIn Groups
14. Cold calling or emailing
Research businesses, create a personalized pitch, and reach out via phone or email.
Local businesses in targeted industries and sectors like retail and real estate.
Learn more about how and where you can find new clients for your bookkeeping business.
Effortlessly Manage Clients Using Cone
One common issue for bookkeeping firms is the use of many tools to manage proposals, clients, invoicing, and workflow.This fragmented approach often leads to inefficiencies, missed deadlines, and potential errors. However, there’s a solution that can streamline all these processes into one cohesive system—Cone.
Two software offered by Cone, i.e. Cone Practice Management software and Cone Proposal & Billing Software consolidate all facilities that you may need for bookkeeping in one place starting at 8$ or 6.5£ per user/month.
Find Your Client Now
For your bookkeeping business, finding and attracting clients requires a combination of client management strategies and acquisition techniques. Now that you've read this blog and gained some useful insight, it's time to implement these tactics. Dive into your networking efforts, enhance your online visibility, and explore new client avenues.
Whether you’re starting your business or looking to take your business to the next level, you need to plan its activities and be active to grow. Choose the right strategies and software like Cone and see whether it works out for you.
And if you are ready to take your bookkeeping business to the next level, sign up for Cone's all-in-one solution today and watch your client list grow.
FAQs
- How Can a Bookkeeping Business Find Clients?
To draw in customers, use networking, create a powerful web presence, make use of platforms for freelancing, ask for Google reviews, and collaborate with related companies.
- What is Client Bookkeeping?
It is the process of keeping track of a client's income and expenses as a part of managing their financial records. It is necessary to keep up correct financial records and to back up company choices.
- How Many Customers Are Needed for a Bookkeeper?
10–20 clients are often needed for a sustainable business, depending on the fees and intricacy of the services. More clients or higher fees can also be effective.
- Can a Bookkeeper Make $100K?
Yes, it is of course possible for a bookkeeper to earn $ 100,000 per year. Simply, it requires a solid client base and relative prices more specifically if they offer targeted services or meet the needs of higher-end customers.
- How Do My Bookkeeping Rates Get Set?
Set rates based on your services, expertise, and market rates. Consider charging hourly, per project, or offering package deals to suit different client needs.
- What Software Should a Bookkeeper Use?
Some of the practice management solutions that bookkeepers recommend include Cone practice management software, while others for proposal management are GoProposal and Cone Proposal to Payment, and for accounting, there are QuickBooks, Xero, and FreshBooks.
- How Can I Improve My Bookkeeping Skills?
As a bookkeeper, search for online courses and certifications (e.g., CPA) and try to attend to business articles as often as possible.