How to find clients????

BHB

Hi everyone, some advice needed.
Been in accounts for 19 years, MAAT for 3 years. Took the bull by the horns last week and placed an ad in the local paper, re bookkeeping, VAT, PAYE sole traders, partnerships and small businesses. Took on an accounts role 18 months ago with less working hours to become part time MIP. Only reply to the ad was a chartity selling advertising. How do I do this. Flyers? or is there another way? Replies appreciated by those that have taken the leap of faith.

alicemaylara

Its who you know not what you know!

Mail Shot all the businesses in your area, put adverts in your local newspaper.

Offer 'great prices' and 'a friendly service'

Its hard at the moment though. My friend has been trying for a while to get more clients but they just arn't biting at the moment. Everyone is struggling at the moment (recession ect ect). Just keep trying i guess.....

Good luck

pinksponk

I agree with Alicemaylara. I have advertised, mailshotted, phoned round, etc. Not a bite. It does feel like its who you know, not what you know. Probably the best way is word of mouth, but you have to have some clients for them to spread the word. Don't give up your day job just yet.

jilt

Hi BHB, I have to agree with alicemaylara to some extend however most of my clients have come from ads not word of mouth. Try postcards in local shop windows. Prices vary and I've paid between 30p and £1 per week. I usually pay for 10-12 weeks at a time, be patient mine had been in a few weeks before I got my first call.

Also have you tried www.freeindex.co.uk I've had a few clients who found me on there. Don't give up, I can go several weeks and hear nothing then I get a few enquiries in the same week! Best of luck :001_smile:

farmergiles

I found that the first couple of clients were the hardest to get. Advertised in shop windows, especially post office windows. Also approached people like scaffolders and handed out fliers. Now that I have a few clients, word of mouth works well. I also hand out bottles of wine to clients who refer new business. Once a referral gets signed up and makes a monthly payment, I buy the referrer two bottles of wine. Work wonders!!

Anne Boleyn

New clients

Hi BHB
I started S/E almost two years ago and for about 6 months I didn't get a single call or client. I placed an advert in the local paper each day for a month which got me two clients but actually a few months after the advert stopped. Then I tried a mailshot and have got about 25 clients from that. I have a yellow pages ad which went in last august and in December I got a call and the fee from that one client will pay for the ad for many years. It is trial and error and what works for some will not work for others.

This is just what I have tried and it is incredibly frustrating waiting for clients to realise you exist. I also do a certain amount of networking but not as much as I used to.

Try to keep your spirits up and to fill your time so you aren't so aware that the phone hasn't rung. It will happen.

PaulPSB

Find out what works for you. I've tried everything over 14 years in Practise including:

Local papers
Trade Magazines
Yellow Pages & Thomson Local
Fliers
Mailshots
TV ads in local Post Offices
Doctors Surgery TV Screen
Sponsoring Local Events
Sponsoring Kids Football team
Sponsoring Racing Car
etc etc etc

Statistically over the last ten years 97% of all new business has come from networking so I now do very little advertising. I take the free line slot in Yellow Pages and use a couple of online directories to generate traffic to the website but thats all

Paul :001_smile:

BHB

Thank you to all those replies, some things I hadn't even thought about. All very helpful and something to think about. BHB

Minky

I am in the same boat as you at the moment. I am a new MIP. I put an ad in the local paper and didn't even get one phone call. My employer who I work for part time gave me some advise and suggested advertising my hourly rates because some small sole traders may feel embarrased to ask such a question and then not bother ringing at all. So I thought it might be worth a go in next weeks local paper. Will let you know if it works.

Debbie

lorraine

I am in the same boat also, I have a website for bookkeeping services which is coming up on search engines, I have handed out 100 flyers, but not heard anything back, I started as MIP in Dec last year. I have now placed a ad in a local magazine which will go out next week and is for a three month run, so fingers crossed I will hear something from that.

I have put my business on various free internet listing sites also, the only thing I have got back though is people trying to offer me their services, so people must be seeing my company come up in different places?

CLAREH

My partner is an IFA and we have a listing on www.unbiased.co.uk. A lot of the insurance companies etc., have a link on their own websites to this one for people looking for a financial adviser. They are planning to offer the same sort of listings for accountants. There is no harm in trying it, its free!

lorraine

Thanks for the suggestion, I don't feel it would be a good idea for me to register as an accountant, I only feel confident to work as a bookkeeper, as this is what I do as a full time job currently, but am trying to do it on a self employed basis too.

PAMDILL

lorraine wrote: »

Thanks for the suggestion, I don't feel it would be a good idea for me to register as an accountant, I only feel confident to work as a bookkeeper, as this is what I do as a full time job currently, but am trying to do it on a self employed basis too.

I have been approached by a franchise called 'The Local Bookkeeper' might be worth looking at. Their capital investment starts at £5K but they provide backup, advertising and a website etc.

I was debating about looking at it but I have no other source of income in the household as my husband is disabled.

So currently I have to stay employed full time.

BHB

I too have looked at the Local Bookkeeper, but it is a lot of outlay initially if you don't get the clients. Just about to put together a flyer but unsure of what to include. suggestions anyone.

BHB

sarahwilson

I think its been said on the other thread but 5k outlay is quite a lot when you think what you could do with it yourself and retain all your profits.