Does anyone use peopleperhour.com or similar to gain clients?

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Gem7321
Gem7321 Registered Posts: 1,438 Beyond epic contributor 🧙‍♂️
in General accounting discussion
If so, please share your experiences. I'm interested but trying to work out whether it's worth the potential hassle.

www.peopleperhour.com

Thanks

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  • Monsoon
    Monsoon Registered Posts: 4,071 Beyond epic contributor 🧙‍♂️
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    No.
    I can't see it working - it's all about the lowest price as far as I can tell.

    My ex partner was (is) on there and as far as I know got nothing.
  • mc25
    mc25 Registered Posts: 232 Dedicated contributor 🦉
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    I agreed with Mosoon. When I intially started I was tempted when I looked at the charges etc.... i thought it was not worth it. Good luck
  • T.C.
    T.C. Registered, Tutor Posts: 1,448 Beyond epic contributor 🧙‍♂️
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    I had a look at the site some time ago, but as Monsoon says, "its all about the lowest price". You could try advertising on your local gumtree.com site - its free!
  • Monsoon
    Monsoon Registered Posts: 4,071 Beyond epic contributor 🧙‍♂️
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    I advertised a job on Gumtree once. The calibre of responses I got was mostly.... dubious.

    If you do ad on gumtree (and I don't think it's the kind of place people will look for an accountant, but at least it gets your name out there), make sure it looks really professional.

    Get your name in all the free online directories too - it helps search engine rankings.
  • Gem7321
    Gem7321 Registered Posts: 1,438 Beyond epic contributor 🧙‍♂️
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    Wow I wasn't expecting so many replies so quickly, thanks for the heads up everyone!

    I haven't had a single response from gumtree which is very frustrating as when you search for 'accountant in my city' there are only 5 ads that appear and mine is one of them so it is on the first page! And even on 'accountant in my county' I'm on the first page. Same as when you search for bookkeeper.

    I am picking up a few self assessment clients but I'm really looking for more bookkeeping assignments which will be more regular.

    Maybe I should be taking a more aggressive approach to marketing? I've avoided cold calling etc. but at the moment I'm getting nowhere fast.
  • T.C.
    T.C. Registered, Tutor Posts: 1,448 Beyond epic contributor 🧙‍♂️
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    Have you tried the local magazines and the shop windows? They can be a good, cheap form of advertising.
  • Monsoon
    Monsoon Registered Posts: 4,071 Beyond epic contributor 🧙‍♂️
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    T.C. wrote: »
    Have you tried the local magazines and the shop windows? They can be a good, cheap form of advertising.

    Absolutely, and dont forget parish magazines, I picked up lots from that when I was a bookkeeper.

    Local, local, local! And get a good website that ranks well for "bookkeeper YOURTOWN." Wordpress sites rank very well - mine is WP and I rank really well for all my nearby towns.
  • GinnyBee
    GinnyBee Registered, Tutor Posts: 131 Dedicated contributor 🦉
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    Monsoon wrote: »
    Get your name in all the free online directories too - it helps search engine rankings.

    I'm working on this, does anyone know if there is a list of all of these anywhere? Any recommendations of which are best to use?

    Thanks!
  • Monsoon
    Monsoon Registered Posts: 4,071 Beyond epic contributor 🧙‍♂️
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    Google like a client would and see which are on the first couple of pages and get in those.
  • Gem7321
    Gem7321 Registered Posts: 1,438 Beyond epic contributor 🧙‍♂️
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    I've got notices up in local newsagents and I've advertised in the local newspaper but that's so expensive! I think I will try the parish and local magazines and newsletters - thanks. I know I'm on some free directories but I can't remember which ones! I think I will go through and update them.

    Thanks everyone
  • anniem
    anniem Registered Posts: 1,326 Beyond epic contributor 🧙‍♂️
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    Are you on google maps too?
    FMAAT - AAT Licensed Member in Practice - Pewsey, Wiltshire
  • sjkr
    sjkr Registered Posts: 74 Regular contributor ⭐
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    I am currently in the middle of a bad experience with the Servicestart website! As soon as it is over I will be closing my account with them and will never use them again - high fees for dubious leads and are now refusing to refund my account, telling me my case is in a "grey zone". I thought if they took money from people that their policies should be perfectly clear, black and white, not grey???

    Anyone else had a bad experience with Servicestart or is it just me?
  • Rachel
    Rachel Registered Posts: 348 Dedicated contributor 🦉
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    I have used PPH and I gained a few clients all about 2 years ago though. I really good bookkeeping one who refers me to all his friends he chose me as I could offer him fast turn around as I work weekends and one who picked me as I was local but most want something for nothing.

    I was given some free vouchers from adwords and that generated a few clients but I am not pushing it atm.
  • Monsoon
    Monsoon Registered Posts: 4,071 Beyond epic contributor 🧙‍♂️
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    I've registered on ServiceStart but never used it. There do seem to be a lot of people who are requesting contact "just to see about price." Yeah, like I'm going to pay £30 to contact someone who is windowshopping.

    I've not been brave enough to purchase a lead yet.
  • Rachel
    Rachel Registered Posts: 348 Dedicated contributor 🦉
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    I think I signed up with service start and got a request to contact from a sex shop so I didn't touch it again!
  • Rachel
    Rachel Registered Posts: 348 Dedicated contributor 🦉
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    Then again maybe I missed out!
  • Monsoon
    Monsoon Registered Posts: 4,071 Beyond epic contributor 🧙‍♂️
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    I wouldn't have minded that, I don't mind having adult industry clients on my books :)
    Actually, they are often some of the best clients - they don't haggle on price and they provide everything promptly and pay on time, A1 clients!
  • mc25
    mc25 Registered Posts: 232 Dedicated contributor 🦉
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    I've got an account with service start but I have never used them. I look at it this way, you pay for lead and you dont get the work...grrrrrr!! esp if you are just starting up this could cost you a fortune..
  • Monsoon
    Monsoon Registered Posts: 4,071 Beyond epic contributor 🧙‍♂️
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    A lot of marketing is paying for leads that may never convert. I think the trick with SS is to only pay for the ones you know you stand a reasonable chance of converting. This might mean only responding to 1% of requests, but even if 1 converts then that will pay for the lead, plus a few dead ones.

    Read them all to get a feel for it - there's nothing wrong with looking, and its good research.
  • sjkr
    sjkr Registered Posts: 74 Regular contributor ⭐
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    I have been with Servicestart for a while, but not bought many leads, only picking the ones that I thought might convert. Each time I did though, I heard nothing back from the prospective clients (as you say, it's all about lowest price - think mine must be too high!). Servicestart gave me a refund on each occasion, however, it has happened again, only this time they are refusing to refund me.
    I won't be using them again and wouldn't recommend them to anyone else at all.

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