The Freelance Bookkeeper

It’s a great time to be a bookkeeper and finding new clients will cost you only a bit of time and effort, even if you are just starting out.

Let’s take a quick look at just a few bootstrapping strategies for building your client base that you can put into action immediately.

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1. Networking, Networking, Networking

Referrals are usually the main source of new clients for freelance bookkeepers. Networking is a key method of getting those referrals flowing your way.

There are a gazillion ways to network, both locally and online. The nice thing about networking is, it is a soft way to let others know about your services without coming off salesy or pushy.

Relax. The most effective way to network is to just be yourself. Focus on meeting people and get to know them, and in the process, just let them know the benefits you offer to those who are in need your services. Be sure you always have business cards with you to leave with those who may want to contact you again.

Here are some easy places to find networking opportunities.

Locally:

* Chamber of Commerce

* Community Groups

* Talk to the service providers you use (Pizza shop, dry cleaners, etc.)

* Family and friends (be sure they know what you do and ask if they know anyone who might need your help).

Online:

* Social Networks – a few of my favorites are Women Owned Network; LinkedIn; and my latest discovery, FindVirtual

* Email – reconnect with past friends, acquaintances and clients, and be sure to send it from your business email. Sign your messages using a “signature” that is a one-liner for the benefit you provide, along with your contact information.

* Blog Posts – If you are subscribed to any blogs, you’ll want to post comments regularly and include a “signature” with a one-line blurb about your business and include contact info.

* Forums – same idea as blog posts. If you use QuickBooks, you SHOULD be involved with the QuickBooks Community forums.

INSIDER TIP: If you are well-versed with Quicken software, you have an opportunity that appears to be greatly underserved! There are A LOT of businesses using Quicken to keep their books! Participate in the Quicken forums and you’ll likely find clients who REALLY need your help!

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2. No-Cost Advertising

Online Directories are still a great no-cost way to pull in inquiries. These listings will show up when people are looking for bookkeeping services on the Web.

Here are a few of the good ones:

http://listings.yellowpages.com/
http://listings.local.yahoo.com/ (must have a Yahoo ID)
http://advertising.superpages.com/spportal/business-listing (SuperPages)
http://www.google.com/local/add (must have a Google acct)

Online Classified Ads are another way to let new clients find you. Craigslist is probably the most lucrative one you’ll ever find. You can run an ad for three weeks at a time for free. You’ll also find classified ad areas on both the QuickBoooks and Quicken Community Sites.

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3. Proactive Marketing

Search Help Wanted ads for part-time bookkeeper in newspaper listings. Most of these potential clients will want you to work onsite.

Many local newspapers publish their Help Wanted classified ads online too, so get in the regular routine of checking their website listings for a constant supply of fresh leads. And of course, you should check Craigslist for your area.

If you are able to work remotely with your clients (thus removing geographical limitations), you can even search Craigslist nationally.

Here’s how…

Contact local CPA firms. As I’ve suggested in previous articles, it is important to cultivate these relationships, since they are a great source of quality referrals.

From now through the early part of the new year, many of their clients will be scrambling to get their books in order to prepare for year-end tax planning and tax season in general. It’s therefore the perfect time to offer your services to local CPAs. They may hire you themselves, or refer you to clients in need.

Just remember that you will have to win their trust first, so be prepared to offer them references or a “free trial” period so they can see the quality of your work.

Other companies who you can partner with for referrals and complementing services are payroll service firms, office supply stores, and printing shops. You may even want to partner with other bookkeeping firms for subcontracted work or mutual referrals. Just be sure to seek ways to complement their services, not compete with them. Always think win-win.

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4. Quick-Fix, Short-Term Opportunities

If you’ve tried the above methods, but results are not coming fast enough for your budget, you can always take on some temporary work to fill the gaps until you build up your ongoing client base. AccounTemps is a great place to start, since you will command a higher rate than with a general temp agency. Of course, this will be far lower than your typical billing rate.

Recently, I was contacted by H&R Block who is apparently seeking experienced tax preparers for the upcoming season. If you do taxes, this might be a quick fix if you are cash strapped. If this is an option you want to consider, I suggest inquiring at your local H&R Block office, since I am not sure of the specific requirements for this new arrangement.

Keep in mind that with both of these options, they should be considered a last resort. Working as a temp bookkeeper or tax preparer will not really grow your business because you will be restricted from soliciting new clients from their customer base. But it will add to your experience and promise some guaranteed cash for a short while.

If you’re a bootstrapping freelance bookkeeper, the opportunities to pull in new clients truly abound. So what are you waiting for? Get to it this week! Then tell us about YOUR bootstrapping success!

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Gabrielle Fontaine, PB is a freelance Professional Bookkeeper and Certified QuickBooks ProAdvisor. She also publishes an interactive blog especially for bookkeepers who are ready to break free and run their own home-based bookkeeping service. Get more information at www.TheFreelanceBookkeeper.com

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