How to Get Bookkeeping Clients in 4 Steps [+ Free Marketing Ideas]

Bookkeeping is a critical aspect of any business, and many entrepreneurs struggle to find the right bookkeeper. Today we’re sharing 4 easy steps you can take to grow your client base with free marketing ideas for small businesses.

The “how to get bookkeeping clients from home” is a blog post that outlines how you can find and get new clients. The article also provides free marketing ideas to help you get started.

Learn how to attract accounting customers fast by first determining your target demographic, then adopting marketing concepts to contact your prospective clients, joining a few networking organizations, and then providing extra services to your current clients like as payroll or tax preparation. For roughly $1,000, you can get started with all of these processes.

Make sure you’re ready before you start taking on too many customers. QuickBooks is the most popular accounting software for small companies, therefore you’ll probably run across a lot of QuickBooks users. No credit card is needed to join up for a free 30-day trial.

Go to the QuickBooks website.

The following are the four phases to obtaining accounting clients:

1. Identify Your Target Audience & Niche

Identifying your target audience will provide you with the information you need to sell to the individuals who are most in need of your services. Every form of company need the use of bookkeeping services. Because you don’t have the resources to serve every company, you’ll need to spend some time limiting down the kind of consumers you target with your marketing efforts.

You might chat to other bookkeepers who have been in business for a long to see what kind of clients they serve to limit down your search. You could also consider concentrating on a particular market. This might provide you with the niche you need to attract a constant stream of customers searching for your specific expertise.

Begin by completing the following questions to help you define your target audience:

• Is there a particular industry with a large number of enterprises in your region, such as industrial, manufacturing, or automotive?
• Do you frequent any small companies where you may inquire about their accounting services, such as dry cleaners, yogurt shops, or yoga studios?

Make a list of these firms and consider what services they could want. Do your homework if it’s an industry you’re unfamiliar with. Before you sit down with prospective consumers, you should make sure you’re conversant with the industry. Keep in mind that no two companies are the same. Expect to find distinct processes and procedures in place for the same sort of company if you want to start with local coffee shops, for example.

Focus on the customer’s problems and ask the following questions:

• What is your company’s greatest stumbling block?
• How much time do you spend on bookkeeping, payroll, and other comparable tasks?
• What has to be improved in order for your company to expand?

Whatever your target audience is made up of, it’s critical to understand who they are in order to advertise to them effectively. Putting your name in front of any prospective customer is a certain method to obtain no business. You need to stand out in today’s world, but you can’t if you don’t know who you’re trying to stand out for.

2. Begin promoting your bookkeeping services.

It’s time to get started when you’ve gotten your credentials and determined who your target audience is. We’ve got various suggestions to share with you on how to obtain accounting customers fast via free marketing efforts, whether you’re a brand new company owner or an established bookkeeping firm.

Download our list of the Top 25 Marketing Strategies for Accountants.

Here are some excellent marketing tactics for attracting accounting clients:

Make a Professional Web Page

Nowadays, having a website is just as important as having business cards. You don’t have to spend hundreds or even thousands of dollars hiring someone to Make a Professional Web Page. Instead, you can have a custom website designed by webmasters who specialized in creating CPA websites to convert traffic to sales. With CPA Site Solutions, you spend less than 15 minutes of your time speaking with a website professional and they will build a website with your logo, images, and content — and it’s free for 60 days. Click here to get started.

Visit CPA Site Solutions for more information.

Learn the Basics of Organic & Paid Google Advertising

Google AdWords is a fantastic tool to promote your company. As you may expect, there are certain Google advertising tips and tactics. To get you started, we’ve put up a step-by-step tutorial on How to Advertise on Google.

There are three main methods for ranking on Google:

• Paid Google results: Companies who pay Google per click have a very good probability of having their websites appear on Google’s first page. There are a few additional things to think about, which we go over in detail in our How to Advertise on Google article.
• Local results: Displays a list of companies in the visitor’s immediate vicinity. If someone searches for “bookkeeping services Los Angeles,” for example, they will see website listings for firms in Los Angeles that provide this service. The places closest to the individual’s location will often appear first.
• Organic outcomes: Organic outcomes aren’t merely restricted to the immediate vicinity. The authority of the website, which will often include websites like Facebook and Yelp, determines these results.

Check out our How Small Businesses Can Rank on Google guide for additional information on how to get your accounting firm to rank on Google.

Register as a Bookkeeper or Accountant on Freelancer Websites.

Visit freelancer websites devoted to assisting companies find skilled freelance bookkeepers and accountants as one of the most proactive strategies to build up your customer list. You won’t have to pay anything to utilize most of these websites. Some, however, may charge you a fee if you win a job after bidding on it via their website.

Follow these three steps to locate freelance accounting jobs:

1. Sign up for each of the free employment sites listed in the article below.
2. Fill up your whole profile, including your image, job experience, talents, services provided, pricing, and so on.
3. Sign up for job notifications by filling out the form below.

Make professional social media accounts for your bookkeeping business.

Social media sources are one area that many in our field fail to embrace soon enough. I am guilty of this, and I wish I had joined much sooner since many individuals utilize social media to find just about whatever they want. One of the greatest methods to discover how to get accounting customers online is to use social media.

Make a professional account for several of the most popular social media feeds, such as:

I propose that you begin by signing up for the social media site with which you are most familiar, and then progressively add more feeds when you are ready. At least 25% of your customers will originate from this source.

Follow these four steps to become involved in the realm of social media:

1. Create a social networking account for the following: Don’t utilize an account where you’ve previously shared personal images and material. Separate your personal and corporate accounts.
2. Complete the following sections of your profile: Include a photo, your qualifications (such as CPA), the services you offer, and any other relevant information.
3. Examine the information they provide and how they connect with their followers if you follow individuals in your field.
4. Make a timetable for when you’ll publish new material and stick to it: You may schedule material that will automatically publish to your social media accounts using a variety of tools.

Establish Client Recommendation Programs & Professionals

Existing customers and other bookkeepers referred me to some of the greatest clients I’ve ever had. Create a referral program for customers and other professionals who often deal with small companies. Most consumers will tell others about you if you do a fantastic job, and before you realize it, you’ve gained a new client.

Client Recommendation Programs

Using your current customer list is one of the quickest methods to expand your client list. Remember, your consumers are already satisfied, so why not ask for referrals? While the majority of your consumers will do this for no charge, it isn’t a bad idea to provide them a little reward.

The following are three stages to creating a referral program for your customers:

1. Make a decision on how much you’re prepared to offer in return for a referral. It doesn’t have to be expensive, but it should be something that would entice someone to give you a recommendation. You may, for example, offer them a $5 gift card or a discount on their next payment.
2. Spread the word. Make an email blast to your clientele informing them that you’re searching for references.
3. Make a system for tracking referrals. Create a system to keep track of new customers who have been recommended to you so that you may thank the person who introduced them.

Professional Referral Programs

Partnering with other companies that provide professional services, such as attorneys, tax experts, and bankers, is another approach to broaden your customer base. They require your accounting services for their small company clientele. Furthermore, they have faith in these experts and would often seek their counsel and recommendations based on their company requirements.

Begin by speaking with the financial institution with whom you keep your company accounts, and then speak with your lawyer and insurance provider. They may be able to introduce you to some of their classmates. You might give a monetary incentive for referrals or even send a recommendation their way in exchange for a referral you have gotten as a thank you.

Join the Directory of Fit Small Business Bookkeepers.

We offer a bookkeeper directory that includes bookkeepers in every state that provide bookkeeping, payroll, and tax services as part of our objective to grow our bookkeeper/accountant community. We often get requests from small company owners seeking a local bookkeeper in their region, and we always recommend them to our bookkeeper directory. Join our directory to get found by our 2 million+ monthly readers.

3. Begin to network.

Become a Small Business Development Center Business Advisor.

The Small Company Administration (SBA) funds Small Business Development Centers (SBDCs) to help small business owners establish and expand their businesses. Free and paid programs, as well as one-on-one counseling with SBDC business consultants, are all available via the SBDC. SBDC customers were among my initial clients. For three years, I worked as an SBDC business counselor and conducted a monthly QuickBooks session.

Take the following three steps to form a relationship with the SBDC:

1. Locate the SBDC office in your area.
2. Check their website to check if any workshops on bookkeeping or QuickBooks are presently available.
3. Schedule a meeting with the director or assistant director to propose a new seminar or workshop or to offer your services as an adviser.

For meeting with the SBDC’s customers, you will be paid an hourly fee. It is, however, on a budget, therefore the pricing and number of consultation hours per customer are limited. While you cannot take on an SBDC client as your own, it is a fantastic method to practice consulting abilities while still being compensated.

Become an Adjunct Professor.

Prospective customers will trust you more if you establish yourself as an authority in your subject. Part-time teaching at a local community college or university is one method to do this. Many community colleges and universities are looking for part-time instructors from a range of professions.

I must confess that when I first began my accounting profession, I never saw myself teaching kids bookkeeping and accounting in a classroom. In truth, like most others, I was terrified of giving a speech in public. However, through joining Toastmasters, I was able to overcome my phobia.

For the last ten years, I’ve been an adjunct educator at UCLA Extension, and I love it. I inform my pupils that I provide one-on-one consulting services and supply them with my business card. As a consequence, I’ve had a lot of customers who were previously my pupils.

To Become an Adjunct Professor., follow these four steps:

1. To overcome your phobia of public speaking, join a local Toastmasters chapter or give an online lesson, but bear in mind that you won’t gain many local customers via the internet platform alone.
2. Make a list of your area’s colleges and institutions.
3. Take your selection of universities and look up what courses they offer in your field of expertise, such as bookkeeping and accounting, on their websites.
4. Contact the college or university to learn how to apply for a position as an adjunct teacher; many universities accept applications all year.

Participate in Meetup Groups

Meetup groups are made up of like-minded individuals that meet on a regular basis to discuss a shared interest. For example, there are meeting groups for learning how to cook, marathon training, and app development. In Los Angeles, I’m a member of a QuickBooks ProAdvisor organization. While our original purpose was to meet together to improve our QuickBooks abilities and help each other with customer issues, it has also turned into a terrific resource for attracting new clients.

Follow these four steps to discover a local meetup group in your area:

1. Find a “meetup” site and go there.
2. To find out what groups exist, use a keyword search for “bookkeeper,” “accountant,” or “QuickBooks.”
3. Attend a meeting to learn more about the organization.
4. If you decide to join, be an active member and make sure that others are aware of your areas of expertise so that they may connect you to the right clientele.

While you may believe that joining a club of bookkeepers and accountants that provide similar services to you would not help you expand your customer base, you are incorrect. For example, although I adore teaching and training, I am not interested in providing accounting services. As a result, someone in the organization who dislikes training customers will send them to me, and I will give them clients who are searching for accounting services in exchange. In addition, the organization has a lot of information that may show you how to swiftly get accounting customers.

Become a member of a local business group.

In big cities, there are a number of local business organizations. Finding a group that will support you in your aims while also allowing you to contribute might be difficult at times. During my study, I discovered Business Network International, a networking club that seemed to be producing excellent results (BNI).

BNI claims to be the biggest referral network in the world. They have more than 232,000 members and 8,000 chapters throughout the globe. The application procedure involves an interview with the membership committee, a background check, and reference checks to guarantee that members are trustworthy.

One of the organization’s distinctive features is that only one individual from each occupational speciality is allowed to join a BNI branch, preventing rivalry among members. This implies you may have to go to a few different chapters before you locate one that doesn’t have your speciality covered. Find a local BNI chapter near you for more information on how to join a BNI group.

4. Maximize the value of your current bookkeeping clients

Using your current clients to boost your billables is one of the quickest methods to do so. What services are you not delivering to your customer that you know they are paying someone else to do? Does your customer, for example, have workers but you don’t provide payroll services? If that’s the case, as their bookkeeper, you’re presumably already aware of who handles their payroll and how much they pay. If you don’t know, inquire.

Take the following four actions to upsell to your current customers:

1. Make a list of the services you don’t provide to your customers.
2. Determine who is delivering the service and how much your customer is paying for it.
3. Calculate if you can save your client money or give them with greater service than they are now receiving, all while maintaining a reasonable accounting rate for both you and them.
4. Make a presentation and set up a meeting with your client to pitch your idea.

Keep in mind that your customers have faith in you. I assure they will at least listen to your presentation if you can save them money or give them with a service that their current supplier does not supply.

Getting Bookkeeping Clients Requirements

Convincing a potential customer that you know what you’re doing is one of the “selling points.” You may get the information you need to accomplish accounting job via a variety of methods. You may skip this part if you have your CPA license. Otherwise, keep reading to find out how to become a qualified bookkeeper and an expert in accounting software. If you want to learn how to start a bookkeeping company, check out our How To Start A Bookkeeping Business guide.

Obtain Certification

If you don’t have any formal accounting training, you might think about becoming certified. The American Institute of Professional Bookkeepers (AIPB) and the National Association of Certified Professional Bookkeepers (NACPB) are two notable organizations that provide bookkeeper certification qualifications (NACPB). Both organizations have requirements for certification, which include passing a certification test.

If you are certified by the AIPB, you can use the letters CB (certified bookkeeper) after your name on business cards and other marketing materials, and if you are certified by the NACPB, you can use the letters CPB (certified professional bookkeeper) after your name on business cards and other marketing materials to inform prospective clients that you have the knowledge and skills to manage their books.

For less than $1,000, you can usually take an accessible course and pass the exam. Check out our article on How to Become A Certified Bookkeeper for additional information on how to become certified in these programs.

Become an expert in accounting software.

After you’ve proven your bookkeeping knowledge through certification, you need to get familiar with the accounting software programs that most small business owners use and prove your knowledge in that software. The best way to Become an expert in accounting software. is to sign up for accountant or advisor programs. Most of these programs are free to join and include free access to their software so that you can gain hands-on experience with the program in order to successfully pass an assessment/exam to become a certified expert.

Once you’ve been certified, your information will be included to a directory that small company owners may use to find a local expert in their region. For more than ten years, I’ve been a Certified QuickBooks ProAdvisor. Millions of small company owners who buy QuickBooks hunt for a local professional to assist them with the software in the Find a ProAdvisor directory. This has been one of the most effective strategies for me to develop a customer throughout the years.

To understand more about this program, see our article on How to Become a QuickBooks ProAdvisor. Check out the adviser programs for FreshBooks, Xero, Wave, and Zoho Books, as well as other accounting software.

Final Thoughts

Now that you have learned how to get bookkeeping clients quickly, we recommend that you take a sequential approach and start with getting certified, Become an expert in accounting software. and determine your target audience. Once you have achieved those three, you can implement the marketing ideas that you are most comfortable with first and then work your way down the list.

Remember to brush up on your QuickBooks knowledge by completing our free QuickBooks course. It has video instructions on how to set up clients, suppliers, pay bills, invoice customers, and much more. You may either begin with the first video or pick and choose whatever lessons you need to complete. To test it out for yourself, sign up for a free 30-day trial of QuickBooks.

Go to the QuickBooks website.

The “virtual bookkeeping business plan” is a 4-step guide to getting clients in your virtual bookkeeping business. You will learn how to market yourself and get more clients.

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