Create a website with unique content: underline your selling point. You can even create a blog later - to enhance the opportunity.
Make it easy to understand, why should anyone choose you and your service.
If you have not identified such distinctive factor(s) do a SWOT analysis and you'll find some.
Personal networking as an obvious tool for building confidence is rather important in bookkeeping business, I believe. Then join forums and stand out of the crowd, that will generate traffic.
Chill
Make it easy to understand, why should anyone choose you and your service.
If you have not identified such distinctive factor(s) do a SWOT analysis and you'll find some.
Personal networking as an obvious tool for building confidence is rather important in bookkeeping business, I believe. Then join forums and stand out of the crowd, that will generate traffic.
Chill
Last edited by a moderator:
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Hi Jen
I've just looked at your website and I don't think you need to change the content as much as you think. Some of the text needs tidied up a little but on the whole it's fine. If I was a potential client in your area, it gives me enough information on who you are, the services you offer and the experience you have too. You would certainly be on my list to give you a call.
You have a really useful range of payroll/HR/accounts skills. Many bookkeepers/payroll businesses don't have the level of experience and expertise you have. This is to your advantage. Also, it sounds like you have the help and support of others too which is good to have. The whole area of payroll/HR is baffling to a lot of business owners with the likes of RTI, auto-enrolment, etc. I can see you getting payroll work and then picking up additional book-keeping/accounts work off the back of it as the businesses you work for get bigger/busier.
You are also in a busy part of the UK; plenty people and businesses. You just have to pickup a few clients then I'm sure you will get more as your reputation increases. Maybe you could include testimonials from happy clients on your website, that would be good. Also, do some networking with local business groups. Some local advertising and leaflet distribution would be helpful too. Any chance of the local newspaper doing a feature on your business? What about the chartered accountants you did your work experience with, would they recommend you to clients looking for payroll services? In return, you would refer bigger clients to them for accounts/tax services.
Finally, make sure you have your own admin sorted; invoice clients as soon as possible after the work is completed, keep on top of your credit control, sending statements etc, chase your debts and get the cash in, don't be fobbed off with excuses. Be prepared to walk away from bad payers. The hardest part of the job is getting the money in. I know because I've recently started a similar business to yourself.
Good luck with your business, I'm sure you're going to do very well. If I can be of any help at all, please let me know.
Kind regards
Gordon
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Your website is the key to it all, you can drive digital traffic through both online and offline marketing.
It is also the first thing people will do after meeting you. It is your shopfront.
As for marketing I would invest in Seo and some tactical pay per click. Such as "book keeping in x town".
Other than that I would networking breakfasts at your local business group. Everyone is trying to sell something but it is a great way to create mailing list of potential clients just by collecting cards.
It is also the first thing people will do after meeting you. It is your shopfront.
As for marketing I would invest in Seo and some tactical pay per click. Such as "book keeping in x town".
Other than that I would networking breakfasts at your local business group. Everyone is trying to sell something but it is a great way to create mailing list of potential clients just by collecting cards.
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As others have said networking is one of the quickest and easiest way to build contacts, how easy it is to turn them into paying clients will depend on the quality of the networking groups you attend.
Try to avoid those which are already saturated with others offering the same service and try to focus on why what you will be offering is different to the competition, even if that's just something simple like a money back guarantee.
There are lots of books aimed at helping companies find and retain clients, personally "it's not who you know, it's who knows you" would be top of my list.
Try to avoid those which are already saturated with others offering the same service and try to focus on why what you will be offering is different to the competition, even if that's just something simple like a money back guarantee.
There are lots of books aimed at helping companies find and retain clients, personally "it's not who you know, it's who knows you" would be top of my list.
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Does your council support a new enterprise company to advise new businesses, that would be a ideal place to get known
Local papers are still a good source of advertising for low cost along with church magazines
Google make sure your site screams your location even down to village if applicable but can take time to find customers
Contact local paper and local area papers and tell them the story of what you have done and hope to achieve, they often want good happy stories to put in with the gloom, the more you make up the story for them the more chance you have, they are not interested so much in local new book-keeper but why you have taken the plunge , what your history is and any exciting bits to headline
Footwork around local trading estates may bring in some work
Local papers are still a good source of advertising for low cost along with church magazines
Google make sure your site screams your location even down to village if applicable but can take time to find customers
Contact local paper and local area papers and tell them the story of what you have done and hope to achieve, they often want good happy stories to put in with the gloom, the more you make up the story for them the more chance you have, they are not interested so much in local new book-keeper but why you have taken the plunge , what your history is and any exciting bits to headline
Footwork around local trading estates may bring in some work
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Great advice Chris, my girlfriends mum who's a mobile hairdresser said she never had such a good response as to when she advertised in her local church magazine.
Also didn't cost very much.
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I
integrity Rules
- Original Poster
- #18
edited
The 'human interest story' pitch to Local rags is an idea that interests me.
The theory of it seems fine , logically local peers should be interested. However are you writing from personal experience here… in which case would appreciate some further background as to how it was pitched, to whom ,and any other relevant tips. Thanks.
Julia
West London colonics
The 'human interest story' pitch to Local rags is an idea that interests me.
The theory of it seems fine , logically local peers should be interested. However are you writing from personal experience here… in which case would appreciate some further background as to how it was pitched, to whom ,and any other relevant tips. Thanks.
Julia
West London colonics
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Hi
I just made a basic life history and the reasons I was changing direction into a new venture using the old new bit Who, What, Where,When
The more you write your story the less they have to do and if lucky like me i got half a page of editorial in the local paper plus the same in the regional paper, plus a couple of follow on short updates a couple of years latter
I just made a basic life history and the reasons I was changing direction into a new venture using the old new bit Who, What, Where,When
The more you write your story the less they have to do and if lucky like me i got half a page of editorial in the local paper plus the same in the regional paper, plus a couple of follow on short updates a couple of years latter
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I have a little trick I use when helping to set up new businesses that almost guarantees coverage in the local papers if it should be required down the line. I'm not going to disclose it on the open forum, but feel free to PM me if you want to know what it is.
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I have a little trick I use when helping to set up new businesses that almost guarantees coverage in the local papers if it should be required down the line. I'm not going to disclose it on the open forum, but feel free to PM me if you want to know what it is.
Does it involve painting the company logo on your back, a bottle of scotch and running down a high street naked? If so already tried it, made the papers but didn't increase sales ;-)
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Although made in jest, you make a good point. Publicity is pointless, if it's just for the sake of publicity. I'm not a big fan of 'brand awareness', 'brand exposure', 'increases in recognition' and all that other PR non-sense. For small businesses like the ones on this forum, either it brings in money, or it's a waste of time.
Having said that, there are ways to leverage an advantage from media attention, it's just that no-one seems to bother. They get in the papers, and think it's job done.
As you mention, anyone can get in the local paper (even if it's only in the 'around the courts' section).
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Exactly, either people read something and then go on to buy from you, or they read it and then forget all about it, in which case why bother?
As you mention, anyone can get in the local paper (even if it's only in the 'around the courts' section).
Same way anyone can have a million pound turnover business, it will run at a loss and cost you a fortune but sounds good to some people.
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Exactly, big turnover figures are really just for vanity unless you are also making good profit margins too.
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