How Making a List Could Score You Countless Clients
In order for you to effectively market your accounting services you must determine your competitive advantage. A competitive advantage is gained when you offer your target market something a competitor cannot.
When you market using that competitive advantage, you are able to edge out the competition. In order to become the premier freelance accountant in your area, you must determine your competitive advantage and incorporate it into your marketing strategy. Today we’ll talk about the competitive advantage you have through all your contacts. How does that work?
Create a List
First, we suggest you list the following, collecting approximately 250 names:
- Friends
- Family
- Neighbors
- Neighboring businesses
- Businesses you frequent
This list represents the competitive advantage you offer simply because you know someone, either personally or through business. Your proximity and character speak for you here, and will determine how comfortable these individuals feel talking with you about their accounting needs. Now that you have your list, follow these steps:
Write a Letter
It’s time for you to spread the word about your business. Put that competitive advantage to good use and write a letter to these contacts, telling them about your accounting services so they can retain them and/or refer their own friends and family your way. Include 3-4 business cards with each letter.
It’s important that you not send these letters out to all 250 contacts at the same time. This will afford you no time to follow-up with each of them. We suggest sending 5-10 a week, taking the time to call or email these individuals later to see if you can answer any questions they may have.
Have a Chat
It will make more sense to talk with some of those contacts face-to-face. For example, your competitive advantage with neighboring businesses is the fact that your business is close to theirs. Making this competitive advantage known requires a personal introduction in which you can talk about what you do and build a relationship in which you could ask who does their accounting and whether or not they’re happy with those services.
This may require more than one discussion as you ease your way into a professional relationship with these businesses. The same applies with businesses you frequent. Take the time to get to know the owners to see if you might be able to help them with their accounting.
Offer a Free Consultation
In order to demonstrate the value of your services, offer a free consultation. This can be as casual as suggesting, “Could I take a look at your books to see how I might help?” When you do so you will notice key indicators that will let you know how their business is faring and what might be done to make it more successful. Offer some suggestions on what they can do to increase their profitability. Also let them know that you would be happy to manage their accounting on a regular basis for a reasonable retainer.
You’ll be surprised at how this free consult enables you to secure clients with ease. Not to mention, as soon as these individuals become satisfied with your services, they’ll begin referring them to friends and family of their own. In this, you will eventually take advantage of word-of-mouth marketing.
Learn All This and More with Universal Accounting Center
It really is that easy to build your client base. And you can learn all this and more by enrolling in Universal Accounting Center’s Professional Bookkeeper Program. Not only will we train you in the practical application of small business accounting, but we’ll help you market those new skills, acquiring the clients you need in order to make your business successful. And you can see by this article just how simple marketing can be.
Really, could it be any easier than making a list, sending out letters, and chatting with your neighbors? For over 25 years Universal Accounting Center has been training professionals just like you in small business accounting and marketing. We know what works. And we know what doesn’t.
Let us share all that information with you so avoid wasting time trying to figure it out yourself. Do you have 25 years to spare? We didn’t think so.
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