Are you looking for a way to start your own business? A great option to consider is freelance bookkeeping. Bookkeeping can be done from home, and it’s a great way to get started in your own business with very little overhead costs.
Outside of the fact that you simply may not be meant to run a business of your own, there is very little reason why a bookkeeping business wouldn’t be a good move on your part. The pay can be excellent, you are able to work from home, and it can be a very rewarding experience being able to help out other small businesses.
In this post, we’ll give you a basic overview of what you need to get started as a freelance bookkeeper. We’ll also share some tips on how to find clients and grow your bookkeeping business. So if you’re ready to take the plunge into the world of freelancing, keep reading!
What To Offer As A Freelance Bookkeeper
As a freelance bookkeeper, you can offer a wide range of services to businesses of all sizes. Whether you’re looking to help with accounts receivable and payable, general ledger maintenance, or financial statement preparation, you can tailor your services to meet the specific needs of your clients.
In addition to traditional bookkeeping services, you can also offer consulting and training services to help businesses with their accounting and finance needs. Ideally, you would want to learn how to do everything! Your goal should be to become a one-stop shop for any small business looking for a bookkeeper.
Down the road, you could even add tax services on top of the bookkeeping and watch your business really begin to take off!
By offering a variety of services, you can be sure to meet the needs of your clients and build a successful freelance business.
How to find clients and market your business
One of the most important aspects of starting and running a successful bookkeeping business is finding clients. There are a number of ways to go about this, and each has its own advantages and disadvantages. Let’s take a look at some of the most common methods for finding bookkeeping clients, as well as some tips for marketing your business.
One of the best ways to find new clients is through referrals from current or past clients. Word-of-mouth marketing is always a powerful tool, and it’s especially effective in the case of bookkeeping services since most people aren’t familiar with what bookkeepers do.
You can encourage your current and past clients to refer you to their friends and colleagues by offering them a referral bonus or discount on their next service. If your aim is to be the best bookkeeper possible (as it should be) your clients will refer you without any encouragement on your part at all!
Another great way to find new clients is through online marketing. There are a number of ways to market your bookkeeping business online, including search engine optimization (SEO), pay-per-click (PPC) advertising, and social media marketing (LinkedIn).
SEO is the process of optimizing your website so that it appears higher on search engine results pages, otherwise known as organic traffic. The other option, PPC advertising, involves paying for placement on search engine results pages.
Social media marketing involves using social networking sites like Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn to promote your business.
Finally, you can also use print advertising to find new bookkeeping clients. This includes things like classified ads, direct mail, and print newsletters. While this type of advertising can be expensive, it can be very effective if done correctly.
Once you’ve found some potential clients, it’s important to market your bookkeeping business in a way that will resonate with them. One of the best ways to do this is by creating a marketing mix that includes a variety of marketing channels. This mix should include both online and offline channels, as well as both paid and free methods.
It’s important to tailor your marketing to the needs of your target audience. For example, if your target audience is small business owners, you may want to focus on online marketing methods like SEO and PPC advertising. If your target audience is individuals, you may want to focus on methods like social media marketing and print advertising.
It is also important to understand that learning the marketing part of your potential business is just as important as learning the bookkeeping itself. Starting a freelance bookkeeping business doesn’t have to be as difficult as you may think. Just don’t overcomplicate things by jumping around to learn marketing. Make sure that you find a way to learn both bookkeeping and marketing together, in the same course!
What To Do When You Encounter A Difficult Client
I think one of the main concerns that new bookkeepers have is what to do when you are not happy with a particular client. No one said bookkeeping would be easy, but when you encounter a difficult client, it can make the process even more challenging. Here are some tips for dealing with them:
- Stay calm and professional. It can be frustrating when a client is being difficult, but it’s important to stay calm and professional. Raising your voice or becoming angry will only make the situation worse.
- Communicate clearly. Make sure that you are communicating clearly with the client, and that they understand what you are asking them to do. If there is a misunderstanding, it can lead to further conflict.
- Stick to your guns. If the client is trying to get you to do something that is not in line with your standards or policies, stand your ground. You are the professional, and you should not be bending to the client’s demands.
- Seek help if needed. If you are struggling to deal with a difficult client, don’t be afraid to seek help from a colleague or support group. Sometimes it can be helpful to get an outside perspective on how to handle the situation.
- Stay organized. Keep in compliance with your standards or the law, stand your ground. It’s important to maintain your professional integrity in these situations
- Document everything. Keep track of all communications with the client, as as well well as any work that is is done. This can help to resolve any disputes that may arise in the future.
- You are the Boss. This is the most important tip that you must always keep in mind. You don’t work for your clients… you work with them! You always have the ability to fire a client if you are not on the same page for one reason or another.
Maintaining Work-Life Balance As A Freelance Bookkeeper
Maintaining a work-life balance while freelancing as a bookkeeper can be difficult, but it’s not impossible. Here are a few tips that can help:
- Make a schedule and stick to it. This is especially important when you have other commitments outside of work. When you know what you need to do and when you need to do it, it’s easier to stay organized and avoid feeling overwhelmed.
- Take breaks. It’s important to take some time for yourself, even if it’s just 10 or 15 minutes every day. This will help you recharge and avoid burnout.
- Set boundaries. If possible, try to schedule your work hours so that they don’t overlap with your personal time. This will help you avoid feeling like you’re always working.
- Don’t be afraid to say no. If you’re feeling overwhelmed or like you can’t handle another project, don’t be afraid to say no. It’s better to be honest and let someone else take on the work than to agree and then end up struggling.
- Take care of yourself. Make sure you get plenty of rest, eat healthy foods, and exercise regularly. All of these things will help you stay focused and energized.
The Best Way To Start A Freelance Bookkeeping Business
If you are looking for a freelance bookkeeping business opportunity, there is a particular course that you need to check out. In my humble opinion, it is the absolute best path to a successful bookkeeping business.
The best part is that it is online and self-paced so you can work on it at your convenience and it also shows you how to do both bookkeeping and marketing. I have been a supporter of this program for over 6 years now and it only continues to get better and better.
Starting a freelance bookkeeping business and be tough enough to do, so why not look into the best possible way to make it happen! Check out my complete breakdown of the best bookkeeping course online to get started today!