When you decide to run your own bookkeeping business, one of your biggest problems getting started is finding clients. If you are smart, you will have a few clients set up before you quit your regular job. But, where do you find these clients?

The first logical place to look for clients is family and friends. This may work for some people but others may find that mixing business with their social life can be a nightmare. Friends and family quite often have higher expectations of you and feel they should pay you less because of your relationship with them.

The next place that I would look for clients for my bookkeeping business is my current workplace. There is sure to be a number of small business owners that you have met through your current employment. In my experience, it is best to let them know in general conversation that you will soon be running your own bookkeeping business, not ask them outright if they want to hire you. I suppose it could be described as planting the seed of an idea in their brain. You can nearly be guaranteed that even if they can’t use your services they will tell others who do need a bookkeeper.

A major source of prospective clients is accountants. They quite often have clients who are in need of a good bookkeeper. Do you have a good rapport with any accountants you have worked with in previous employment? If so, contact them and tell them that you are starting your own bookkeeping business. Let them know that you are looking for clients and that you are available to do bookkeeping work for them.

And now, the best, simplest, cheapest, most effective way of getting clients for your bookkeeping business. Word of Mouth! Yes, you read that right, word of mouth. The more people you tell about your plans, the more people they will tell and so on. You may not get immediate results from this method but somewhere along the grape vine of gossip there will be someone, or many someones who have been searching for your talents.

Go on now. Don’t be afraid to toot your own trumpet. Tell everyone you know that you are a talented bookkeeper and you are running your own business. Let them know that they had better be quick because there is only so much one person can do and very soon, you will be book solid.

Glenda Lange is a bookkeeper with 21 years experience and a Certificate in Commerce from USQ. She is the auther of Beginners Guide to Basic Bookkeeping for Small Business and the owner of http://www.glendasfreesite.com.au

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