Are you comfortable discussing what you have to offer to potential clients?
Do you know how to explain your bookkeeping packages (including pricing) to potential clients?
These questions are related to marketing your bookkeeping skills in ways that allow you to have the confidence to have these conversations without reserve or hesitation.
At present, you are likely:
1. Current Business Owner
If you already have a business (often a VA or similar enterprise).
2. Aspiring Business Owner
You have ambitions of starting a business within the next 6 months.
3. Past Business Owner
You had a business in the past and are wanting to start-up gain with a fresh perspective.
It helps if you have a sales background however, if not you need to accept that you will be uncomfortable when presenting offers until you get used to it! Always remember that with experience comes familiarity and it will become so much easier…
ALSO…
Despite any of this, your confidence will increase if you have an understanding of what potential clients really want from your bookkeeping services. Consider a few Client Mindset Facts.note green
Client Mindset Fact #1:
Small businesses – need more than just a bookkeeper – they will tend to rely on you and what you can offer them on a regular and consistent basis.
More than anything smaller businesses strive for:
Consistency
Stability
Reliability
If you are already providing this as part of your bookkeeping services – you will be confident in explaining this in your offers. On that basis, you are speaking the truth.
Do you know how to explain your bookkeeping packages (including pricing) to potential clients? This can be a daunting task to explain this to prospective clients, even if you have done this before as money/fee subjects are always touchy, sensitive areas of discussion. This can be made easier if you have an understanding of the “money mindset” of your potential clients.
Client Mindset Fact #2:
Pricing is based on what the client values – what they perceive as being valuable to them. Therefore, to say: this package of services (that you specify) is $ 300.00 / month doesn’t really tell them anything!
Why?
The quality of your services is not just the actual technical work, but rather the intrinsic value of it being done correctly and your standing behind your work. Therefore, they need to know they will be less of an audit flag for their tax authorities because of your professionalism.
Other considerations for you to keep in mind with regard to your bookkeeping service:
Don’t worry about what the market is charging – if people like what you do and rely on you – they will pay you what you ask.
Be sure that you can properly service all of your clients. Are you overextending yourself?
Consider your Organizational Skills – are they maximizing your earning potential?
Coordination of Work Flow – do you have a method to working with your client documentation?
Managing Client Expectations – are you finding your clients are demanding and “running you?”
Adhere to Strict Due Diligence – is your bookkeeping work being performed up to a quality, professional standard?
Actions Steps for You
There are always ways you can improve on how you are providing your services and they do link back to the kind of clients that you are attracting or will potentially attract. These clients will want you to be:
Comfortable discussing what you have to offer with them
Talking confidently about your packaging and pricing
Understanding your potential clients’ mindset and entrepreneurial viewpoint
It is on this practical basis that finding the right clients relates to understanding what your potential clients really want. This in turn links to your connecting to your client’s mindset, what their expectations are, how they view the bookkeeping services that you offer and your knowing what “delusions” they may have about what you provide, what you can do for them and how both of you need to interrelate.
That is what separates the successful bookkeeping service provider from all the rest.