Bookkeeping and accounting services are essential for businesses across industries. These businesses have financial departments that need the services of accountants or bookkeepers to run. 

But does this mean accounting firms always have clients waiting at their doorsteps? Of course not. Both seasoned professionals and firms venturing into accounting and bookkeeping must work hard to acquire new clients. They have to get out there, market their services, and impress clients with value.

There are various strategies and approaches that accounting and bookkeeping firms can use to acquire clients. Let’s outline 10 of those effective strategies to acquire clients.

1. Use Word of Mouth and Referrals

To acquire clients for your accounting and bookkeeping firm, you need to start with the simplest yet effective method; word of mouth. Start by telling friends, family, neighbors, and former colleagues about your new firm. Even if they don’t need your services themselves, they might know someone.

If you get your first client, deliver exceptional services. Being consistent with the quality of your client bookkeeping solutions support can get you a referral sooner than you expect.

While happy customers are happy to refer your services to other people, asking them to do so can also boost your marketing efforts. Happy clients are always happy to refer your bookkeeping firm to other people. You can also give referrals a boost through special promotions such as discounts, bonuses, and other benefits. 

2. Carry Out Client Analysis

One mistake accounting and bookkeeping firms make when they try to acquire clients is thinking that every customer who knocks on their doors is a prospect. You don’t really have to target everyone that needs accounting services. Narrow down your services by understanding every industry’s pain points and needs.

Client analysis involves knowing their psychographics. Try to grasp their values, motivations, and decision-making processes. Ask yourself the values you will give to your clients when working with them. Is your client in need of traditional accounting approaches or looking for tech-savvy accounting bookkeeping?

Consider the kind of customers you feel happy and motivated when working with. Do you find it fulfilling when you carry out tax audits for law firms? Or do you want to deliver efficient bookkeeping services to international firms? Your answers will direct you where to get more clients for your accounting firm.

3. Provide Value Through Your Website

Your website is your first business directory where clients go to check out your services. Start by advertising your services on your website pages. List your services, the background of your business, and direct contact details. However, this information alone is not going to draw in customers.

Acquire new clients by providing solutions to their problems. Focus on posting content that adds value to your visitors without being too promotional. Accounting clients are more likely to work with firms that provide helpful resources rather than ones that only advertise their services.

Examples of good content that can help you get bookkeeping clients include blog posts containing solutions to common accounting problems. You can also explore other formats, such as podcasts, case studies, or videos, to reach different kinds of clients. 

4. Embrace Different Networking Strategies

Your first network when you want to acquire clients for your firm is professional accountants. The professionals have a deeper understanding of financial management and work with a vast client base. Collaborating with your fellow accountants gives you the credibility and trustworthiness you need for onboarding new clients.

Your local community should also be a resource for getting accounting firm clients. Attend events in your area and let everyone know about your accounting firm. Get as many contacts as you can from new prospects and small businesses.

Don’t overlook local industry events that can give you the platform to talk about what new things you can offer. Whether you’re launching new software for accounting firm clients or starting cloud accounting in your industry, talk about it. These are good opportunities to build relationships and acquire new clients.

5. Leverage the Power of Social Media

Social media is a powerful tool that you can leverage to acquire new clients for your accounting firm. Join different social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and X. The list of platforms you can join is endless; you just have to find where your clients are and follow them there.

Social media offers various online communities, including Facebook Groups or Forums, where you can ask questions or answer others' questions. You can also create and grow a business page where you post content and engage with your customers. Being active on social media helps you build a strong community of followers and attract more clients.

Another advantage of social media is that you can reach a wider audience through ad campaigns. These campaigns allow you to narrow your audience and only reach the people you want to target.

6. Entice Clients With Free Consultations

People love free things, and you’ll likely get clients who are willing to try your products simply because they are free. You can offer free accounting consultations or give free resources such as client bookkeeping solutions. Giving them a taste of your services is a wise way to invite them to your firm with the possibility of retaining them if they get value.

You can also plan free workshops and webinars where you showcase your expertise, offer value, and establish trust. The workshops will not only help your clients learn some accounting basics but also give you brand visibility. Remember not to do shoddy work even if you’re offering a free service because you can only impress and acquire new clients by providing value.

7. Encourage Client Testimonials and Reviews

Many people go online to see what your previous customers say about your services. Client testimonials are the number one endorsement for your services. Positive feedback from your happy clients will easily get new ones on board.

Like testimonials, your business reviews also play a huge role in acquiring clients. Encourage your past and present clients to leave reviews on your website and social media pages. If you get negative reviews, take it as a suggestion to improve in that specific area and address it promptly.

8. Highlight Your Qualifications

Clients want to know what you can do and if you’re qualified to do it. Your certifications and accreditations in the accounting and bookkeeping field can play a huge role in getting bookkeeping clients. The documents serve as evidence of your qualifications, professionalism, and adherence to the industry standards.

You will align with client expectations and industry benchmarks by highlighting your qualifications. Certified accountants are considered reliable, credible, and trustworthy. Make sure your performance goes hand in hand with the qualifications you display on paper. Any disparities will drive away clients you’ve worked hard to acquire.

9. Use LinkedIn to Your Advantage

LinkedIn has grown significantly into a professional platform for networking, lead generation, and client acquisition. Here, you’ll meet professionals from different industries and acquire clients from all walks of life. The platform’s professional orientation makes it a perfect place for businesses to get clients.

To find bookkeeping clients through LinkedIn, you must have good visibility. Start by optimizing your profile to ensure it’s complete and professional. It should highlight your qualifications as an accountant.

After optimizing your LinkedIn profile, the next step is to share valuable insights. Share valuable insights and engage with other posts in your feeds to gain visibility. Finally, never get tired of growing your network by connecting with other professionals on the platform.

10. Advertise Your Accounting Services

While many of the organic ways listed here are proven to help firms acquire clients, they might take a lot of time to yield results. If you want quick results, you should use money through sponsored ads.

One way to advertise your accounting firm is through paid Google Pay-Per-Click (PPC) Ads. When you pay for the ads, Google will display your website to clients looking for accounting and bookkeeping solutions. This method is effective in ensuring brand visibility and faster conversations.

Another way to pay for advertising is through newsletters. This email marketing method will enable you to reach your target audience by engaging them directly in their inboxes. The strategy provides personalization and engagement, which is more likely to attract potential accounting clients.

Combine These Strategies With Reliable Accounting Tools 

While there are endless ways to acquire new clients for your accounting firm, most of the strategies take time to yield results and might be expensive. But there’s a way to make things faster and cheaper and that involves using technology. For example, you can use accounting client portal software to share documents securely with clients. 

Basil provides you with refreshingly simple software for accountants. Basil helps accounting firms manage different clients with ease by creating folders and sharing important files with them. With the software being your number one automation tool, you can communicate with clients and manage them with ease. Get started with Basil today and see how much you can achieve in your quest to get bookkeeping clients.