Getting new clients

[Roberts]

From your experience, what is the most efficient way to earn new clients? Referrals is obviously the cheapest and pursue this but how to get new / independent clients?

Suggestions? Summer is a slow time for my business so I need ideas to work on that can easily be implemented come tax season.

[taxmandan]

From your experience, what is the most efficient way to earn new clients? Referrals is obviously the cheapest and pursue this but how to get new / independent clients?

Suggestions? Summer is a slow time for my business so I need ideas to work on that can easily be implemented come tax season.

Summer is the time to get a good BIG ad in the yellow pages of next years phone book. It has been the biggest help in getting new clients into our office. Especially advertise that you do ALL states, prior year returns and solve tax problems. We went from an in column ad to a 1/3 page this year and boy did it make a difference! It's worth the money.

Sometimes it works to run an ad in the local newspaper in August and September that you solve tax problems. TheIRS sends out CP2000 letters about that time of year and you can pick up people who need some help with dealing with theIRS.

Daniel

[VondenHogenBeaverHausen]

New Clients

When I started my office in 1994 I knocked on every door within a 16 block radius of my office and introduced myself. Cost was nearly zero. I had exactly zero customers when I finished college the first tax season I serviced over one hundred clients.

I bet few people have the guts to try this.

Twelve seasons later I will get clients who say "You knocked on my door a few years ago and I'm no longer satisfied with my old accountant so here I am."

Mahalo

[jimmcg]

For someone just starting out in any business that works with the public join local business groups, make contacts, and referals, referals, and referals.

[Black Bart]

Great idea, Von.

When I started my office in 1994 I knocked on every door within a 16 block radius of my office and introduced myself. Cost was nearly zero. I had exactly zero customers when I finished college the first tax season I serviced over one hundred clients.

I bet few people have the guts to try this.

Twelve seasons later I will get clients who say "You knocked on my door a few years ago and I'm no longer satisfied with my old accountant so here I am."

Mahalo

Why didn't I think of that? It's cheap, you have complete control, and it's very effective. I think I'd buy a few trinkets (key chains, nail files, whatever) to give away with my card.

I saw this approach work years ago in a local office election. The incumbent was very proficient in math (the job required it), had held office for many years, and no longer campaigned at all. A new candidate who couldn't read or write knocked on every door and shook every hand in town (including mine). He won by a landslide--hired a part-time bookkeeper. The moral? People like to be asked for their..business, opinion, vote..whatever.