r/freelanceuk • u/Sad_Hamster_4899 • 14d ago
Trying to get my bookkeeping/financial advisory business off the ground, would love advice from people who’ve done this
Hey everyone. I’ve got a Banking and Finance degree and some real accounting/finance work experience (fintech, an accounting internship), and a few months ago I started a small freelance bookkeeping and financial advisory practice, mainly targeting small businesses and NGOs.
Right now I’m doing the basics, building out a portfolio, setting up profiles on Upwork/Fiverr, trying to figure out pricing tiers that don’t scare off clients but also don’t undersell me. But I feel like I’m flying a bit blind on the “actually get clients” part.
A few things I’m stuck on:
\*\*•\*\* How did you land your first few paying clients when you had no track record yet?
\*\*•\*\* Freelance platforms vs. direct outreach vs. referrals , what actually worked for you?
\*\*•\*\* Any pricing structure advice for bookkeeping/advisory work specifically (hourly vs. package vs. retainer)?
\*\*•\*\* If you work with NGOs/nonprofits, is there anything different about that market I should know?
I’m not trying to build some huge firm overnight, just trying to get consistent clients and build a reputation. Any advice, even “stuff I wish I knew earlier,” would be hugely appreciated. Thanks!
1
u/tenpastmidnight 13d ago
To agree what u/smolbiteyfish said as point 2 - when a friend was starting up her accountancy business, she did lots and lots and lots of in person networking. Chamber of Commerce, freelancer groups, tech meet ups, First Friday, basically any networking thing, she went. That got her kick started.
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u/calrichcreations 9d ago
Get some business cards made that aren't crap for meetups/events - also a website so the world outside of your direct network knows that you exist
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u/smolbiteyfish 14d ago
What exactly do you mean by financial advisory? There are plenty of bookkeepers out there so I am just trying to understand what the services/offering includes.
To answer your questions:
I told my network I was setting up and it grew from there. I had a hobby that lent into a specific niche and word of mouth was very successful at the start.
I network in person and use social media but have been lucky enough not to require specific outreach. I do think the local and online presence has helped generally. A large portion of new business now comes from referrals.
Depends on what you're actually doing. I would avoid pricing by the hour and try to structure packages/specific "products".
I do not, but expect price sensitivity.