Welcome to Outright.com join us to jump into the discussion or ask a question and subscribe here to follow the community
Small businesses often cut back on bookkeeping services when money gets tight. Because of this trend, in addition to offering traditional preparation services, short-of-work bookkeepers can fill in free time in their schedules and attract new clients by offering short teaching sessions.
Recently, many people have become frustrated with the job search, and are starting their own businesses. These people have never used a bookkeeper before, and don't generally have a lot of startup money. They are not ready to make a commitment to using a bookkeeping service regularly. However, I have found new business owners to be very receptive to the offer of a one-time session, at a set price, covering the basics of what they need to know.
You can't teach someone bookkeeping in an hour, of course
What I cover are the various types of state and local tax returns they have to file, business licenses, and estimated tax payments. I tell them about the kinds of expenses they should be tracking, and about some helpful resources that might be useful, including Outright. Clients who are just starting out should be conserving their money, and there's no need to waste scarce dollars purchasing expensive software when there are more affordable alternatives.
I provide them with a list, either emailed or on their USB drive, with links to free or inexpensive software such as Outright, Shoeboxed, FreshBooks, and OpenOffice, as well as the IRS Small Business Tax Center and links to the state and city tax filing websites. I tailor this list to the client's needs, including information specific to their particular type of business.
Preparing state and local monthly, quarterly, and annual returns are a major part of any bookkeeping service, so it may seen counterproductive to teach people to do it for themselves. But being willing to teach clients who can't afford to have their returns done for them in the startup phase makes it very likely that they will come back later when their business has become successful, and they have more money and less time.
Often all they need to start is an explanation of what the forms are asking for. A new business owner in Washington State will receive this form in the mail, for example. I'll bet most of you could not figure out what to do with it! Actually, most people only need to fill in one or two numbers. But how to figure those numbers, and what box do they go in? A simple walkthrough, explaining that they can safely ignore all that stuff about syrup taxes and tire fees, is all many new business owners need.
I advertise this service in places where new business owners are likely to be. In the Seattle area, Biznik is a great resource for new entrepreneurs. But wherever new business owners in your area look for information is a good place to market. One-time teaching sessions will never replace having regular clients, of course, but it's a way to make small amounts of free time productive, and an investment in the future.
Know a bookkeeper who could use a downtime idea? Tweet this post!
Outright is secure.