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[Need Advice] Unique Selling Proposition for a Bookkeeper

by nathanjacobs
8 replies
I am working with an online bookkeeping service, and have had good success helping them bring in new clients.

But I feel like I can do more if I come up with a Unique Selling Proposition that potential clients can't refuse.

Right now, I am posting for them on Craigslist - and am currently setting up a National branded website which will be promoted using PPC (Google, Bing, etc)

But I feel like I need an angle that would make a business owner more likely to call them for a free quote.

Many of you are business owners, and most of you are savvy marketers. What USP would make you more likely to call my client's bookkeeping service as opposed to all of the others out there.
#advice #bookkeeper #proposition #selling #unique
  • Profile picture of the author Ron Lafuddy
    Would depend on their particular specialty. What unique services do they offer. What particular problems do they solve.

    That's what would determine whether I would call them or someone else.
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    • Profile picture of the author nathanjacobs
      They do everything a normal bookkeeper would do as far as I can tell.

      Accounts Payable, Accounts Receivable, Payroll, Receipts/Deductions, Paying Bills, Working with their CPA/Accountant

      Some of the reasons their clients say they fired their previous bookkeeper were:

      They didn't answer the phone when they called.
      They entered things incorrectly in QuickBooks
      They didn't have a good work ethic.
      They just disappeared on them.
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      • Profile picture of the author DABK
        It would also depend on who they want to attract, businesses that have lousy bookkeepers or businesses that do in-house bookkeeping too. The size of the businesses would matter too. A 3-people company would have different needs than a company with 208 employees that also uses 37 sub-contractors.

        And, as SirThomas mentioned, you'd have different USP for different type of businesses.

        Originally Posted by nathanjacobs View Post

        They do everything a normal bookkeeper would do as far as I can tell.
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  • Profile picture of the author SirThomas
    Specialization (medical, construction, restaurants, legal etc) might be beneficial. Also speaking other languages, payroll services, local tax filing for businesses or fixing mistakes done by others.
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  • Profile picture of the author vndnbrgj
    I hope your getting some money for coming up with a USP Nathan.
    I charge $2,500 minimum to come up with USP's.
    There is a decent amount of time and research that goes into creating a USP.
    They will make a business unique vs a "me too" business.
    There is too much that goes into creating a great USP, I hope your not just relying on the forum.
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    - Neale Donald Wilson -
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  • Profile picture of the author Peter Lessard
    Find out who the bookkeepers ideal clients are then ask those ideal clients whats important to them.

    Of course that is a simple statement and yet in most cases so hard to accomplish.

    90% of businesses will take anyone as a client and therefore their marketing is designed for everybody and appeals to nobody.

    Worse customers often say something meaningless when asked why they chose a provider because they are far removed from the exact moment they made the decision. It can be as simple as they were the only one to answer the phone that day etc..

    For me personally it would be about peace of mind and knowing they understood my particular business model. First thing I ask any accountant, lawyer or business adviser is "do you have experience working with internet marketers". Of course that is soooo rare that now I do it backwards. I ask people that work in my field to recommend someone.
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    • Profile picture of the author nathanjacobs
      I dont believe the client has thought of specializing. So far, their clients have been all different business types such as Home Cleaning, Clothing Designer, Real Estate Firm, Weight Loss Clinic, Upscale Catering, it seems like every new call she gets is from a different type of business.

      What I have found so far is that a client will call when their bookkeeper leaves them, or they realize their bookkeeper hasn't been doing a good job. There hasn't been a rhyme or reason to the types of business this happens to - guess it happens to them all.

      So right now, their strategy has been to appeal to anyone needing a bookkeeper.

      I'd like to continue that, but see how I can make them more appealing.

      Of course, I could niche them down and create specific sites for those niches but I believe in that scenario craigslist wouldnt be a good traffic source. It'd have to be PPC on something like Facebook so I can target service based business such as restaurants.

      I guess there are many ways to go about it.
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      • Profile picture of the author ewenmack
        You are on the right track when following why
        existing clients left previous bookkeeper.

        That's a classic example of a tipping point where
        they are highly motivated to make the change.

        Speak to that event.

        Like, "Is Your bookkeeper Treating You Like A Bad Date?"

        Best,
        Ewen
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