Door Knock Your Way To Bookkeeping Business Success

Door knocking.

It’s one of the 7 marketing strategies we, at Pure Bookkeeping, feel is an effective way to attract more clients.

The problem is for many bookkeepers, it’s a painful one to do because their negative mindset gets in the way.

But, if you have courage, you’ll soon realize it’ll be worth your while.

By the way, door knocking doesn’t need to be done the old fashioned way.

It can be executed in different forms.

Our co-founder, Debbie Roberts describes a unique scenario which was shared at one of her Pure Bookkeeping seminars:

A bookkeeper frequently bought coffee from the same coffee shop. She had completed the Pure Bookkeeping 28 Day Marketing Boot Camp and decide she was going to be brave and ask the owner who did his bookkeeping the next time she bought coffee. Turns out he was in a mess and needed a bookkeeper. He became a client. You know the really amazing thing about his story. There was actually a bookkeeper, with a shop front, a few doors down from the coffee shop, but they never knocked on his door to ask about his bookkeeping and they didn’t get the work.

You might be saying, "But hang on, that’s not actually door knocking." But, when you think about it, door knocking is really just talking to other business owners whom you have never met before, finding out who does their bookkeeping and exchanging business cards. I bet you meet with business owners every week in your normal day-to-day activities. Next time, why not just ask them who does their bookkeeping? And exchange business cards.

Door knocking doesn’t have to be that scary.

Remember, when prospecting, it’s a numbers game and rejections are not personal. Too many bookkeepers, who are turned down, take it hard when their attitude should be, “on to the next one!”

In the book, “The E-Myth Bookkeeper”, Debbie and her Pure Bookkeeping partner, Peter Cook, offer these tips to ease your fears.

If you feel terrified about something then you will probably do anything to avoid doing it right? You will even busy yourself with other “important” things to justify why you don’t have time to door knock.

Be aware of that and acknowledge how you feel then JUST DO IT ANYWAY! Take a big breath, get prepared and get out there!

The other purpose of understanding “it’s a numbers game and not personal” is you’ll be able to have fun with it. When you have fun with it the prospect feels it and you become more “attractive” to them.

Maybe they weren’t looking for a bookkeeper, but now you have come in with confidence, conviction and a bright smile, they’ll hear what you have to say.

So, to help you have fun with it, I’m going to paint a picture that I want you to work with me on. Imagine you have a coat rack at your door and on that coat rack are two special pieces of clothing you only put on when you are door knocking (after you’ve read this, close your eyes for a minute and just imagine these pieces of clothing on a coat rack at your door!).

The first step is a cap with “I AM BOLD” written on it. Whenever you put that cap on, you transform your mind. No longer are you that shy bookkeeper who would rather have teeth pulled than go and sell yourself. No, as soon as you put that cap on you are BOLD, FEARLESS and BRAVE.

Then, there’s the cape. But this is not just any cape! No! This is the cape you put on when you want to transform into the “SUPERSTAR BOOKKEEPER!” When you put that cape on you become the best bookkeeper in Canada. You feel confident, you have conviction and you are ready to take on the world!

Get your head into the right space! Don’t ever forget it’s a numbers game and not personal. Put your marketing hat and cape on and have fun with it.

With that advice in mind, here are more suggestions to help you prepare.

1) Dress professional

2) Find businesses in your neighbourhood you think fit your target market. If you don’t have a specific target market narrowed down, you can visit all the small businesses in your
area

3) When you visit a business, ask to speak to the owner

4) Look them in the eye, firm handshake, bright smile

5) Ask if they are happy with their bookkeeper or if they are doing the bookkeeping themselves

6) Ask them if they have SAGE or QB and offer to do a free “Health Check”

7) If they agree, take out a copy of Template MKT P109 Health Check (from our Pure Bookkeeping System) and complete the form. Because you’ve read Understanding your Financial Reports and you’ve practiced the Health Check you’ll be able to showcase your bookkeeping knowledge.

If you’re not a Pure Bookkeeping Licensee and would like to find out more, click here.

8) If they are impressed ask them if they’ve got another half hour and run through MKT P101 - Prospect Presentation - General (from the Pure Bookkeeping System). If they are not sold at the end of this then you need to leave them with something (depending on their interest levels) such as:
Understanding Your Financial Reports
The Prospect Presentation
Business Card
Health Check Voucher
9) If they are impressed, but don’t have the time then make an appointment on the spot then leave them with your business card and the Report on your post card

10) When you return to your office, send them an email confirming the appointment.

An example of the email after the initial meeting:

Thank you for taking the time to meet with me today to discuss your bookkeeping needs. I look forward to meeting you on (date) at (time).

11) If you can’t speak to the business owner, leave a copy of “Understanding Your Financial Reports” and a business card and get one of their business cards. Then call a couple of days later and ask to set up a meeting.

Again, if you’re not a Pure Bookkeeping Licensee and would like to find out more about the System, click here and/or e-mail me directly.

Now, you have the tools to get out there and connect with business owners.

Be brave and make it happen!

To your success,

Michael