Please help me with the wording of my bookkeeping ad....

[Eddas]

I have posted about this before and Ihave advertised on gumtree, but I want to amend my ad. So far I have the following:

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Do you want to save money on high accountancy fees?

If the answer is Yes, then I may be able to help you.

I am offering the following services:

• Bookkeeping
• Secretarial services
• VAT returns
• Payroll
• Sage accounts
• Sole traders/Partnerships/Small Limited companies

All the above services can be supplied weekly, monthly, quarterly or yearly depending on your needs. I also offer one-off assistance helping you to organise your records and get started.

I am AAT qualified and have over 10 years' experience working for a local Chartered Accountancy firm. I am hardworking and friendly with a vast knowledge of bookkeeping and all that it entails. I prioritise my work and am used to working to deadlines.

I am currently employed and am looking to earn some extra money in my spare time. Ideally i'm looking for work to do from home or at weekends as I have two young children.

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I also want to add a bit about being able to do all the work remotely via post/email/phone, but can't think how to word it.

I am currently only advertising in the local bit of gumtree but am thinking about doing a wider ad, covering say london(i'm in Kent) as really it can all be done without ever meeting IYSWIM. Would you employ a bookeeper that you've never met and not likely to meet, but might be cheaper. I'm just thinking that London costs are higher and I might be cheaper.

Is it also clear from the ad that I am not offering to do final accounts, but the bookeeping part? So in theory you'd still need an accountant but wouldn't have to pay them as much?

All opinions appreciated.

TIA

Could you afford to bite the bullet and leave them? Then you could ask for referrals and also sub contract yourself back to them for 1 or 2 days a week - doing your current work.
Or do you think they'd take the huff?

nope, need guaranteed money each month, so need to stay employed. ATM, I have 2 preschoolers. Come Jan I will only have 1! Until dd is settled at school I need stability. I may well rethink at the beginning of next year. I have thought of getting a loan fro a while to cover a few months salary to start up properly, but i'm not the sort of person that would be able to do that without worrying that Iw oudln't work! I'm sort of trying to do it in a 'safe' way

What happens if one of your employers clients 'sees' your ad and comes to you directly - would you be able to take them on?

Yep, that would be fine. I believe the claus is something along the lines of an employee approaching a client, ok if it's the other way round!

Not much chance of that happening though, unless I point them in the right direction!

Eddas, what about going for a different type of ad outlining the benefits to small business owners more?

e.g.
"As a small business owner do you find yourself bogged down with managing the day to day book-keeping and finances of your company?"

"Do you not have enough hours in the day to really keep as tight an eye on your company's finances as you'd like?"

"Do you think you can't afford to pay for professional outsourced book-keeping?"

I CAN HELP! I am an AAT qualified book-keeper, home based with low overheads, offering low rates for small businesses.

Then outline the services you offer.

That would motivate me!

please excuse my spelling, it's awful today

that's brilliant amidawish I need to renew my add on gumtree in the next few days, so will definately use that approach. I may well bump this thread with my draft attempt first

The problem with these ads is getting the wording right, I'm an accountant/bookkeeper so i'm not brilliant with words etc, my things is numbers/paperwork

some more ideas!
"Do you want to spend your time on what you're good at rather than your accounting package?"

"Are you torn between spending your valuable time growing your business versus ensuring that all your efforts are actually making money?"

My ads come from the same angle as amidaiwish is coming from and it seemed to work. However I have gained the majority of clients through word of mouth, it's been especially useful in the trades as these are usually sole traders with no time to do the paperwork. Also it's these kind of clients that I can actually do the work from home. I've found limited companies and partnerships mostly want me working onthe premises becuase they need access to the books on a day to day basis.

Good luck!

thanks cktwo, i have decided to wait to renew my ad. I'm having a holiday in a couple of weeks so seems sensible to wait until after that. Then I may put an ad in a few other places aswell as gumtree.

Amidawish i've just updated my ad and used some of your exapmles. Thank you I'll le tyou know if it brings in a better response

The next stage is to print off some fiers and get them sent to small businesses in my area. I'll wait until dd is back at preschool and I have a little more time, ha ha

Interested in your services and what you can do to help us.
Please respond to me if you are still looking for work.
I really would like to talk with you, please.
Here is an email address which you can contact me on [email protected] Thanks.

Hi!
I am looking for someone to help on a flexible part time basis with organising files, general help with contracts and associated computer entries etc for small property rental business.
I am happy to receive direct emails on [email protected] to discuss the work opportunity.
Thank you

Hi Eddas
I have just seen your thread and was wondering how you have got on in the last couple of months since building your advert as I am just starting my own Book keeping services and curious to see if you have found adverting has worked for you. I have had the back window of my car lettered up but so far I have not had much work from it so I am started like you did to look at wording for advertising on local community networks. Thanks Marae

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