Here is the Idea: Short-term barter for your first bookkeeping client.
Many of you just need to jump the hurdle of getting that first client and then your confidence will soar.
You know you are an excellent bookkeeper, but you just don’t have the business or entrepreneurial mindset yet. (Oh, because it is crazy scary and hard to have your own business which is why a very small portion of the population does it!)
Now, before you scoff at this and say “I can’t work for free!”, remember the definition of BARTER. You won’t be working for free. You just won’t be paid in good old dollars (or euros or pounds or pesos, etc). Not at first.
Reminisce with me a moment: When I was in middle school, I got a super sweet red electric guitar and amp because my dad (who is a dentist) had a patient that needed a lot of dental work done. That patient owned a music store in town. That patient got a root canal. My dad got his daughter’s Christmas gift. They were both happy with the arrangement (well, not the actual root canal part, poor guy).
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So Let's Brainstorm Some Bartering Opportunities
Who in your life has something YOU NEED that you can offer to “purchase” with bookkeeping services.
- Does your child need tutoring and you know tutoring company? Think of the stereotypical scientist who will tutor high school chemistry. You think old Einstein Junior keeps up with his invoicing? Or the Elementary Education major who teaches kids who struggle with reading. Do you think she has a drawer full of receipts (yes) or a separate business bank account (no)?
- Do you need your yard done and your best friend’s husband is starting a mowing service? You think a guy who just mowed 10 yards in one day wants to come home and do his books?
- Do you spend a small fortune on your hair and your hair dresser is always complaining about her books? Do you think he is confident in how to track his tips?
- Do you need a caterer for your wedding and know a great gourmet food truck that has just the menu that you’d love served to your wedding guests? Is he expensing his total loan amount for his food tuck? You better believe he is. He needs you!
- Are you always thinking about that next expensive full-color tattoo you want to get? I’d venture to say that most artistic types like your favorite tattooist aren’t the most inclined toward bookkeeping.
Now Listen Up Before You Barter.
Make sure this barter relationship is somehow bound by time. Get it in writing. Once you are doing an excellent job and become invaluable, they will know they need to pay you to keep you.
And if they won’t start to pay you at the end of your agreement, you can take your new found entrepreneurial confidence and ditch them anyway for that first paying client. Because you WILL get that first paying client because your mind set has shifted and you will find yourself saying “I have a bookkeeping business. I bet I can help you with that problem.” to everyone you meet.
Check out some of these titles to help you start to overcome your fear and your entrepreneurial knowledge gaps.
One last message for those of you who aren’t YET a great bookkeeper (remember, please don’t do this job if you don’t know accounting). The road will be longer for you, but it is possible! Never too old to learn new things. I always recommend Bookkeeper Business Launch. I am proof that the course works. Check out my review.
So who are you going to barter with? Or what other step are you going to take to live your dream of a flexible professional life where you are your own boss and are helping business owners succeed? Tell us in the comments!