The world today is full of freelancers. It comprises people who would prefer the flexibility of being their boss than living as a nine to five employee. But being a freelancer has its peculiar challenges.
Accountants have joined the freelance trend. So many small businesses who can't afford in-house help require their services. It means that as an accountant, you can work from the comfort of your home and earn industry-based fees.
It's an excellent way to start an accounting firm and handle various business accounts. However, as juicy as it seems, not everyone finds it comfortable. While some accountants have succeeded in the freelance market, others are still struggling to land their first client.
The difference between those who succeed and those who don't is their marketing strategy. Thus, the question becomes: how do you market your skills as a freelance accountant? Keep reading to find the answer to this vital question.
Ways To Market Your Skills as a Freelance Accountant
If you're looking to start a career as a freelance accountant or you're already one, here are some ways to market yourself:
Select Your Preferred Niche
The freelance market is saturated with people doing the same thing, accountants inclusive. While some already have regular clients, others don't. Those with regulars often work and have built a portfolio with firms in the same industry.
How did they achieve this? They selected their preferred niche. Rather than marketing their skills to everyone, they chose to stick with a particular industry. As a freelance accountant, you have to find the sector you're qualified and comfortable to work in.
Once you've found it, you have to understand the specifics of the industry. It includes researching the market's size, trends, projected growth patterns, and services. The information gives you a reliable foundation and knowledge of your potential clients.
Some of the marketable accounting niches are:
- Mergers and acquisition
- International tax
- Forensic accounting
- Financial planning and analysis (PF&A)
- Estate and trust accounting
- Accounting information technology
Think about the rates you can work with and your target group. When picking a niche, you can do so from experience or by identifying where there's a need and meeting it.
Market to Small Businesses and Start-Ups
As mentioned earlier, small businesses and start-ups can't afford in-house accountants to help with their finances. Thus, once you've carved out your niche, they should be your first marketing point.
Think about fledgling companies and corner shops and market your skills to them. The two are great options for freelance accountants. Make yourself visible to them by offering free assessment at first.
The free services can be for a month or less, depending on how often the business carries out accounting reports. By doing this, you show them your skillset and what they stand to gain by engaging your services.
Tap Into Digital and Social Media Marketing
Digital and social media marketing are all the rage these days. They connect you to a world beyond your sphere of contact. Fair use of the two means tapping into a global market and not just those in your locality.
As a freelance accountant who desires success, you need digital and social media marketing. It improves your network and gets you a crop of clients from different parts of the world.
Digital and social media marketing often includes:
Building a Professional Website: Not everyone might be able to afford this initially. But if you can, build a website. With it, you can list all your services and post regular blog posts. Potential clients can also visit it to see those you've worked with and read testimonials.
Creating a Social Media Account: Start with either Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, or LinkedIn. Once you have an account, create a compelling profile, and include a link to your website if you have one. After doing this, regularly write and share informative posts for daily engagements.
Creating a Mailing List: The growth in technology means that you can send electronic mails. You can build your mailing list from those who have interacted with you about your services before. They can be old clients or potentials. Ensure you keep the email content short and informative.
Content Marketing: This involves creating short video clips for your website or social media pages. The content should not be promotional but engaging. The key is not to market your brand but to get people interested in your services. Also, ensure the content is for a targeted audience; in this case, small businesses and start-ups looking for an accountant.
Creating an SEO Strategy: Search engine optimization enables potential clients to find you easily. When used rightly, SEO puts you at the forefront of results on Google search engine. You can achieve this using specific industry-tailored keywords in your blog and social media posts.
As mentioned above, building a website takes a lot but social media is free. It's marketing fee is affordable depending on the number of people you want to reach, so start with it.
Keep your LinkedIn profile updated with professional milestones like required accounting certifications. Also, ensure it showcases all the skills you have, and names of the firms you've handled their account.
Join a Freelance Network
Freelance networks give you a community of like-minded people. There are several networks to join. Beyond the feeling of comradeship, there are several job listings for you to go through.
You can apply to anyone that matches your skillset. When you join a freelance network, ensure you create a compelling and marketable profile. The latter is the first thing people see. The information it contains determines whether or not they'll click to find out more.
Some popular freelance networks include Upwork, Fiverr, Freelancer, etc. LinkedIn is a good source for online jobs. Opening an account with any of the preceding is free. But the first three charge a commission for every job you get from the listings on their site.
Sign Up With a Recruitment Agency
You can never leave all your eggs in one basket. Thus, as a freelance accountant, keep all your options open. There are several recruitment agencies, and you can employ one of them to help you source for clients.
If you choose to go this route, then specify that you do not want anything long-term. Limit your options to part-time or a contract. You can also consider joining accounting organizations in your locality. Note that recruitment agencies charge a commission for every job you get through them.
Connect to a Cloud Accounting Software
Having cloud accounting software shows clients that you're ready to work for them remotely like you're in their office. The program allows you to access client accounts wherever you are and simultaneously.
The software expedites your tasks by helping you answer questions in context. It reduces face-to-face meetings and lets you carry out data entry automatically. Some of the things you can do with the program include:
- Time tracker
- Accept payment online
- Receipt uploads
- Expense tracking
- Project tracking
- Invoicing
- Multiple user access
Sufficient time and project tracking are essential for task assessment and client satisfaction. Once your client sees that you followed their instructions and completed the work within the given time frame, they'll pay faster.
Get a Mentor
Why do you need a mentor, you might ask? You need one for several reasons. If you're starting as a freelance accountant, you need to become a mentee to someone with experience in the field.
You can find a mentor by attending networking events in different market niches. A mentor would serve as an adviser and watch over you to ensure you don't make costly mistakes. With the years of experience they have, they can steer you in the right direction.
A mentor will also expand your connection and introduce you to others in your industry who can help you. Finally, you can learn from experienced freelancers by shadowing them or interning for a short while.
Become a Freelance Accounting Consultant
This is another way to market yourself to clients, especially more established brands. Once your career starts bearing fruits as a freelancer, it's time to step out of your comfort zone and expand your resume.
You can do this by becoming a consultant. Create an accounting consultancy firm to enhance your brand identity. Register the company, get few people to work for you, and get more accounting and bookkeeping certifications.
Note that the firm can operate remotely. You can do this by opting for a CPA role and seeking your clients yourself. But if a client requires you to travel to a specific location, then you'll have to.
Start Marketing Your Accounting Skills as a Freelancer!
Becoming a freelancer can be liberating. However, you need clients to pay your bills and build your portfolio. The one way to achieve this is by going all out with your marketing plans.
Following the steps mentioned above will help you establish yourself as a freelance accountant. They will lead you to the recognition you crave. So, start marketing and selling yourself to success.
Author Bio: Carola Richter is a passionate journalist who has been contributing to major media publications, she enjoys writing about human psychology, marketing and lifestyle. Carola also runs her blog datingjet.com where she covers topics of great interest in modern society.