The Bookkeeper Starter Kit
A working first week for bookkeepers — pricing framework, your first-job SOP, three social templates, and the 7-day launch tracker. Built from 13years operating Spiker Carpet & Tile Care in Galt, California. Print it, use it, start.
Your fastest free path to a first client is walking into a local independent restaurant or auto shop with a one-page "Receipt Rescue" offer. Say: "I'll clean up your last month's messy receipts and reconcile your bank statement for free. If you see value, we agree on $200/month going forward." Hand them the completed work in two days with a handwritten summary of three mistakes you fixed (missed deductions, duplicate entries, uncategorized charges). The first-job checklist that locks a 5-star review: confirm their chart of accounts matches their tax preparer's last return, run a zero-balance reconciliation, flag any uncashed checks over 90 days, and email a one-page "What I Did This Month" summary in plain English. Do this for one shop this week; they’ll refer you to three others. No website needed. Just a clean shirt, a printed statement, and a follow-up call the next morning.
1 · Price with an anchor, not a guess
Don’t pick one price — present three. Most customers pick the middle tier, so build it as your most profitable package. Research 3–5 local competitors’ public rates first (their websites, their Google Business profiles), then set:
- Bronze. The stripped-down version — beats the cheapest competitor on simplicity, not price. This tier exists to make Silver look right.
- Silver. Your real offer. Price it at the local mid-market rate + 10%, justified by ONE guarantee competitors don't make (same-day response, photo documentation, fixed quote).
- Gold. Silver + the premium add-ons stacked in. Some buyers always take the top — never leave it off the menu.
2 · Your first-job SOP
- 01Scope in writing. Before starting: deliverables, timeline, price, and what's NOT included — in one short email the client confirms. Scope creep dies here.
- 02Kickoff with a question list. Collect everything you need in one structured intake — not fourteen back-and-forth messages. Your intake form is in the full bundle's CRM.
- 03Show progress early. Share a first slice at 25% done. Early correction is cheap; late correction is a refund request.
- 04Deliver + walk through. Never just send the file. A 5-minute walkthrough (loom or call) turns a deliverable into a relationship.
- 05Ask for the review. At the moment they say thanks: 'Reviews are how I compete with the big agencies — 30 seconds, here's the link.'
- 06Log + follow up. Log the project in your Bookkeeper CRM. Follow up at 2 weeks: how's it performing? That message is where repeat work comes from.
3 · Three posts to announce you exist
I just opened a bookkeeper business serving [your area]. Here's the one thing I'm doing differently: [your guarantee — same-day response / fixed pricing / photo documentation on every job]. First [3] customers get [founding-customer offer]. DM me or call [number].
[Before/after photo or work sample]. This is what [job type] looks like when it's done right. If you've been putting this off, this week's schedule has [2] openings — [booking link].
"[Paste a real customer review — never invent one.]" — [first name], [area]. Reviews like this are why I do this. If you need bookkeeper work done, the link to book is in my bio.
4 · The 7-day launch tracker
- Day 1 — Duplicate your Bookkeeper Notion CRM and load your first 10 prospects
- Day 2 — Customize the 3 highest-impact Canva templates with your name + colors
- Day 3 — Set up your Google Business Profile using the provided checklist
- Day 4 — Send your first outreach using the AI Sales Assistant scripts
- Day 5 — Publish your first 3 social posts from the marketing pack
- Day 6 — Set your pricing with the Bronze/Silver/Gold anchor system
- Day 7 — Book your first job and trigger the review-ask sequence