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• # 80760
• Mon 12 Mar 2012 08:47 PM

Hi All

I've just got my practice licence through and have started to network in an attempt to gain some clients.

I attended a Network North breakfast meeting last Thursday, and was planning on attending another but in a different location this week.  I emailed the head guy as I was having problems booking in online, and he emailed back saying that I'd have a problem joining either meeting as a member as both already include an accountant.  I've emailed him back saying that I am not an accountant, I'm a bookkeeper.  I've highlighted the differences, and have stated that I believe both an bookkeeper and accountant could compliment each other. I'm not sure if I actually believe this, but I thought it was worth a go.

Just wondering if anyone else has had this problem, and if so, what happened?

I'm also down to attend a 4N meeting this week, and not sure if I'm going to get the same there too...          

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• # 80762
• Mon 12 Mar 2012 09:39 PM

4N is not a locked out networking meeting. So it doesnt matter whether you have 1 or 5 or 20 bookkeepers there.

Give it a try I can recommend it.



Edited at 12 Mar 2012 09:39 PM GMT

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• # 80763
• Mon 12 Mar 2012 09:59 PM

Yes, I confirm that you will not have a problem with joining the 4N network meetings you can go when you like and and any other 4N places when it suits you there are meetings on four days of the week at different venues! If you happen to miss a week, you won't be penalised as some other groups!

• Paul Ingram
  (01722) 466647
  www.aeternum-bookkeeping.co.uk
  
  
   
  

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• # 80766
• Mon 12 Mar 2012 11:25 PM

I think you're quite right that bookkeepers and accountants can provide complimentary services. I also go to 4N, and have forged a very useful partnership with an accountant at one of the groups - he doesn't want to do any bookkeeping, and I can't provide accountancy, so we work well together by providing a complete package between us.

I would recommend having a think about whether a locked-out group is right for you. It works for some people and not for others. Personally, I wouldn't like the pressure of having to attend, and also having to recommend the other members - I like being able to recommend freely people who I think will do a good job. I really enjoy 4N, and have got quite a bit of business through my connections there - hope you get on OK at the meeting this week!

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• # 80777
• Tue 13 Mar 2012 09:34 AM

Thanks guys. 


I've been emailing the head guy at Network North and he agrees that each group should be able to cope with both a bookkeeper and an accountant.  However, he says that both of the accountants offer a bookkeeping service, so with that in mind, it looks like I've no chance (unless they only offer it to advertise a full service, and they'd rather sub-contract it out to me).


I'm looking forward to the 4N meeting tommorrow, more so now I know I'm not going to have the same problem.  The only issue I have is that the meetings are only fortnightly.  There are 2 others further away, again only fortnightly, but hopefully I can work is so that I can always attend the one close to me, and dip and and out of the other 2 as much as I can.      

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• # 80824
• Tue 13 Mar 2012 07:28 PM

Hi JoJo,

I do a lot of networking and most of the 'profession exclusive' meetings I go to allow both Accountants and Bookkeepers to attend as they are seen as being professions in their own right. 

I work really well with many of the local accountants I know as we do not see ourselves as being competition but as complimentary services. Recommendations can be made both ways and it's mutually beneficial relationship for us as professionals and for our clients. 

See if there is a Business 4 Breakfast or Womens Business Club in your area.  Alternatively local Chambers of Commerce will allow businesses to attend without professional exclusivity; however you may then find you are competing with a number of other bookkeepers.

Hope this helps

Claire

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