There’s no definitive number of clients that a bookkeeper can handle on a monthly basis - it all depends on the volume of work required by the clients and the bookkeeper’s available capacity.  Some bookkeepers work on their own, while others have the support of a team, so it’s really an individual choice.

But if you consider that an average small business owner generally spends around 8 - 10 hours a month on their financial matters, a freelance bookkeeper could have a fairly extensive client list if they choose to fill up their working week.

Word-of-mouth and personal recommendations are the best way to grow your client list, so it’s worthwhile asking your existing customers for reviews on Google, LinkedIn and other social media platforms. Then share those testimonials on your own social media listings. You can also promote your services on your local community social pages and business networking sites.  Search job sites and list your business in local directories such as the Digital Mums Directory and consider other networking activities like writing a blog, public speaking, volunteering your services at a local charity or community group etc.

There’s no set fee for bookkeeping, you’ll find that a number of factors come into play with regards to a bookkeeper’s rates.  Things like the location of the service provider and their overheads, their level of experience, the complexity of the job etc may influence how much the bookkeeper charges.

As a general indication, a bookkeeper servicing small and medium-sized business is likely to charge around $450 - $400 per month for basic services such as year-end reconciliations, monthly processing and basic quarterly reporting including BAS and IAS.  This could increase to around $750 per month for more detailed involvement including payroll management, superannuation compliance, multiple bank account management, weekly processing, support etc.

A bookkeeper is responsible for managing the daily financial reporting of a business.  They keep accurate and up-to-date books on a business’s financial data, they maintain a record of all purchases and sales that a business makes and they ensure regulatory compliance where necessary.  A bookkeeper’s daily/weekly/monthly financial tasks could include general ledger entries, producing invoices, keeping records of payments, managing the payroll, account reconciliation, monitoring transactions and bank accounts and updating statements.

The reports prepared by a bookkeeper can assist the business owner with their strategic decision-making.