Is this a bit aggressive?

Is this a bit aggressive?

Didn't find your answer?

Now there's a small firm nearby that has been bought out by a much larger firm. I've had a chap call me not overly keen on being taken over by a big firm as they like the personal service. We're small, that's what we do. We're also looking to grow.

My thinking is to mailshot all companies registered at that address hopefully for a cheap turnaround on a decent number of new clients.

I understand this is, if successful, likely to be a bit annoying to bother vendor and purchaser but as we always say clients are not property. 

I thought I'd put this out there and see if folks thought this was a bit aggressive or just a good cheeky plan? 

Replies (10)

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Glenn Martin
By Glenn Martin
30th Nov 2016 15:49

IS this not a school boy error.

If the accountant is the registered office for the businesses will all your letters not go to him which will not be passed onto the clients, be quickly binned and he will probably be fully aware of your game plan and marketing from what you send him.

I get data from new startups but cleanse it of those registered at the address of other accountants as it wont get to the person concerned and it gives your marketing literature to a rival to either copy or mock if he thinks its crap.

Plus if he is a bigger firm with a bigger budget than you he may well to start sending marketing to your clients.

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Replying to Glennzy:
abc
By Kim Jong Un's Hair
30th Nov 2016 16:01

I'd thought of that and would task a member of staff to google as many as I can be bothered to try to locate - a lot of companies have websites these days.

Yes, they're bigger. Not sure how my clients would react to marketing information from another firm. I'd like to think it wouldn't be a problem.

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Replying to Kim Jong Un's Hair:
Glenn Martin
By Glenn Martin
30th Nov 2016 16:12

I personally would keep you marketing more general, aimed at your geographic location and not target another specific business.

There is a good chance the big firm will put fees up/not look after smaller jobs well and clients will jump ship just make sure you have enough local profile where you get your fair share of the fall out.

Put some money into Facebook ads or SEO to get your profile up locally highlighting your what your offer is to them.

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Replying to Glennzy:
By The Highlander
30th Nov 2016 16:12

I assume he means he'll look up their trading address but use the registered address as a way of identifying them? If not then obviously this is a flawed idea.

Took too long to hit post reply!!

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Replying to The Highlander:
Glenn Martin
By Glenn Martin
30th Nov 2016 16:16

Why restrict it to one firms client, just buy a list of companies registered with 10 miles of you and market to the the ones you like or industry you fancy.

a lot of one man companies wont have a trading address that easy to find.

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Replying to Glennzy:
abc
By Kim Jong Un's Hair
30th Nov 2016 16:51

fyi you can get that free from CH.

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paddle steamer
By DJKL
30th Nov 2016 15:50

Not aggressive enough- offer their neighbours a fee if they will display a large advert for your firm in the next door window to the other firm so that all their clients see it as and when they visit the premises, so not just companies, sole traders and partnerships (presuming they have clients they actually meet)

Have you worked out what happens with your current company clients registered at your office if they retaliate in kind?

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Flag of the Soviet Union
By thevaliant
01st Dec 2016 15:01

Years ago, living in a flat and running the Flat Management Company (and preparing accounts) I used to get one persistent accountant who would yearly send out a 'Let us do your accounts for them' to the registered office, which was my flat.

I did think fair play to them.

Eventually I replied with 'The Company does not need your services' and signed with ACA after my name. They stopped (which was nice).

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By Simple accountant
02nd Dec 2016 12:49

The purchasing firm is buying this firm based on the clientele. 1 thing to consider, the vendor will lose out on the purchasing price. Assuming they are retiring, would you like for someone to do that to you at retirement? I would consider it aggressive due to the fact that it would sabotage the negotiated price for the assumed retired accountant. Why not market other ways?

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Replying to Simple accountant:
Portia profile image
By Portia Nina Levin
02nd Dec 2016 12:58

What if they have already paid a 10% deposit?

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