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Hello!
I am not new to AADMM but am finally looking to get my business really off the ground and running. When you were first beginning, what was your breakthrough source for clients? Unfortunately my marketing skills are limited and plan on using some of the items available through AADMM. I imagine there is some cold calling involved in some cases. I am not necessarily looking for advise. Just what made it so you said “I can do this.”
Jackie Melamed
Jackie,
My first client came to me from a professional organizer after three months of active networking. The organizer had, by default, started paying some of her clients’ bills and was unhappy with this development. She gave me three clients, one of whom is still with me today 13 years later.
It took 1-1/2 years before I felt I had enough clients to leave my part-time job, and three years before I was working full-time as a DMM. What kept me going? Passion for the work and determination that I was done working for a boss.
Robyn Young
Money Care, LLCI got my first client when they came to the accounting firm where I worked. I had previously pitched Daily Money Management to the firm but they weren’t interested. They had two clients within one year ask about handling their bills and they turned each one down. I asked if they would allow me to work with the clients separately. They found no conflict of interest. Both clients are still with me. The first client was challenging so I had a lot to learn. But each time we were successful, it fueled my passion and “I can do this” confidence.
My first client is an Estate Attorney team that set themselves apart as a “Life Care Planning Law Firm”. They have a geriatric care manager on their team who helps with the housing and care management aspects, and they are getting me involved with financial issues that arise with their clients. For now, they’ll be paying me as an outside contractor, which is what I prefer. I’ll be hopefully assisting them with more of their clients as this evolves, specifically in the area of financial document organization (re-titling of accounts, etc.) and bill paying. You might see if any attorneys in your area are members of “Life Care Planning Law Firms Association” and approach them.
My early clients came from word-of-mouth, just telling friends what I was doing. I actually got one of my first clients as a referral from someone I had never spoken to, but who was a friend of a friend’s mom (and eventually the friend’s mom and her friend also became clients). But, I would say my biggest referral sources were CPAs with smaller firms, but relatively large practices. They did not have the ability to take on that kind of work for clients with their manpower, but they did have a large client base to refer to me. I also got a few bigger clients through the AADMM website. I set goals for myself to work towards each year and as I could reach those goals, I got more and more comfortable with my ability to keep growing. 14 years later and I am still here!
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