I'm generating leads for some new bookkeeping business clients. How would you approach the copy and icebreaker for cold-emailing bookkeepers?
Pitch it bookkeeper-to-bookkeeper, not as an outsider selling in. Something like: 'Hey, I work with a bookkeeping company out in [location/specific detail that grounds it and makes it feel real] — we added [specific dollar amount] with [specific system]. I know this is out of left field, but I think I could build something very similar for you and make you a good amount of money.' Framing it as coming from inside the industry rather than from a vendor gives you a lot of plausible legitimacy.
I’d start by watching my “Sell an AI service in 10 hours” video and repurposing its copy framework. Jump to the 50th minute of that video where I walk through the exact copywriting process I use for AI services. The same structure works for coaches, consultants, and any service‑based business. Follow the steps shown there to craft a compelling cold‑email sequence that leverages your case study and speaks directly to the target audience’s pain points.
That's an interesting point. I think the whole idea here about not pitching a specific service makes sense, but I don't believe it works in practice. I've tried not doing that and just being a results‑focused person who generates revenue, but I find uptake is a lot better when you can draw the shape of a solution for a client and then say, 'This is how I make money.' It makes it more believable. The good news is you have the ability to test this yourself. You could make a general vague offer that is 100 % results‑based around whatever you want, then compare it with a more specific copywriting offer where you guarantee the same thing, or a specific PPC offer with the same guarantee. I think you could answer this question and satisfy that part of your brain that's itching to know, but it would be more powerful for you to try it yourself. As a five‑year copywriter you probably have some capital saved, so you could try it instantly on your own. Keep those AI systems in the background if you want, but you can also sell to traditional copywriting clients. This is basically the idea behind my business.
You can generate leads on almost no budget using the Appify scraper—it’s about as cheap as it gets. If you try to go cheaper, you’ll trade off a lot of time. You could even resort to low‑tech methods like handing out flyers, but that’s far less efficient. The realistic approach is to manually compile lists on X, Instagram, Reddit, etc., then cold‑DM or email them. Ideally you’d have some social proof, but if you don’t, you can create it by showcasing marketing results: prove you can consistently book, say, ten meetings a week. Once you’ve demonstrated that, you can sell the service itself—offer to install the lead‑generation system in a client’s business and manage it for free until you hit a target, or guarantee a set number of meetings per week and only get paid if you deliver. This way you monetize your ability to book meetings rather than a product. The workflow can stay manual; you don’t need a complex automation at this stage.
To grow your business, focus on four core systems: reach, acquisition, closing, and expansion. Reach systems get you in front of customers (e.g., cold email, ads). Acquisition systems turn interest into meetings (speed‑to‑lead, follow‑up, conversion‑rate optimization). Closing systems turn meetings into customers (proposal generators, automated follow‑ups on proposals/quotes). Expansion systems increase lifetime value by continuously re‑pitching existing clients on new systems. Spend 99.9% of your time on these four areas rather than on back‑end or bookkeeping systems.