How to Automate Sales and Marketing with Kylie Gorzalka
- demi243
- Jul 4
- 5 min read
If there’s one thing I’ve learned after more than a decade in business, it’s that most bookkeepers don’t have a sales or marketing problem — they have a time problem. You know you should be doing more marketing, following up leads, and staying in touch with past clients. But between client work, compliance, and daily demands, there’s rarely enough time to do it properly.
That’s exactly why I invited Kylie Gorzalka to join me on The Strategic Bookkeeper Podcast. Kylie is a marketing automation specialist who helps small businesses simplify their systems and build automated processes that generate leads, nurture clients, and drive growth — all while freeing up time.
Our conversation was packed with practical insights on how bookkeepers can automate their sales and marketing to create consistency, confidence, and calm in their businesses.
The Problem with Manual Marketing
Let’s be honest — most bookkeepers rely on word of mouth. It’s comfortable, it feels natural, and it doesn’t require marketing “know-how.” But the downside is unpredictability. You can’t control when referrals come in, and without consistent lead generation, your revenue goes up and down. That’s where automation comes in. Kylie explained that automation isn’t about removing the human element; it’s about creating systems that work for you, so you can focus on relationships instead of admin.
“You don’t have to send every email yourself or manually follow up every lead,” Kylie said. “You just need to design the journey once, and let technology do the heavy lifting.”And she’s right. Consistency is what turns marketing from stressful to strategic.
When your systems run in the background — from lead magnets to onboarding sequences — you build momentum and trust without burning out.
What Automation Actually Looks Like
When I talk about marketing automation with bookkeepers, they often picture something complex or expensive. But as Kylie explained, it doesn’t have to be.“Think of automation as structured communication,” she said. “You’re using tools like ActiveCampaign, Kajabi, or Zapier to make sure people get the right message at the right time.”
It can be as simple as:
A lead magnet (like a checklist or guide) that triggers a thank-you email.
A short sequence of follow-up emails that share tips and build trust.
A reminder that prompts a prospect to book a discovery call.
That’s it. It’s about creating touchpoints that nurture leads while you’re busy doing billable work.
I loved Kylie’s focus on simplicity because I’ve seen how overcomplicating systems leads to procrastination. You don’t need 27 automations to make an impact — you just need the right few, done well.
The Power of a Clear Customer Journey
Kylie and I both believe that automation only works when it supports a clear strategy. If you don’t have a well-defined client journey, automation just creates noise.
For bookkeepers, that journey might look like this:
Attract – Use a lead magnet or social post to get someone’s attention.
Engage – Provide valuable content that educates and builds trust.
Convert – Invite them to book a call or strategy session.
Onboard – Automate your welcome process so new clients feel supported.
Delight – Keep nurturing existing clients so they refer others.
Each stage should have automation behind it — not to replace you, but to ensure no lead or opportunity slips through the cracks.
“Automation gives you the power to be consistent even when life gets busy,” Kylie said. And for bookkeepers juggling compliance, clients, and family, that consistency is priceless.
Balancing Tech and Humanity
One of my favourite moments in our chat was when Kylie reminded listeners that technology should never come at the expense of connection. “People buy from people,” she said. “Automation should feel human. The goal is to save time — not to sound robotic.”
That resonated deeply with me because it’s exactly what I teach in The Bookkeeping Practice Blueprint. The best bookkeepers use automation to enhance their personal touch — not replace it.For example, if your CRM automatically reminds you when it’s a client’s anniversary or birthday, that’s automation serving humanity. You still send the message, but you’re not relying on memory to do it.
That’s where true relationship-building happens — at the intersection of systems and sincerity.
Where to Start if You’re Overwhelmed
If the idea of setting up automation feels daunting, start small. Kylie’s advice was simple:
“Pick one process that frustrates you the most and fix that first. Don’t try to automate everything at once.” That could mean creating a basic welcome email for new leads, or setting up an automated reminder for follow-ups. Once you’ve built confidence with one automation, move to the next.
Inside The Strategic Bookkeeper Transformation Program, we use the Five Big Keys — Team, Education, Assets, Implementation, and Support — to help bookkeepers implement these systems one step at a time.
Automation fits perfectly under “Assets” because it’s something you build once and benefit from forever.
The point isn’t to be perfect — it’s to get moving.
Turning Automation into Growth
When bookkeepers systemise their marketing, they gain something priceless: predictability. Instead of crossing your fingers and hoping for referrals, you have a steady flow of enquiries coming in. And when you pair that with strong branding and positioning, you move out of the “price competition” trap and into the premium space.
As Kylie said, “Automation doesn’t just save time — it builds momentum.”
That momentum is what allows you to scale without stress. It gives you time to focus on strategy, leadership, and client care — the things that truly drive profit.
Final Thoughts
Kylie Gorzolka’s insights were a powerful reminder that automation isn’t about replacing people — it’s about empowering them. For bookkeepers ready to grow, automation is your ally. It brings structure, saves time, and ensures your clients feel supported from first touch to long-term partnership.
The key is to keep it simple. Start small, stay human, and focus on building a system that supports your goals — not someone else’s idea of “success.”
Because when your marketing runs smoothly in the background, you get to focus on what really matters: helping your clients build better businesses and living life on your terms.
With love and strategy,
Jeannie Savage
Listen in to Episode here:
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👉 Want to go deeper? Join me inside The Strategic Bookkeeper Transformation Program, where we bring these 10 factors to life with coaching, community, and done-for-you assets to help you fast-track your results.
If you’re ready to create the same clarity, profit, and freedom in your own practice, The Blueprint Path Workshop is where to start.
It’s a 5-part live series kicking off on Monday, 3 November 2025, where I’ll guide you through the same framework that helped Michelle rebuild her practice — one that supports her life, not the other way around.
Reading this after 3 November 2025? Don’t worry — you haven’t missed out entirely. You can still connect with me and other bookkeepers inside our free Facebook community, where we share tools, strategies, and stories like Michelle’s every week.
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