10 Tips in Establishing and Maintaining a Healthy Client Connection

Last week we discussed securing clients with effective follow-up calls.  Your job isn’t over once that prospect joins your clientele; you must continually manage client relationships in order to ensure customer satisfaction and a good working rapport.  This doesn’t need to take a lot of time, but you must continually be aware of your current standing with clients and take measures as necessary.  In this series we will discuss 10 things to remember when managing client relationships.  This week we will cover 5 of those tips:

1. Determine client expectations upfront

Many of your clients may not have worked with an accountant or bookkeeper before and are unsure what to expect.  The rest have and may be running on old expectations.  It’s important to have a preliminary meeting where you define the relationship and your expectations, taking special note of what your clients expect from you.  You may need to negotiate some of these expectations so that both you and your client are satisfied.

2. Have a contract with clear specifications

You shouldn’t perform any services for a client until he or she has signed a contract detailing the specifications of your working relationship.  And don’t allow a client to sign a contract blindly.  Verbally discuss some of those specifications that will influence your future interactions.  For example, if your contract covers specific services, and you plan on charging for any additional services not specified in your initial agreement, tell the client that upfront.  This is one key step in establishing a healthy relationship with your client, and it’s much easier to establish a healthy relationship than it is to fix an unhealthy one.

3. Establish and honor boundaries

You must establish and honor your boundaries with a client.  This includes work hours and communication.  Once you establish these “rules” with a client it’s important that you consistently follow them yourself.  For example, consider your work hours. Obviously emergencies happen, and your clients should know how to reach you in such circumstances.  But otherwise you need to do all you can to ensure your boundaries are respected.  This means you shouldn’t answer your phone after hours.

4. Communicate often

You should establish a method of regularly reporting to your clients in order to distribute key accounting data and inform them of any red flags or key indicators they should be aware of.  Discuss a method that appeals to both of you.  Some may prefer email while others would like a verbal report over the phone.  Whatever the case, you should not be afraid to communicate frequently if the information requires it.

5. Keep your promises

If you tell a client that you will submit a monthly report before the first week of the following month, don’t be late.  Your ability to follow through on your promises is not only a reflection of your professionalism but an expression of respect for your client.

Your ability to effectively manage client relationships can determine just how successful your business will be.  Without a clientele your business will fail; ensuring client satisfaction can come in applying these 10 tips for establishing and maintaining a healthy client connection.

Return next week when we cover the final 5 tips in effectively managing client relationships:

6.    Maintain professionalism

7.    Resolve conflict quickly

8.    Request feedback

9.    Remember your client is your best marketing agent

10. Part ways, when absolutely necessary

Grow Your Practice with Expertise and Marketing Know-How

There are a handful of ways you can improve your business, and only some of them will work.  We suggest growing your business by enhancing your expertise and your marketing skills.

Small-Business Expertise

You can better service your clients by specializing in small-business accounting.  Over 85% of the opportunities in the accounting field are within small businesses.  Universities prepare their students for corporate accounting which doesn’t address small business needs.  More than 50% of small businesses fail, and much of that failure can be attributed to lack of accounting expertise.  That’s where you step in.  With expertise in small business accounting, you can help small businesses succeed.

At Universal Accounting, we understand the needs of the small business like nobody else. We’ve helped people like you advance their career in small business accounting for over 25 years. The Professional Bookkeeper Program is designed specifically to address the needs of small businesses, and Universal Accounting Center’s small business accounting course is the most complete of anything else offered today.  And depending on your schedule and situation, it will only take you 60 hours to complete.  Imagine earning a professional designation in less than one month!

Marketing Know-How

One of the greatest challenges for many small business owners comes in the marketing.  You may love working with numbers but groan at the thought of promoting your services and expertise.  Universal Accounting Center understands this struggle and can help you eliminate it.

UAC has developed a turn-key marketing solution which will enable you to grow your business with our proven system.   You could work for years on a marketing plan, hitting and missing, only to find your business growing at a snail’s pace.  Imagine learning which marketing strategies work in just a number of weeks!

The Universal Practice Builder is a training program designed to teach you the art and science of securing clients.  Top your Professional Bookkeeper Designation off with this guaranteed program where you’ll walk away with over 12 marketing strategies that you can implement immediately.

Enroll in these business-changing programs now!

Turn Prospective Clients into Current Clients More Quickly

You know the drill.  You’ve met someone who is interested in your services, and it’s time to make the follow-up call where you remind them of their interest and attempt to secure their business.  This can be a daunting and unpleasant task for many professionals who would rather clients fell more easily into their laps.  But, let’s face it-growing your clientele takes time and energy.  And in this case, 4 powerful follow-up techniques:

1. Provide a déjà vu moment

You must remind these prospects why they were interested in the first place.  This will require you to take notes following your first meeting.  Were they most interested in having someone else worry about payroll?  Did they like the sound of increasing their profitability by using accounting knowledge more effectively?  Or did they need professional help bringing their business back into the black?  Whatever the case, you must create a déjà vu moment where the prospect is reminded of what makes your services particularly appealing to their business.

2. Ask open-ended questions

You can’t engage a prospect in conversation by asking ‘yes’ or ‘no’ questions.  Before picking up the phone write down two to three open-ended questions (asking how, what, when, where, why…) that will help them reflect on their specific accounting needs.

3. Add value

The reason why many follow-up calls don’t work is because they simply remind the client of an initial meeting and ask if the prospect is still interested.  In order to enhance your appeal, you should use the follow-up call to increase your value to the prospect.  You might consider offering incentives that are catered to their unique needs.

In his ezine article entitled “The #1 Secret to Making More Effective Follow-up Calls, Glenn Fallavollita says that he has found more success in using the “Oh, by the way…” follow-up method than any other.  He provides the following script:

“The reason for my call is that I am just following up on the ________ I sent to you a few days ago. Oh by the way, many business owners like you are taking advantage of this _______ because they want to reduce their ________ by _____ %. - and I thought you would like to do the same. “

This is an example of how you can further peak a prospect’s interest by talking specifics regarding how your services can benefit their business.

4.    Don’t let a prospect turn cold

Whatever you do, don’t let too much time pass before placing a follow-up call.  The truth is, the longer you wait to revisit a contact, the more you’ve allowed the individual to forget why they were interested in the first place.

Follow-up calls are an important part of your business; without them it would be difficult to reconnect with prospects and, finally, secure their business.  If you want to grow your clientele, you’ll need to place many follow-up calls; implementing these 4 techniques will help.

Let UAC Help You Promote Your Business

Follow-up calls are just one way to promote your business.  If you want to grow your accounting practice, you’re probably interested in ways to attract new clients.  Unfortunately, many accountants and bookkeepers are unaware of how to market their services effectively.  That’s why, for over 25 years, Universal Accounting Center has been training professionals like you how to promote their businesses.  The Universal Practice Builder program will train you in the following (and much more):

• Increasing your annualized billings by $30,000 within the next 12 months
• 12 proven marketing strategies that will increase your client base
• Techniques that can generate 15 to 25 qualified leads per month
• Creating your own customized marketing plan
• Effective phone marketing techniques

In a matter of hours, you will know exactly what you need to do to grow your business.  Advance your accounting practice to the next level and become the premier firm in your area. 

Build Your Practice’s Prestige

One more way to make those follow-up calls more effective is by enhancing your firm’s prestige by enrolling in our Professional Bookkeeper program!  Designed to teach you the day-to-day accounting functions required by small business, this course will give you the skills and the confidence to act as a Profit Expert while you manage your clients’ books.  Here are just a few things the PB course will provide:

• Practical and extensive training in small business accounting
• The opportunity to earn valuable certification as a Professional Bookkeeper
• DVD training materials you can review again and again
• Hands-on instruction that will provide you with experience setting up and managing small business accounts from scratch
• Flexible training that you can master on your own time and at your own pace
• 6 months of follow-up support provided by knowledgeable accounting professionals
• An iron-clad guarantee

These two complementary programs will enable you to catapult your practice to the next level.  Take advantage of this opportunity and enroll in these two programs today!

Resources

Fallovollita, Glenn.  “The #1 Secret to Making More Effective Follow-up Calls.” Ezinearticles.com

10 Common Characteristics of Successful Entrepreneurs

There are certain characteristics that will assist you on the road to entrepreneurialism.  And while some may come naturally, others can be developed and honed.  In this two-part series we examine 10 characteristics commonly found in successful entrepreneurs.  Last week we discussed the following 5 traits that we believe are success indicators when it comes to small business ownership:

1.    Passionate

2.    Organized

3.    Accessible

4.    Involved

5.    Progressive

This week we examine the final 5:

6. Respectable

Your reputation as an entrepreneur depends upon your honesty, integrity, and determination to always conduct business honorably.  Countless corporate officers have cost themselves and others their livelihoods because they believed that personal gain was more important than personal integrity.  Because of this, many individuals seek financial professionals who are respected in their community.

7. Time-wise

In order to be successful you must manage your time well.  Not being able to do so can cost you your business.  There are countless individuals with the necessary skills and expertise who mismanage their time and, as a result, mismanage their businesses.  If you are to be your own boss, you must be able to prioritize projects and allocate your time accordingly.  Too many become distracted by the freedom of self-employment and lose track of their businesses as they lose track of time.

8. Customer-oriented

You must be in tune with your clients’ needs and continually build your business with those needs in mind.   Your customer service techniques must be excellent, and you should periodically ask for feedback in order to ensure that they are satisfied.

9. Shameless self-promoter

This is difficult for some people, but in order for the word to get out about your business, you must be willing to talk about your work in glowing terms.  First this might require that you come to recognize and appreciate the value of your own services.  In offering others the opportunity to take advantage of your accounting expertise, you are providing them with informed insight that will enable them to make more profitable business decisions.  Once you become confident of your practice’s innate value, it becomes easier (and more natural) to promote your services.

10. An expert

Prospective clients are looking to pay a professional: an industry expert.  Your credibility is often verified with professional certification.  While you don’t have to become a CPA, you should invest in training that will enable you to earn a valid designation, like that of Professional Bookkeeper.

Earn the Professional Bookkeeper Designation!

Many programs require you take months, if not years, to earn some sort of professional certification.  UAC graduate, Scott Irvins, wanted formal accounting training and decided to do something unusual; he went to a local university to get an associate’s degree in accounting and he took Universal Accounting Center’s Professional Bookkeeper course.  After all that, Scott felt UAC provided more comprehensive accounting training in less time.  He explained:

“The Universal Accounting course - we were done in 4 weeks. I knew everything we needed to do was getting started. As to the other one [University coursework], in that four weeks I hadn’t even finished the first class yet, and 18 months later I finally had a little piece of paper that says I have a degree in computerized accounting. But from the get-go with Universal Accounting Center, their training was fast and simple. In looking at both, it was actually more comprehensive than the 18 month class. We had to do the entire extra general education things, and they broke the training up into little pieces, where in Universal Accounting Center you got the whole picture and you got to do it all in four weeks. It was great.”

The Professional Bookkeeper Program better prepares bookkeepers to serve small-business clients by training them in full bookkeeper and accounting services. Upon completion, qualified students receive the PB designation, assuring prospective clients that these UAC graduates are qualified to take care of the small business owner’s bookkeeping needs. In less than 60 hours you too can earn the Professional Bookkeeper (PB) Designation and develop expertise in small business accounting.

Enhance Your Credentials by Adding QuickBooks Specialist to Your Repertoire

You probably already know that Intuit’s QuickBooks accounting software is popular.  So popular, in fact, that over 80% of small business owners use it to track their finances.  With such a significant percentage, you’re at a disadvantage if you don’t know QuickBooks.

The Professional Bookkeeper’s Guide to QuickBooks is a self-paced program enabling you to skip the parts you may already know while taking the time to truly study those areas with which you’re not as familiar.  And once you complete the guide you can earn a designation proving to employers that you have certified QuickBooks expertise.

Invest in yourself by enrolling in two programs that will enable you to demonstrate your expertise to current and prospective clients.  Enroll in the Professional Bookkeeper program and the Professional Bookkeeper’s Guide to QuickBooks now and earn two professional designations to hang in your office by summer.  Enroll now.

True Life Success

Wouldn’t you like to sit down and have a good, long discussion with someone who’s living your dream?  Someone who could offer advice, tell you what to do, what not to do, and prove that what you’ve always wanted is possible?  If you want to build a thriving accounting practice, then we have the motivational conversation for you.

Scott Barhold completed the Universal Practice Builder program last year and he’s currently finishing the Professional Bookkeeper Program.  Learn from his experience and see just how these two Universal programs can change the face of your business, for the better.

Growing His Practice

The UPB program is designed to teach financial professionals how to better market their services; it also guarantees that graduates will increase their annual billings by at least $30,000 in just 12

months.  When asked how the program has benefitted his bottom line Scott replied, “My practice has grown from $36k to $87k in the first 6 months, and this year my current projections are about $127K.  I did this by learning how to market what I do.”  That’s more than an initial $50,000 in increased billings with a projected increase of over $90,000 this year, and Scott has accomplished this in a very tenuous financial market.

Scott explained, “The greatest benefit [of the UPB] for me was the understanding of what I needed to make my practice a success and the ability to achieve it.  [It] taught me how to successfully market my product and say the right thing to the right people in the right way at the right time.”

He goes on to say that “going to Utah for the UPB workshop can be the difference between watching a sporting event and playing in it.  It is truly the dynamics that change.  You will come out with more than you could possibly imagine, and a road map of how to achieve it.”

Growing His Expertise and Experience

The Professional Bookkeeper Program is intended to train individuals in the day-to-day tasks of small-business accounting, enabling graduates to earn valuable professional certification.  While he has yet to finish the PB Program, Scott feels that the PB designation will help set him apart from his competition.

Much of Scott’s success stems from his positive attitude regarding his business and his life.  He realizes that his daily tasks are the building blocks for the future success of his business.

Scott described to us a typical day at the office:  “My day usually starts with a day plan, the tasks and meetings that I need to accomplish, and a look at the work in progress.  Each day has some marketing involved from e-mails, to letters, to advertisements, and networking.  Then it is off to execute the day plan.  All tasks must be checked before I can go home.  No sales day can end on a no; each must end on a positive.  This lays seed today for a better tomorrow.  To let a day end on a failure is to let today finish better than tomorrow will be.  That is not an acceptable direction for my plan, my business, or my life.”

Client Relationships

Scott believes that the true value of his clients is not in the quantity but in the quality.  “For instance,” Scott says, “One of my clients has over 100 gas stations- [the quality] is in what I bring to him and his businesses. I am currently bringing a uniformity in reporting of income and expenses.  This will make his life easier so he can do more of what he wants to do.”

Scott finds that his clients value face-time and communication.  He explains, “I think the service that I sell is peace of mind.  My clients know that they are going to spend time with me, and that they will feel more at-ease about looking at their financial report.  I constantly hear clients say, ‘My old accountant never went over this with me.’”

Challenges and Rewards

The most challenging element of his job is in finding balance.  “There is a delicate balance between marketing and production.  I had to learn how to effectively delegate tasks in order for the practice to grow.  I love what I do, and I have come to learn that it is a valuable skill to business owners, that many do not possess. But without delegation, I am limited to the amount of help I can give.”

“The most rewarding aspect is that I can help so many others get what they want.  Nobody wants a business that is flailing about.  By doing what I know best, many times I can help them see their business in a whole new light.  It is rewarding that my clients realize the value that I bring to their business–the relationship that builds as we set plans in motion to meet their goals and objectives.  I actually enjoy watching as we overcome obstacles as a team and celebrate milestone successes with my clients.”

Scott’s Advice to Those Starting and/or Growing Their Own Bookkeeping Practice

“Know what you are getting into.  Your clients will rely on you for information; spend the time to become an expert in your field so that you can help them… become an expert in theirs.  And to take something that I have learned from UAC - Believe in yourself, decide what you want, plan for success, and execute your plan!”

Learn more about these two programs that have helped Scott achieve the success he’s currently experiencing by visiting Universal Accounting Center today.

Become a Profit and Growth Expert

Accountants offer valuable services-services every business needs.  In fact, businesses are required by law to keep books.  So how could you possibly increase the value of your accounting services when they are already extremely valuable?  By becoming a Profit and Growth Expert!

What is a Profit and Growth Expert?

A Profit and Growth Expert uses information from the accounting system to analyze a business’s fiscal standing, sharing that analysis with those who can use it to make more profitable financial decisions.

A Profit and Growth Expert is a proactive accountant who realizes that the information he/she generates provides crucial data that can make or break a business.  It’s the accountant’s job to share this data with business owners, explaining it in such a way that they both understand what the information indicates and can use it to make important business decisions.

Profit and Growth Accounting

When you enroll in the Professional Bookkeeper Program you not only learn small business accounting, but you are trained to watch key indicators that will help you diagnose a business’s health and recommend a course of action that will improve its profitability.  This will enhance your service offerings and enable you to market this competitive advantage.  Here’s what one student had to say about her new skills:

I am about half way through the program and, in the next month or so, plan…to start visiting my local businesses.  I have been focusing on the marketing side of things and it seems like every meeting I have with a potential client I am able to close.  So far since purchasing the program I have about 6 more monthly clients.  I am sure that 50% of those transactions were closed because [of] improvements in my sales techniques.  I love the fact that I am not an Accountant or Enrolled agent, I am now a “Profit, Growth, and Tax Expert.”  It does work…. -Lynette R., CA

Using the skills mastered in the Professional Bookkeeper Program, Lynette has been able enhance her tax practice before she even completes the entire course.  You can do the same for your accounting practice, and within weeks will be able market yourself as the “Profit, Growth, and Accounting Expert.”  Imagine how appealing that will be for prospective clients who are interested in increasing their profitability and ensuring the growth of their small business.

The Profit and Growth Expert Tutorial

If you would like to learn more about becoming a Profit and Growth Expert, order our informational DVD “Start Today.”  When you do, you will learn how to do the following:

• Make over $80,000 per year working from home!
• Secure more clients than you can handle
• Charge your clients so you can afford to take that next vacation, and they get such a great deal they will be telling all their friends about you!
• Get started for next to nothing and make BIG BUCKS within weeks!

Change the course of your practice.  Take action now to become a Profit and Growth Expert.  For less than $10 you can order your own copy of “Start Today” or you can watch the video online today for free!

7 Procrastination Busting Techniques

Nothing is so fatiguing as the eternal hanging on of an uncompleted task.- William James

Putting off an easy thing makes it hard. Putting off a hard thing makes it impossible. - George Claude Lorimer

The best way to get something done is to begin.-Anonymous

Last week you took a quiz to determine if you are a chronic procrastinator. But whether or not your procrastination issues are severe, everyone can benefit from a few procrastination busting techniques. In this installment of our two-part series, we provide you with 7 tips on overcoming procrastination:

1. End each day by planning the next.

You will be better prepared, mentally and physically, to tackle difficult tasks head-on when you schedule time to do them. At the end of each workday, review the schedule for the next day so you set aside time to perform those functions you’ve been postponing. Often you can overcome procrastination by giving yourself the time to do those things you’ve been avoiding.

2. Tackle the most formidable task first.

Those tasks you put off are generally the most distasteful. You’ll be doing yourself a huge favor if you tackle those tasks first. You know what they say: swallow a toad in the morning and you will encounter nothing more disgusting the rest of the day. When you complete these tasks first thing, you’ll find yourself recharged and ready to tackle the remainder of your day with ease.

3. Change your vocabulary.

Sometimes a change in perspective will come easily when accompanied by a change in vocabulary. When looking at those tasks you tend to procrastinate you probably feel as if you have to do them.” Change “have to” to “want to” and see if that lightens the load a bit. Also certain projects can appear overwhelming. Rather than tell yourself you must “finish” such projects, tell yourself you will get a good “start” on the project. This may motivate you to tackle it a piece at time.

4. Break large projects into manageable tasks.

Those overwhelming projects are best handled bit by bit. Break those large projects into smaller tasks that can be handled on a daily basis. Schedule these smaller tasks into your day so that you’re able to better inch towards project completion.

5. Practice the Ten-Minute Rule.

For whatever reasons, we are unmotivated by certain tasks. Practice the ten-minute rule with these tasks by dedicating just ten-minutes to them. Often you’ll find that once you get moving, you’re motivated enough to continue long after the ten minutes have ended. And if you’re not, at least you did something that contributed to the completion of that task, and it’s probably more than you would have thought could be accomplished in just 600 seconds.

6. Reward yourself for completed tasks.

When working on especially dreadful tasks, give yourself a small reward for completing the task by a given time. Whether you take a short walk, surf the internet, or read a page from an engaging book, rewarding yourself in small doses may help you work a little harder on those tasks you tend to procrastinate.

7. Feel the fear and do it anyway.

Sometimes we procrastinate certain things because we’re afraid we will fail, we don’t have the skill set, or are uncertain where to begin. In situations like these it is best if you feel the fear and move forward. Generally you’ll find that your fears were unfounded and that you were equal to the challenge.

Allow UAC to Help You Do It Anyway

Whether you want to start your own accounting practice, earn a little money on the side as a bookkeeper, or use the training to advance your career, the flexibility of the Professional Bookkeeper (PB) Program as well as its modest price will help you accomplish your dreams.

You will learn small-business accounting and have the opportunity to earn professional certification that will show clients you have the expertise to manage their books. In addition, we teach you how to market your new skills effectively in order to secure the clientele that will make your practice successful.

Perhaps you fear that you do not have the necessary background to learn accounting, are too old to get started, or are not ready to take the risk. The PB Program is designed for individuals just like you! Some of our graduates did not know a debit from a credit when they started our program while others had years of accounting experience behind them. All found the program to be valuable and worth the time and money spent to complete the Professional Bookkeeper Program.

Increase Your Earning Potential and Enroll Today!

When you enroll in both the Professional Bookkeeper Program and the Professional Bookkeeper’s Guide to QuickBooks, you increase your earning potential significantly. You can offer Quickbooks set-up, help and consultation services for $65-$95 per hour. Not only that, but you’ll learn a valuable software program that will enable you to do the following:

• Quickly pay your bills so you never incur late penalties.
• Be reminded when bills are due.
• Write checks with one single click!
• Quickly and effortlessly create invoices so you get paid sooner.
• Track customers and vendors so you can easily look them up in one place.
• Keep on top of incoming and outgoing payments.
• Access easy-to-read financial reports NOW!

Enroll in these two programs today and be on your way to a brighter and more lucrative future. Stop procrastinating! Enroll now!

Just answer a few questions for us:

• Would you like to make more money?
• Are you interested in being your own boss?
• Would you like to enjoy a flexible work schedule?
• Have you considered spending more time with your family?
• Do you want to improve your standard-of-living?

Not many people would answer “no” to any of those questions. Unfortunately, the majority of people do not know how to accomplish them. Luckily for you, Universal Accounting Center is in the business of helping their students see that all of the above do indeed happen.

What Are You Waiting for?

A more prosperous economy? Your ship to sail in? The perfect time?

When you take a passive approach to life, waiting for something good to happen, you’ll find those good things are forever beyond your reach. Truly successful people don’t wait for anything; instead they choose to make good things happen for themselves.

A little work, a small investment, and some elbow grease are all that’s required to start and build your own accounting practice. That and two power programs.

The Professional Bookkeeper (PB) Program

In order for your accounting practice to be more appealing than the competition, you must offer specialized services. Small business accounting is a specialized service. Consider that your prospective clients will need someone trained to do one or more of the following:

• Master accounting for retail and wholesale businesses
• Establish the accounting method that best fits the business
• Set up an efficient system for a “Ma & Pa” manufacturing company
• Track job costs simply and efficiently for a construction company
• Effectively handle flooring for an inventory financed business
• Consult on key business issues with confidence
• Enter data quickly and accurately
• Prepare payroll like a seasoned pro
• Avoid costly IRS penalties
• Spot and avoid dangerous trends before they become tragedies
• Save a company thousands of dollars in auditing costs
• Prepare a loan application package
• Make positive change happen!

The PB Program will teach you how to do all that and more. In less than 60 hours you can receive professional certification that demonstrates your expertise to potential clients. You will be able to do for them what few other accountants could do. The only thing left for you learn would be maketing.

The Universal Practice Builder Program

Marketing strategies, promotional campaigns, advertising techniques. Those are generally things accountants are unfamiliar and even uncomfortable with. Knowing how to appeal to your particular demographic will enable you to create a marketing approach that is successful, lucrative, and productive.

The Universal Practice Builder Program will help you do that by equipping you with 12-proven marketing strategies that will enable you to secure 15 to 25 qualified leads per month. You’ll also learn how to prepare instructional seminars that will enable you to demonstrate the value of your services to prospective clients. In addition, for three months you’ll have access to a personal coach who will help you apply the things you learn while setting and achieving your business goals. Not to mention, all this comes with a guarantee that you will earn $30,000 more in annualized billings in just 12 months!

Again, what are you waiting for?

It’s time you took action! Pursue your dreams, start that practice and take a bigger piece of the pie. Go on! You deserve it. Enroll now.

They All Start with YOU

Winners compare their achievements with their goals, while losers compare their achievements with those of other people. - Nido Qubein

It is not the mountain we conquer but ourselves.-Edmund Hillary

The greater danger for most of us lies not in setting our aim too high and falling short; but in setting our aim too low, and achieving our mark. - Michelangelo

The power of the mind is truly mind-boggling. Have you ever pondered the difference between two talented and capable individuals-one successful and one not? Often it’s the attitude each possesses that marks the difference in their achievements. What attitude do you live your life by? And with what mindset do you approach your career?

If you believe that you are on a path to great accomplishment and success, you are. It’s that simple. If you believe that your journey will be rife with struggle and failure, then you’re right as well. We are what we think.

The truth is you CAN start your own accounting practice. And if you already have one, you can make it even more profitable. Others have proven that it’s not only a profitable venture, but it’s easy and attainable. All you need are the skills, know-how, and the ability to market yourself to prospective clients. Sounds easy, right?

UAC Makes It Easy

While we’re not in the business of handing out confidence to our graduates, it seems to come naturally through the course of taking our programs. Here’s what some have said:

You’ll be glad to know that in the time since I completed the course, I have gone from 1 client, a friend of mine, to 27 clients in a matter of just 8 months. I’m finally realizing the potential that I always knew I had.- V. A. VonTonder

This course has literally changed my life. When I started I hardly knew the difference between a debit and a credit. Now I have the confidence to tackle almost any type of business and do their books.- A. Moody

The best part was that it gave me the courage and confidence to start my own business, which has been a dream of mine for years.-C. Christensen

In attaining confidence, these individuals have achieved the mindset necessary to successfully start their own bookkeeping service with grace and ease. Would you like to join them?

The Professional Bookkeeper Program

Designed to train individuals in small-business accounting, this program enables students to gain the expertise necessary to target a very lucrative niche market.

Just for fun, thumb through your local yellow pages. How many of the businesses you see are small, local businesses? Probably quite a few. All of those small businesses are required by law to perform various accounting functions. They need small business accountants.

Fortunately, for you, most accountants have been trained in corporate accounting rather than small business accounting, leaving these small business owners in need of a properly-trained professional who can attend to their specific needs. And if you know how to market your services, you’ve got an even greater advantage over your competition.

The Universal Practice Builder Program

Don’t feel bad. Most accountants are uncomfortable marketing their services. But once you know a handful of proven marketing strategies, methods for building an effective professional network, and can apply it all with a mentor by your side, the rest comes easily.

For over 25 years UAC has been teaching individuals like you small-business accounting. In the process we have learned quite a bit about how to effectively market those same services to the best prospective clients. When you enroll in this course you will get the following:

• A guarantee of $30,000 in new annualized billings in only 12 months
• The skills to become a Profit Expert for each of your clients
• 12 marketing strategies that you can implement immediately
• A process which can produce 15 to 25 qualified leads per month
• 3 months of coaching via telephone and Internet
• Training on a computerized database tracking program
• A presentation DVD to show potential clients
• Seminar training for three different instructional courses
• Access to a plan proven to help retain clients

When you couple the Professional Bookkeeper Program with the Universal Practice Builder Program, you have just about everything you need to start and/or grow your own accounting practice. Just bring a positive attitude and we’ll supply the rest. Don’t wait another day to realize your potential and change the course of your future. Enroll now!

24 hours a day… 7 days a week. How would you like to have a sales force that never sleeps, works 24 hours a day, never expects to be paid, and delivers your complete message without leaving anything out each and every time they meet with your clients? Any business owner would love to have such a tireless and faithful sales force.

You might be thinking to yourself, “;Who would be willing to work so hard and not expect to be paid?”;

You may find this hard to believe, but the tools to create this sales force are literally right at your fingertips.

Your Sales Force Can Use The Personal Approach

If I were to suggest “;direct mail”;, you might think only of those cheaply made 1/2 sheet fliers that you get with coupons. That couldn’t be further from what I’m talking about. The biggest mistake most business owners make is assuming that all direct mail is impersonal, cheesy and poorly crafted. That is not the case.

Over the past 25 or 30 years, the Wall Street Journal has used a very effective direct mail campaign to solicit new subscribers to their magazine. You may have even received a letter yourself. Over the years I’ve received a couple of them myself.

I’ve noticed that the letter has remained fundamentally the same each time I receive it. Why? Because it works. Isn’t it interesting that something most of us pass off as cheap and cheesy, the Wall Street Journal has used effectively for years? As we discuss the beauty of the “;sales force that never sleeps”; let’s talk about why what’s good for the Wall Street Journal will be just as effective for you.

Let’s take a look at why the letters from the Wall Street Journal work and the coupons you’ve seen before don’t:

1. They use a personal approach. They send a personal letter. Don’t make the mistake of dismissing this because it’s something as simple as a letter. The truly great marketing minds of the last 50 years will all tell you that a personal, finely crafted letter is one of the single most powerful selling tools in existence.
2. They use statistically proven methods to make sure their letter gets read. Believe it or not, the science to the “;direct mail”; sales letter has been tested and successfully demonstrated for years. They use these tested methods whether or not they personally would respond to them. Statistically substantiated methods prove far superior to acting as a “;focus group of one”; like many of us tend to do. How many times have you heard someone say, “;I wouldn’t read or respond to that!”.
3. They present their message in a concise and interesting manner. Nobody wants to waste time reading fluff… despite the fact that they send a 4+ page letter, they make sure that every word pushes the reader through the letter, the sales pitch and the close.
4. They unashamedly ask for the reader to subscribe. They make no excuse that the purpose of the letter is to gain your subscription. By presenting the benefits to you, the reader, they demonstrate the ability of the Journal to meet those needs and ask for your subscription. Their salesman always asks for the order at the end of every presentation.
5. They continually seek to test and improve. Like all great direct marketers, constant testing against this proven letter is required. Some of their potential subscribers get a modified letter to make sure that the letter they send out gets the best results possible. But they keep the tried and true. Why? Because it works.

Find New Clients, Reintroduce Yourself to Old Clients or Keep in Touch with Current Clients

The personal letter does all these things. You’re “;sales force that never sleeps”; multi-tasks and reaches out to all of your contacts. Remember, a personal, well crafted letter is one of the most powerful sales tools you can use.

You might say, “;I don’t see any other bookkeepers or accountants using a sales letter.”; That’s great. Using a sales method that others don’t in your particular market is a really smart move.

Universal’s Marketing Module Offers You Proven Sample Letters to Use with Your Clients and Prospective Clients

The Wall Street Journal uses a letter that has been tested and has proven itself over time. You can benefit from the same type of testing. Part of the Professional Bookkeeper Course offered exclusively by Universal Accounting includes a marketing module filled with tried and tested sales letters, presentations and contact ideas that have been successful for years.

No other program offers as complete an education in small business accounting as Universal. No other course offers the tools to ensure that you are successful. Learning everything you’ll need to know and providing you with tested and effective sales tools that you can start using today will ensure your success.

The need for professional bookkeeping and tax professionals has never been greater. In fact, the Bureau of Labor Statistics forecasts that the need will continue to increase for the foreseeable future. There has never been a better time to start your business as a skilled bookkeeper and tax professional.

You can build your Bookkeeping Practice by using methods proven effective. You don’t have to be a marketing genius. Universal Accounting has the tools that allow you to join the ranks of successful bookkeepers and tax professionals all over the country. People just like you and me who never considered themselves to be marketers before, but with tried and tested methods have discovered how truly simple a successful marketing effort can be.

The most complete education in accounting is one click away. Enroll now in this time-tested course that will not only train you in small business accounting, but enable you to effectively market these skills. Order now!

The Modern Bookkeeper-The Small Business Profit Expert

What is Today’s Bookkeeper Really Like?

“Our Song is the Star Spangled Banner.” That’s what my good friend said. His wife couldn’t believe that was his answer to what romantic song left him “weak-in-the-knees”. Now, every time I’m at a baseball or basketball game and they play the Star Spangled Banner, I lean over to my wife and say, “That a boy, [name omitted].”

Of course,he and his sweet and understanding spouse must remain anonymous. I don’t think she would ever forgive me if I revealed his identity, but yes, he is a member of the accounting profession.

Despite his apparent lack of romance, he is not the dull, bean-counter caricature that has followed bookkeepers and accountants around for years. In fact, he has a really great sense of humor, is a very savvy business man and a great friend.

In my opinion, he is the perfect example of what today’s bookkeeper or accountant is really like. I’d like to share with you some of the traits that I think are critical to the modern bookkeeper and how these traits will help you grow your bookkeeping and accounting practice.

The Green Visor is Gone…

• He is a Likeable Fellow- The first real “accountant” I ever knew was my dad’s accountant. He was a grumpy old guy who never smiled. I don’t think anyone enjoyed being around him, but he was very good at what he did, so we all put up with it.Today, being good at accounting is not enough. The modern bookkeeper is a likeable person who communicates and works well with both clients and co-workers. If you like people and enjoy working with others to solve problems, you have the perfect personality to be the modern bookkeeper.
• He Knows About Other Stuff Too- I’ve noticed that my friend is informed about the world around him. Although his taste in romantic music is somewhat lacking, he is pretty well-rounded. In fact, we hardly ever talk about accounting when we’re together. (Despite the fact that we both work in the accounting field.)If you have interests outside of accounting, that’s a good indication that you will be able to communicate and relate to your clients on a more personal level. After all, that personal connection is what will keep your clients working with you instead of finding someone else who is more personable. Your personality is a unique advantage over your competition.
• He is a Very Savvy Marketer- I don’t think he started out that way, but he knows marketing. He has spent the time to educate himself on the best ways to find and keep clients. He stays up-to-date on what marketing methods work and how to apply them to his business.If you are willing to learn the secrets that will help you find clients and make your business grow, you are well on your way to a successful bookkeeping and accounting practice. It’s not difficult and will pay big dividends as you grow your practice.
• He is Obsessive About the Details- It’s often the little things that make the most difference. When it comes to his career, he is relentless with the details. Of course, he’s human, but he pays attention to the little things that will make the difference in profitability for his clients and himself. He’s more than just a bookkeeper, he’s a profit expert.He is very successful in business because he is not casual about anything that goes on inside his business. Paying attention to the details will make your business grow and prosper. In fact, your clients are hiring you to pay attention to the details.
• He is a True Professional- I don’t think I have ever seen him in the work environment when he didn’t look like a complete professional from head to toe. He dresses professionally. He carries himself professionally. And exudes confidence and capability in his very demeanor. You know he will get the job done for you.In the business world, perception is reality. If you don’t look like a professional when you meet your clients, they won’t have the confidence to trust their business financial records to you. You may be the best bookkeeper in the city, but you have to look like it, or you won’t have the clients you need to grow your business.
  
• He is Technically Proficient- He keeps up to date on the latest computer software and hardware. He’s not afraid of the technology that makes accounting and bookkeeping more and more efficient and accurate all the time. If you’re not afraid to embrace technology as it changes and evolves, you excel as a modern bookkeeper.
• He is a Person of Personal Integrity- His clients and coworkers trust him. He does nothing that would cause anyone who knows him to doubt his intentions or motivations. You can trust what he says because he does what he says he will do.Although this is at the end of the list, I think it’s one of the most important qualities. You will know the most intimate details concerning the companies you work with. As the bookkeeper, you will know the complete financial picture of every business you work with. These business owners will put their complete and utter trust in you.

How Many of These Qualities Do You Posses?

These 7 skills are critical to your personal and professional success. If you exhibit many of these traits, with some specialized training, you’ll do a great job as a small buisness bookkeeper.

Universal Accounting has taught the ins-and-outs of small business accounting for over 25 years. Since 1979, the Professional Bookkeeper Program has taught people just like you and me everything you need to know to do the bookkeeping and accounting for small businesses. From the flower shop down the road to the dry cleaner around the corner, you will have the skills to offer a valuable and needed service.

With over 500,000 new business start-ups each and every month, the opportunites in small business bookkeeping and accounting have never been better. Find out more. Click on the link below and find out for yourself how achievable, profitable and easy it is to start your own bookkeeping and accounting practice.

Click Here to Find Out Why The Professional Bookkeeper Program is the Best Way to Learn Small Business Bookkeeping and Accounting