Accounting and Bookkeeping Articles

Generally an accounting practice begins with just the accountant who can do the majority of the work alone.  However, as the practice begins to grow you may consider hiring support staff that will enable you to complete more billable hours while the employees perform the more menial tasks.  Whether you choose to hire one additional employee or several, how do you know when your business is ready?  And then, how do you prepare to hire the right applicant?  Here’s a worksheet that might help:

Is Your Business Ready?

3 Questions to Ask

1. Can current cash flow sustain a new employee?

Are you making enough money to actually pay an additional employee?  Obviously you’re hoping that with some help you could earn even more money.  But if your current cash flow doesn’t provide the wiggle room necessary to add someone to your payroll, you may consider increasing your clientele before you increase your staff.

2. Does your current work load require additional help?

The last thing you want to do is hire someone when you don’t have enough work to keep them busy.  If you and/or your current staff is collectively managing a workload that could keep another person busy, then you should consider hiring additional help.  Also, if your personal life is suffering as a result of overtime, you should consider lightening your own load by hiring someone to share that burden.  Otherwise we suggest waiting until your workload justifies the additional help.

3. Is your current need for help long-term or temporary?

As you question your current need for help, you should remember that a full-time, long-term employee will still be on your payroll when your practice hits a yearly slump or encounters a lull in business.  Is a temporary employee more practical?  It’s easier to make a temporary employee permanent than it is to make a permanent employee temporary.

Preparing to Hire the Right Applicant

Once you determine the need to hire an employee, it’s important that you do some work upfront to ensure that you hire the right applicant.  Here are five important tips you should consider as you begin your search:

1. Write a job description

Before you start looking for applicants you need to know which skills you need.  Write down all the tasks this employee will perform.  Focus on the verbs.  Do these skills require experience?  If not, what characteristics would the employee need in order to acquire those skills?  Be specific.  The only way you can hire the right person is if you know exactly what your business requires (tune in next week when we’ll discuss what to look for in your applicants).

2. Get the word out

Inform professionals in your network about your opening; they may know of skilled individuals looking for a good position.  Also consider job placement services, especially if you’re looking for applicants with a specific skill set.  The want ads and job boards are also a good way to publicize your opening.

3. Develop informative interview questions

Good interview questions will enable you to find the right person to fill your position.  Consider questions that will help you learn of past performance while determining problem-solving ability, work preferences and future career goals.  All these things can inform your decision.  And in order to fairly weigh one candidate against the next, you must ask all applicants the same questions.

Note: Be careful!  It is illegal to ask candidates anything discriminatory.  Avoid all questions that address the following: race, color, gender, sexual preferences, religion, national origin, birthplace, age, disability, marital/family status.

4. Check references and perform background checks

Why ask for references if you don’t check them?  I’ve heard countless stories of references who shared crucial information about a candidate’s true nature in a job environment that either foiled his/her chances or sealed the deal.  Either way, references can provide you with more information on which to base your final decision.  And background checks can also be informative, telling you which candidates may threaten the livelihood of your business.

5. Listen to your gut

Often a gut instinct will tell you which applicants are a good match and which would be bad for business.  Don’t rule those feelings out, but consider them as you make your final decision, as well as the applicants’ skills and experience.

Return next week when we’ll share what you should look for in your applicants.

The Universal Practice Builder Program Can Help Your Business Sustain a Support Staff

Everyone wants their business to grow and make more money.  If you’re concerned that your business isn’t yet big enough to justify adding employees to your payroll, you should first attempt to increase both your clientele and your bottom line.  The Universal Practice Builder (UPB) Program is guaranteed to help:

Talk about a risk-free venture!

In addition to the above guarantee, here’s a sampling of what you will gain from enrolling in this phenomenal program:

• 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
• Training to use QuickBooks to attract more clients
• Access to a plan proven to help retain clients

If you’re looking to grow your practice so that it can sustain a support staff that will enable you to further increase your cash flow, enroll in the UPB today. It guarantees a bright and lucrative future for your business!

Last week we began this two-part series by talking about self-sabotage and fear of success.  Now that you’ve addressed this fear and taken steps to overcome it, we’ll talk about happiness, success and business: how to have it all.

While not all business owners are happy, we’re guessing that many of the successful ones are.  But we don’t think they’re happy because they’re successful.  We believe the opposite is the case; they’re successful because they’re happy.  How does that work?

In an article published on WomenEntrepreneur.com entitled “The Happy Entrepreneur: You Might Be Surprised at What Really Makes You Happy,” author Kim Kiyosaki examines the nature of happiness, including what happiness is and is not.   Her article scrutinizes the relationship between happiness and business, encouraging entrepreneurs to discover their true source of happiness and how it impacts their professional lives.

Webster defines happiness as “a state of well-being and contentment.”  Kiyosaki examines what happiness is not when quoting Deepak Copra: “Most people are under the impression that happiness comes from being successful, accumulating wealth, being happy and having good relationships.”  However, the truth is that happiness comes from internal rather than external forces.  What exactly are those forces?

What Happiness is Not

Kiyosaki helps us understand what happiness is by demonstrating what it is not.  She points out three things that many assume will make them happy.  Surprisingly, they are not the root of happiness:

1. Relaxation.

While everyone needs a little R & R sometimes, a Lazyboy life probably wouldn’t bring you the contentment you might expect.  Too much relaxation can quickly turn to boredom, and boredom never was happiness.

2. Expecting happiness to be a destination.

We’ve all probably thought, at one time or another, that we could achieve greater happiness upon losing weight, getting a stellar job, moving somewhere else, and/or dating someone fabulous.  We look to some potential future event as the thing that will finally bring us true happiness.  But the truth is, happiness is a process—a journey—not a destination.

3. Less work.

If only I didn’t have so much to do.  If only I didn’t have to actually work to make money. Sound familiar?  While it may sound appealing to be independently wealthy without being required to work for it, the truth is that those without a purpose generally aren’t very happy.

What Happiness Is

So, what is happiness?  Having determined what happiness is not, the following quotes might help us understand what happiness is:

Happiness is the full use of your powers along lines of excellence. –John F. Kennedy

Success is not the key to happiness.  Happiness is the key to success.  If you love what you are doing, you will be successful.  – Albert Schweitzer

The grand essentials of happiness are: something to do, something to love, and something to hope for. – Allan K. Chalmers

Happiness comes when your work and words are of benefit to yourself and others.  –Buddha

Being actively engaged in a good cause that contributes to the well being of yourself and others just might be the key to success.  As you look to what makes you truly happy, we hope that you find it doing what you’re most passionate about.

Pursuing Your Passion Can Contribute to Your Happiness

Doing what you love and are passionate about will help you achieve greater happiness.  If you’ve subscribed to this newsletter, we’re guessing you’re passionate about accounting and finance. And 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.

Training

At Universal Accounting, we understand the needs of the small business like nobody else. We’ve helped people like you advance their careers in small business accounting for over 30 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 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

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 a matter of hours!

The Universal Practice Builder Program is a training course designed to teach you how to market your unique and valuable services.  This program includes two instructional manuals, 8 engaging DVDs, and 4 CDs.  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.

Don’t wait another day to achieve greater happiness.  If you’ve always wanted to run your own business, today’s the day to start.  But don’t go blind!  If you want to be fully prepared, then enroll in UAC’s Professional Bookkeeper and the Universal Practice Builder Programs!  There’s no better investment to make than in yourself!  Do it today!

Resource

Kiyosaki, Kim.  “The Happy Entrepreneur: You Might Be Surprised at What Makes You Happy.”  11 May 2010  WomanEntrepreneur.com

Take Our Quiz to See if You Might be Sabotaging Your Own Success

You’re thinking, Are you crazy?  Why would I be afraid of success? Silly as it may sound, some of us have difficulty realizing our goals simply because there’s some subconscious fear of what might happen once we become successful.  Maybe we’re afraid that success will change our lives more than we’d like, alter fulfilling relationships, or introduce new difficulties we’d rather avoid.  Could this fear be what’s preventing us from moving forward?

Take this short quiz to see if you might be sabotaging your own success.

Are you easily distracted from projects that would help you become more successful?

You have a handful of potential clients who would improve your roster and your bottom line.  But of course you need to take some kind of action first; potential clients don’t usually burst through your door, begging for your time and attention – typically they require some coaxing.  So what’s holding you back?

When you become easily distracted from tasks that could make you more successful, chances are you’re avoiding potential success or maybe even potential failure.  Regardless of the reason, the behavior is holding you back.  The best course of action would be to, cliché we know, feel the fear and do it anyway.

Do you feel you’ve lost somehow when someone you know achieves success?

Intellectually you know it’s not a contest; someone else’s success doesn’t lessen your potential to succeed.  But knowing that doesn’t eliminate those envious feelings you might have when you see someone else moving ahead, realizing their dreams.

If you have the tendency to feel threatened by someone else’s success, you should go out of your way to congratulate that person, even if you have to feign happiness for them.  Then take some action to move forward on your own dreams.  After some practice those congratulatory comments will become more genuine and you’ll find yourself celebrating the successes of others while taking action to advance your own success.

Do you feel uncomfortable when someone compliments you?

In Japan it’s customary to wave away compliments, saying things like “it’s not true,” or “I’m not really smart/pretty/talented…”  This is their way of showing humility.  And while we may not have that custom in the states, we do have a tendency to either verbally disregard complements (“…it was nothing” or “…it wasn’t that hard”) or to mentally disregard them (“…they didn’t mean that” or “…it wasn’t a big deal”).  But can you imagine Donald Trump or Oprah Winfrey responding that way?  No.

We do ourselves an incredible disservice when we don’t just smile and say “thank you” when complimented.  And if you catch yourself doing any negative self-talk, make a conscious effort to stop it.  Most successful people are comfortable with their achievements and can gracefully accept compliments.  Begin practicing today!

Do you procrastinate moving forward because you believe there’s more you can do to prepare?

I have a friend who won’t go to graduate school until she’s better “prepared.”  What that requires, I’m not sure.  Chances are she’s not even sure.  Unfortunately, she’ll probably never feel “ready” for graduate school and consequently will never realize that dream of earning her master’s degree.

There’s always more you can do to prepare for success, and that’s what makes this obstacle so sinister, because you can forever prepare and never more forward.  Make a deal with yourself and continue to prepare as you take the necessary action to accomplish your dreams.

Do you jump into projects without doing any research or preparation?

This is the opposite from the above, but equaling damaging.  Sometimes we sabotage our efforts by jumping into a project without doing any preparation, often dooming ourselves to failure.  Move forward with caution.  Do the necessary research and determine crucial tasks that must be completed in order to succeed.

Do you avoid opportunities to advance?

Sounds crazy but there are individuals who fear promotional opportunities and subconsciously avoid the chance to advance.  This can manifest itself in different ways.  Perhaps you haven’t gotten that certification you’ve considered.  Perhaps you’ve been missing key conferences and workshops that would give you more tools of the trade.  Or perhaps you’ve avoided enrolling in programs that will help you become even better at what you do.  These things can be just as damaging to your career as looking a boss in the eye and saying “No thanks” to a raise accompanied by an increase in responsibility.

Sit down and list those things you’ve considered doing to advance your career.  Then pick just one, resolve to start working on it this week, and get busy!

UAC’s Training Programs Can Help You Succeed

If you’ve been avoiding the opportunity to expand your business, here’s one simple thing you can do to stop sabotaging your success and move forward in your resolve to fulfill your dreams.  Universal Accounting Center’s Professional Bookkeeper Program can help you master small-business accounting.  Regardless of your current skill level, this course can help you learn everything you need to know to set-up, manage and analyze a small business’s accounting system.

Add to that the Universal Practice Builder Program and you’re on the fast track to success.  This program is a turn-key marketing solution which will enable you to grow your new 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 12 plus marketing strategies proven to reach your niche market.  That includes helping you secure 15-25 qualified leads per month and earn $30,000 more in annualized billings in just one year!  The Universal Practice Builder Program is designed to teach you the art and science of getting clients.

Stop sabotaging your efforts to achieve success by enrolling in these two training programs today!

Join just next week when we discuss “Happiness, Success and Business: How to Have it All.”

Many accountants also offer tax preparation services.  Now that tax season is over, you may be experiencing some downtime.  While we encourage you to take a must-deserved break, you may also want to fill your time with some tasks designed to build your client roster.  Here are three you might consider:

1. Issue a Press Release

Writing a press release that’s published in your local paper is a great way to get free publicity.  Fairly easy to write and straight forward, a press release will expose local business owners to your name and the valuable services you offer.  But do a little research before you write — you want your press release to multitask; it should be newsworthy and generate good PR.

2. Network

This powerful marketing strategy shouldn’t be ignored.  Anyone can be a potential client; anyone can refer your services to friends and family.  Anywhere you go, including the grocery store and the local daycare, can be a networking location. Ask your clients to refer their family and friends.  Just don’t be too pushy and remember to return the favor when possible.  And always carry plenty of business cards.

3. Build a Website

If you’re a technical guru, then this should be easy.  If you’re not, it can still be easy.  There are plenty of reasonably-priced services designed to help you create a professional website that will drive potential clients your way.  Once you have a website you can advertise promotional offers, events, and an ezine, all of which can promote more business for you.  Just be sure that whoever creates your site knows how build in the key words that will enable web browsers display your site when internet users are searching for accounting and tax help.

Now back to that vacation.  What good is it to have your own business and work hard to bring in more income if you don’t occasionally enjoy it?  While this won’t build your client roster, it will enable you to enjoy the relaxation necessary to be at your best when you do return to work.  To truly refresh yourself and spend quality time with your family, you need to take a regular vacation and enjoy one another’s company.  Whether you cruise the Caribbean or go camping, it’s important that you spend dedicated time away from work.  In fact, a good time to plan for that vacation is right now.  Get out your calendar and schedule a celebratory summer getaway!

If you’d like to read more about ways to build your clientele now that tax season is over, read a recent article posted to WebCPA written by our very own Allen Bostrom, President and CEO of Universal Accounting Center.  Read “Tax Season is Over—Now What?” today.

Your practice’s survival depends upon your ability to effectively promote your services.  But often, financial professionals are uncomfortable marketing themselves and are unaware of the best strategies in securing and retaining new clients.  In fact, many do not know how to differentiate between advertising and marketing—a simple distinction that could help many build better promotional campaigns.

Marketing consultant and strategist Laura Lake’s explains the difference in her About.com article entitled “Marketing vs. Advertising: What’s the Difference?”

“The best way to distinguish between advertising and marketing is to think of marketing as a pie, inside that pie you have slices of advertising, market research, media planning, public relations, product pricing, distribution, consumer support, sales strategy, and community involvement.  Advertising only equals one piece of the pie in the strategy.  All of these elements must not only work independently but they also must work together towards the bigger goals.  Marketing is a process that takes time and can involve hours of research for a marketing plan to be effective.  Think of marketing as everything that an organization does to facilitate an exchange between company and consumer.”

Your Marketing Plan

In order to develop that big promotional picture, you must develop a marketing plan which includes the following elements:

• Marketing Goals and Objectives
• Pricing of Products/Service
• Key Marketing Strategies
• Implementation of Your Marketing Plan

Your Marketing Plan establishes what you hope to accomplish through your overall marketing efforts and includes key strategies your plan to implement.  This may require you to do significant research in order to determine the realistic expectations for growth in a successful accounting practice.

Advertising

Advertising, then, is just part of the entire marketing process, or the big promotional picture.   Mary Cruse, in her AllBusiness.com article, defines it as “a persuasive, action-oriented message to convince consumers to buy a product or service.  Advertising is shorting in duration than a marketing campaign, which in part, may contain advertising components.”  Here’s a sampling of different advertising techniques: direct mailings (brochures, postcards, flyers, etc.), television advertisements, radio advertisements, print advertisements (in magazines, newspapers, local publications, the phone book, etc.), and website promotions.

Putting it All Together

But as a financial professional, how do you create the perfect marketing plan for your business, employing the right strategies for your field and target market?  Allow Universal Accounting to help with the Universal Practice Builder (UPB) Program.

For 30 years, Universal Accounting Center has been training professionals like you how to promote their businesses.  The UPB program will train you in the following (and much more):

• Creating your own customized marketing plan
• 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
• 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.  To learn more, visit our website and listen to testimonials of our very own graduates, sharing what they found most valuable in this program.  Build your business.  Enroll in the Universal Practice Builder Program today!

Resources

Cruse, Mary.  “The Reel Story.” 13 February 2010  AllBusiness.com

Lake, Laura.  “Marketing vs. Advertising: What’s the Difference?” About.com

Nobody can go back and start a new beginning, but anyone can start today and make a new ending. – Maria Robinson

Even though you may have dreamed of launching your own practice for years, you probably haven’t made a list of all those things, in their proper order, that must be done before your doors open for business.  In this two-part series, we’ve created that list for you, with lots of additional resources.  Last week we introduced 6 of 12 steps to follow when launching your startup.  This week, we finish our checklist with 6 final items:

7. Open the necessary bank accounts.  Establishing business accounts will streamline your accounting processes.  In this, you avoid the hassle of trying to distinguish personal transactions from business transactions.

8. Purchase your equipment. When setting up an accounting or bookkeeping service, one of your first concerns is having the right equipment and office configuration.  Read more about what you’ll need in order to establish a fully-functioning office for your new accounting practice.

9. Organize your office. Your office should provide you with a productive and favorable work environment.  Generally this means it should also be well organized and professional.  For more information on setting up your office, read our two-part series on office organization.

10. Launch a website. One of the most inexpensive marketing tools available is your business website.  With minimal startup and maintenance costs you can develop a good website that will represent you well and increase your clientele.  It will also work 24/7 as a virtual receptionist, getting the word out about your business while you can actually work.  And if well developed, your business website will be more than an inexpensive marketing tool, but a good point of contact and an effort to further brand your business.

11. Determine your business hours.  It’s important for you to let prospective clients know when you’re open for business.  It also enables you to establish some firm boundaries as to when you’re willing to answer business calls and do work for clients, especially if you work from home.  Check with your family before setting those hours in stone, however; you’ll need them to honor those hours as well

12. Spread the word and open your doors. It’s important that you get the word out about your new practice.  When marketing your startup, make sure you use proven strategies that work for your unique target market.

UAC Can Help Your Startup Secure Clients

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.  The Universal Practice Builder can guarantee you will earn $30,000 in annualized sales in just 12 months!   Let us provide you with those proven strategies that will help you spread the word and secure clients.  Enroll in the Universal Practice Builder Program today.

Whether you’re giving a presentation at a meeting or speaking at a conference, having some basic public speaking skills will enable you to better deliver your message.  Not only can good public speaking skills enable you to better promote your business, but it can even help with those daily interactions you have with clients.  Here are 8 tips on developing more effective public speaking skills:

1. Make eye-contact. Whatever you do, don’t read from a stack of note cards without looking up to connect with your audience.  If possible, it’s also good to move around a little, although avoid pacing back and forth; that will make everyone nervous.

2. Know your audience. Your message should be catered to your audience and that can’t happen until you know who your audience is. Consider who you’ll be speaking to, including their wants, needs and most pressing concerns.  Only then can you say something they actually want to hear.

3. Practice makes perfect. Especially when you’re presenting to a group.  It can also calm your nerves to know you’ve practiced the speech before going public.  And going through your speech will help you recognize problem spots that either don’t make sense or are difficult to say aloud.  If possible, practice in front of a safe audience of family and/or friends who can give you feedback on your delivery.

4. Know your material. Whether it be accounting principles, QuickBooks tips or investment advice, it’s important that you know what you’re talking about.  Be sure that you’ve done all the necessary research and anticipated all the possible questions your audience might raise.

5. Double-check all your technology. If you’re using a projector, a PowerPoint Presentation, a microphone or even a laser pointer, be sure that it’s working properly before your begin.  You don’t want to waste precious time trouble-shooting.

6. Involve the audience. Some are afraid to ask the audience questions because they expect no response.  The truth is people like to talk.  They appreciate the opportunity to contribute and share their two-cents.  And the more you involve them, the more invested they’ll be in your presentation.

7. Watch seasoned public speakers.  If you want a quick lesson on public speaking skills, sit through a seasoned speaker’s presentation.  Pay particular attention to how they break the ice, get others involved, and deliver key ideas.

8. Be Yourself. The most important thing is for you to be yourself.  Relax, be personable and don’t do anything that feels uncomfortable or unnatural.  You’ll find that this one tip, in and of itself, will help the audience warm up to you more than any other.

You’ll find you become more at ease with public speaking the more often you do it.  The experience will help you become more confident and comfortable promoting yourself and your business.  Not only that, but it will make you more at east when interacting with clients as well.

Let Universal Inspire You

If you’d like to watch public speaking at its best, invite UAC’s motivation speakers to attend a special event, conference or office retreat.  Universal Accounting Center has some exceptional speakers on staff who can motivate you and your team to excel.  With a number of individuals experienced in a variety of topics, they can help you better serve your clients, better market your practice, and better grow your wealth.  Learn more about Universal Accounting Center’s speaker and book one for your next event!

As competition increases and some marketing techniques become more complicated, the best approach for small businesses is often the simplest approach.  In an article found on BNet.com, Steve Tobak reflects on “Marketing Megatrend: Simple Sells.”  In it, he evaluates the latest trend in retail marketing-simplicity.  Could it work for your practice?  More than you might imagine.

In a USA Today article by Bruce Horovitz, this new trend is introduced as a way to promote products with fewer additives or ingredients.  While this is a significant trend in food products, is it possible that it could help you better promote your accounting practice? Tobak shares 5 reasons why simplicity could work for you as well:

1. Simple is best.

When it comes to convincing your target market that they should select your services over the competition’s, simple is always the best and most successful approach.

2. Trends are popular for a reason.

Not that you should hop on the bandwagon simply because it exists, but consumers are going to gravitate towards this new trend because it’s popular.  You might as well take advantage of the momentum.

3. In the midst of marketing chaos, simplicity is more calming and appealing.

According to USA Today, 2009’s hottest marketing trend was buying things for less money.  After all the chaos generated by the recession, simplicity represents ease and effortlessness.  At this time in the marketing continuum, that’s going to be more appealing.

4. Simplicity is arguably a universal law.

The universe loves simplicity.   Not only did a 14^th-century Franciscan friar believe as much, but so did Albert Einstein.  In an article entitled “In Management, Keep it Simple, Tobak explains, “…simple concepts-such as core competency-have been successful over the long haul, while complex ones-like matrix management-haven’t stood the test of time.”

5.    Simplicity appeals to both the left and right-brained. Tobak explains, “Emotionally, we associate ’simple’ with easy, quick, controlled.  …These days we just want things to work the way they’re supposed to-no instructions, no drama, no returns.”  The emotional aspect appeals to the right-brained, and performance expectations appeal to the left-brained.  Simplicity equates to a win-win for both.

While we wouldn’t encourage you to follow a trend simple because it exists, we would ask you to evaluate the benefits of simplicity marketing to see if it might work for your practice.

Proven Marketing Trends for Your Practice

We get it.  Marketing just isn’t your thing.  You’re more comfortable running numbers than you are running ad campaigns.  At least that’s how most financial professionals are.  Unfortunately, in order for your business (and your bottom line) to grow you must promote it.  And promote it effectively.

We understand that you can’t afford to waste countless hours a week marketing your business.  If you did then when would you actually work for your clients?  So each and every minute you spend marketing must be effective and practically guarantee a payoff in attracting and securing a better clientele.

For 30 years Universal Accounting Center has trained financial professionals like you in small business accounting.  In all our years working with accountants, bookkeepers and tax preparers we’ve come to understand that most don’t know how to promote their services to this niche market of small businesses.  We do!  And not only do we know how to market those services, but we know which strategies and approaches will grow your business to the point where you will become so busy you may just have to start turning clients away – that or consider increasing your staff in order to increase your capacity (and your bottom line!).

To share this priceless information we developed the Universal Practice Builder Program, otherwise known as Marketing on Steroids.  You will learn how to increase your billable hours and get the monies you deserve by leveraging your time with techniques proven to get clients, allowing your firm to become the premier service in your area for accounting, bookkeeping (write-up) and tax.  Your ability to market your business and network with key community players will promote your practice to those who need and appreciate it most.

But don’t take our word for it.  Read what some of our students have said:

Student Testimonials

UAC is a great company with great staff, teachers & presenters. (Integrity in approach to accountants and businesses. Great knowledge of subject matter and how to market our skills.) I will recommend this to others – I thought the UPB exceeded my expectations. The DVD’s and binders are top quality and the one-on-one with the presenters and fellow attendees was fabulous. I was initially attracted to attend the program by the opportunity to have a good income from bookkeeping and accounting. – Vicki G.

UAC is the premier trainer of the accountants of the future. They truly understand how to differentiate their clients from the average accountants. To be honest, I don’t want anyone in my area to know about UAC. I think the information provided will truly separate my services from 95% of my competition.-Magnus E.

You guys certainly over-delivered. I now feel extremely confident to be able to sell my profession, knowing that I am truly providing a great value to my clients. – Igor P.

Universal Accounting is out to help accountants and bookkeepers to understand how to market their trade and to help their business clients become profitable. The training and programs are great. The materials and the presentations were very easy to follow and enlightening. All the presenters, the staff were great. It is comforting to know that I have this great company (UAC and staff) to provide support to me if I need it or falter. Thanks for a great job. – Anthony A.

Learn proven marketing techniques guaranteed to increase your clientele and your bottom line.  Make 2010 a banner year for your practice.  Enroll in the Universal Practice Builder Program now!

Resource

Horovitz, Bruce.  “Marketers Such as Starbucks Discover that Simple Sells.” 28 October 2009.  USAToday.com

Tobak, Steve.  “In Management, Keep it Simple.” 16 April 2009  BNet.com

Tobak, Steve.  “Marketing Megatrend: Simple Sells.” 2 November 2009  BNet.com

You probably already know that a yellow-page advertisement is a valuable marketing tool.  Unfortunately, not many business owners place very effective ads.  With a few simple changes, however, you can capture your target market and increase your clientele.  Here are 5 simple tips that will help:

1. First, determine if it’s worth the investment

Placing an ad in the yellow pages is expensive, and you should do a little research to determine whether or not it will pay off in the end.  Once you make that decision, don’t allow the listing service to design the ad for you.  To get the most bang for your buck, design a lucrative advertisement yourself.

2. Critique other listings

Before you get to work, look at the listings for your competition.  Which are most appealing and why?  Assume the perspective of your prospective clients and determine which practices are most prominent.  This is one instance where size isn’t all the matters.

3. Watch your words

Often your copy, more than your graphics, will attract the most attention.  Most important is the construction of a captivating headline that communicates your key benefits.  In his article “Effective Yellow Pages Ad Design,” author John Morana recommends you, “Spend 60% of your design time developing your unique, benefit-related headline.”

Speaking of benefits, when writing the copy, remember to avoid explaining what you do and focus on how your services benefit clients.  As they say in marketing, “sell the sizzle, not the steak.”  Also, in order for that copy to stand out, it’s recommended that your text cover less than 50 percent of the ad space.  Otherwise, your ad may become textually overwhelming for most yellow-page surfers.

In addition to an alluring headline and appealing copy, you must also include a call to action.  These prospective clients are looking for someone to call-why not extend an official invitation to “Call Now!”  John Jantsch also suggests that you “Use your ad and your headline to offer a free report, offer a reason to call, or communicate how you are different from the rest.  If you don’t do this one thing in your ad, the calls you will get…will all be price shoppers.”

4. Use clean, professional graphics

It’s important that your ad look professional, and one way to project that image is in the graphics you select for your advertisement.  In fact, John Morana suggests you avoid using “expected” images which will ensure that your ad fades into obscurity.  Instead, he explains, you should select “an arresting, eye-grabbing image that reinforces your main headline…and differentiates your business from the others in a meaningful way.”

5. Differentiate yourself from the competition

It’s important to remember that unlike other marketing methods, the yellow pages are where people generally go when they’re ready to secure products and/or services.  So you don’t need to convince your client that accounting is a valuable service; you do, however, need to convince them that your accounting services are the most appealing of all those listed.  You do that by differentiating yourself from the competition.

A yellow-page advertisement can be a great way to secure more business, if done effectively.  This can be one of many weapons in your marketing arsenal.

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With 30 years of experience, Universal Accounting knows which market strategies will best promote your business.

It’s no secret that accountants are not marketing experts.  In fact, some accountants even get a little nervous when talking about promoting their services.  With UAC’s Universal Practice Builder (UPB) Program you will have everything you need to grow your business and your bottom line.

Here’s a sampling of what you will gain from enrolling in this amazing program:

• A guarantee of $30,000 in new annualized billings in only 12 months
• 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

2010 is the year for your business to gain a competitive advantage.  Take the next step by enrolling in the Universal Practice Builder Program today.

Resources

Jantsch, John.  “How to Turn Yellow Pages to Gold.” 4hb.com

Morana, John.  “Effective Yellow Pages Ad Design: 8 Steps to Guarantee Your Success.” EzineArticles.com.

Saltz, Alan.  “Three Things Every Yellow Pages Advertiser Needs to Know.” AllBusiness.com

The thought of making sales calls can make even the most seasoned accountant cringe.  But the truth is, when you manage a small accounting practice, you’re going to have to call contacts in order to secure new clients; it’s just a matter of whether or not those calls are successful.  Your approach can mean the difference between a positive experience and an abysmal one.  Here are 8 tips that will help:

1.    Schedule time for cold calls. Tamara Monosoff, in her article on WomenEntrepreneur.com, suggests setting aside approximately 2 hours for cold calls.  She believes it takes time to establish a rhythm, and mornings and evenings can be more productive than afternoons.  Consider scheduling such a block of time for cold calls every week.

2.    Smile while you dial. You’d be surprised at how smiling changes the tone of your voice, making it much more appealing and pleasant.

3.    Listen attentively. Never double-book your sales calls, meaning, you shouldn’t multitask while talking to prospective clients.  It’s important that you be attentive.  You’d be surprised at how much you can learn about a prospect’s needs when you practice active listening.

4.    Consider using a script.  If you find that sales calls are unnerving, you should create a general script to follow.  That would prevent you from allowing your nerves to lead you away from your objective.

5.    Sell the meeting, not the service. Not many people like sales calls; they will anticipate your call to action before you even say it.  Therefore, it might be more productive if the objective of your sales call was to determine which of your services a particular prospect most needs and then schedule a face-to-face meeting at which time you can best present your services as the perfect match for their unique needs.

6.    Make more calls. Statistically speaking, the more calls you make, the more likely you are to secure additional clients.  This is why we suggest routinely calling contacts and referrals every week in order to grow your clientele.

7.    Use the power of the pause. According to the American Press Institute, pausing can perfect your sales performance.  In an article entitled “Tips for Telephone Sales,” they explain, “Learn how to pause for effect.  …Pausing keeps things natural and allows you to breathe properly; thereby helping you relax.”

8.    End the call. Once you’ve achieved your objective, it might be tempting to engage in small talk for a bit.  Don’t do it.  End the call by saying something to the effect of, “Thank you.  I will see you at noon on Thursday.”

Often all it takes to complete successful sales calls is to follow a few standard tips.  By exercising the above techniques, after time you will find that your clientele will grow and become more profitable as a result.

Take the Universal Tour

It’s important for every career-minded professional to know what their options are and how they might achieve true success.  If you’ve been wondering what steps you might take to reach your goals, visit Universal Accounting Center and take our tour to see how we can help.  From gaining professional certification to providing valuable training, Universal Accounting Center is interested in helping you succeed.   Visit UAC today!

Resources

Monosoff, Tamara.  “10 Telephone Sales Tactics that Work.” 9 September 2009  WomenEntrepreneur.com

–“Tips for Telephone Sales.” 1 April 2002  American Press Institute