How Saying Less Could Lead to More Sales

Do you spend much of your marketing efforts composing countless pitches that you disperse to current and prospective clients?  While you may find this enables you to attract business here and there, a more efficient approach may be found in composing the pithy pitch-a promotional piece designed to break marketing conventions by driving to the point more quickly while demonstrating your professional value.  In his article entitled “Ditch Your Desperate Marketing,” David Seaman gives a few pointers in creating the perfect pitch:

1.   Stop groveling

Please!  Stop begging for business.  You may think it earns you sympathy while creating a small-town image of another business suffering from the recession.  It just makes your business look pathetic.  No one’s going to retain your services simply because you’re down and out, needy, or on the brink.  They’re going to retain your services because you’re good at what you do and you do it often.

 2.   Exude confidence

Akin to number one, when you believe that your services enhance a client’s business you’re able to promote your practice without begging or apologizing.  Recognize that you offer incredible value to each and every prospect you encounter.  Knowing that will enable you to exude confidence, thus convincing your contacts that they can trust you with their finances.

 3.   Change your purpose

Consider changing your focus from closing the sale to providing indispensible information.  Seaman explains, “…rather than send needy static pitches, send out carefully written pieces of advice that are likely to be circulated forever… Instead of writing primarily to close the sale…, write primarily to impress and excite the reader.”  While his focus here may be on promotional newsletters, it’s a tip that could be applied to practically any marketing technique.  Also, when you’re able to share practical information with a prospect, your professional value increases.

 4.   Eliminate wordiness

We’ve all encountered sales pitches that go on and on and on.  We’ve also read promotions that say the same thing two, three and even four times.  Trust your readers to be smarter than the average consumer; compose pointed and concise pitches.

 5.   Take your time

It’s okay to take time to craft a thoughtful and well-rehearsed sales pitch.  In fact, you may consider sharing your pitch with experienced consumers-your family and friends.  They can provide helpful feedback that will enable you to revise and hone your promotion until it’s pitch-perfect.

While your sales pitch shouldn’t fit inside a fortune cookie, you may find that a more pithy approach is a much more effective use of your time.  By applying the above tips, you’ll quickly discover how less can indeed mean more.

The Professional Bookkeeper’s Guide to QuickBooks

Sometimes enhancing your sales pitch can be as simple as enhancing your service offerings.  We’re guessing you’re already aware that nearly 80% of small businesses use Intuit’s Quickbooks software.  While other programs may be useful, Quickbooks has definitely captured the small business market.  Learning Quickbooks will not only help you keep more efficient records, but it enables you to teach your clients how to use the software so that you can get the information you need, making your job much easier.  UAC’s Professional Bookkeepers Guide to Quickbooks will enable you to work more efficiently by using all the features and shortcuts this software offers.  Add to that your ability to add QuickBooks consulting, setup, and help services to your menu, and you have a risk-free venture.

Take advantage of this opportunity to increase your efficiency, your bottom line, and your sales pitch by enrolling the in the Professional Bookkeepers Guide to QuickBooks today!

Resources

Seaman, David.  “Ditch Your Desperate Marketing.”  22 July 2009  Entrepreneur.com

Brian Tracy, professional trainer and Chairman and CEO of Brian Tracy International, offers business advice in his article entitled “Strategic Thinking.”  In it, he suggests approaching strategic thinking with a “two-prong” technique.  In doing so business owners can generate a higher return on their personal and professional energy, which in turn will create greater profitability.

Brain Power

While you may be a master accountant, when it comes to improving your business the most valuable tool you have is your mind.  Your ability to think strategically and plan for a more profitable future is your greatest asset.  Unfortunately, many feel too busy and overwhelmed to take the time to think about their businesses; they spend all their time managing it instead.

The best thing you can do for yourself and your business is to schedule time to think and plan for the future.  Tracy recommends a “two-pronged” approach in which you focus on increasing the return on the energy you invest in both your professional and your personal life.

Energy Investment

Everything you do requires energy; some activities require more and some less.  When you can optimize your return on this valuable investment you not only increase your longevity, but you increase your business’s effectiveness and your personal satisfaction.  Strategic thinking requires you to consider ways in which you can increase your return on this energy investment.  Tracy explains, “…your earning ability is nothing more than the total of the mental, emotional and physical energies that you can apply toward getting valuable results for yourself and your company.”

Action Plan

In order to see the results of your strategic thinking you need to develop an action plan through which you implement your well-measured thoughts.  First you must consider those services that bring the highest financial return to your business.  Tracy recommends that you do more of these things.  Second, consider those actions that bring the highest return on your personal energy.  Again Tracy recommends that you do more of them.

Using QuickBooks to Increase Your Business’s Effectiveness

In strengthening your professional appeal, you want to find those opportunities with a low initial investment and a high return.  One such opportunity is found in UAC’s Professional Bookkeeper’s Guide (PBG) to QuickBooks.  With a modest enrollment fee and a reasonable investment of your time and energy, this product can help you attract more clients while increasing your service offerings and billable hours.  Or if you’re currently employed, it will enable you to enhance your promotion-ability.

QuickBooks has cornered the small-business market with over 80% of owners using this accounting software to manage their financials.  And upon course completion you could earn the QuickBooks Specialist designation, enhancing your professional standing while bolstering your resume!

This training will enable you to master QuickBooks.  We teach you how to do the basic transactions, how to reconcile accounts, where the data goes, and a basic understanding of fundamental accounting principles. We have also included about 18 hours of bookkeeping instruction and a complete, detailed presentation of QuickBooks fundamentals.

This QuickBooks training program stands above others on the market by offering the following:

• Training targeted for all user types
• 16 CDs with 15 hours of training
• 4 books with over 800 pages of instruction
• Full color

In addition, when you purchase the Professional Bookkeeper’s Guide to QuickBooks, you will receive six months’ worth of free e-mail support with the program. This gives you an additional lifeline if you can’t solve a client or employer’s problem.

In less than one month you can increase your effectiveness by mastering a skill that will help you advance your career.  Don’t wait to improve your future.  Enroll in the PBG program now!

Resources

Tracy, Brian.  “Strategic Thinking.” 6 January 2009.  Brian Tracy International

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.

When you have a problem, meditate on it and the answer will come, during the meditation or afterwards. - Remez Sasson

Meditate silently.  You will be able to create a totally new life for yourself.  - Sri Chinmoy

No great work has ever been produced except after a long interval of still and musing meditation. - Walter Bagehot

To many, meditation is a mystical, new-age activity for which they have no time.  But what if we told you that meditation could help you achieve greater focus, tranquility, and direction in your personal and professional life?  Would it become a more appealing practice?

Those who practice meditation claim to be more adept at concentrating, critical thinking and problem solving-all of which are important skills for the business owner.  However, before one begins meditating it’s important to understand how the mind works and what, exactly, you’re trying to achieve through this practice.

There are four states of mind:

Beta. This is the state at which your mind generally operates throughout the day, considered typical waking consciousness.  However, your brain can experience beta-overload.  When the brain produces higher levels of beta waves you tend to feel anxious and agitated.

Alpha. This is the state of mind most experience right before falling asleep, and it is associated with a more relaxed state of mind.  The mind can generally process information better in this state.  This is the state of mind achieved through meditation.

Theta. You achieve theta when you are dreaming.  In this state you are more creative and can achieve greater memory function.  With practice, many can achieve this state of mind when awake while meditating.

Delta. Delta waves are prominent in dreamless sleep.  This is the slowest brain wave and represents the mind’s most relaxed state.

Entrepreneurs experience lots of stress in the process of managing their businesses.  The more stress and anxiety you are feeling, the higher the frequency of your mind’s beta waves.  To achieve greater tranquility, and as a result, greater clarity regarding your business, you must increase your brain’s alpha and theta waves.  This can be accomplished through meditation.

The Wikipedia defines meditation as a “mental discipline by which one attempts to get beyond the reflexive, ‘thinking’ mind into a deeper state of relaxation and awareness.”  While it may sound easy, meditating can take a lot of concentration and practice, especially for those of us who are used to a mind cluttered with endless thoughts.  Those new to meditation should remove themselves from all distraction and find a quiet location in which they can recline and relax.  Once you’ve mastered meditating techniques, you can achieve greater relaxation regardless of your environment.

But for starters you should find a quiet corner where you can begin this practice.  Sit, stand or lie in a comfortable position-one that enables you to focus (not sleep).  Start by breathing deeply, in through your nostrils and out through your mouth.  This alone can often help you feel more at peace.  Then you can focus on a single thought or idea.  You’ll be surprised how difficult this may be at first, but with practice you’ll find yourself zooming onto one solitary element and letting all else fall away.

With time you’ll be able to direct your meditation sessions where you want them to go, perhaps focusing on relaxing your body, opening your mind to inspiration and direction regarding your business or focusing on a personal character trait you want to develop.  Whatever your intent, you’ll find that as meditation becomes a common practice in your life, your life will become more focused and serene as a result.

Do You Need More Time?

When you master QuickBooks you may save yourself enough time to practice meditation more frequently.  UAC’s Professional Bookkeeper’s Guide (PBG) to QuickBooks will help you take advantage of all the software’s functionality, enabling you to work more efficiently.  This can not only help you make more money, but it can save you time for other tasks.

This newly updated program, written by QuickBooks Pro Advisor Brent Peterson, includes step-by-step instructions that will lead you through the accounting process.  Also included are the following:

• 16 interactive CDs
• 4 full-color instructional manuals
• Training designed for all user-types
• Over 300 thoroughly-covered topics
• Hands-on training that will enable you to practice all necessary QuickBooks functions
• The ability to earn the QuickBooks Specialist designation

This training program beats others on the market, hands down.  Manage your time better by mastering QuickBooks.  Learn more today!

7    Tips in Getting Your Business off to a Fresh Start

We know it’s cliché, but true:  If you fail to plan, you plan to fail.  The New Year is a great time to revisit your business plan and assess your current standing.  Current economic turmoil should be reason enough to revamp your business strategies and begin 2009 with a solid list of goals.  As you anticipate difficulty and plan for success, you’ll find your business in better shape than ever.

Consider the following tips:

1. Revisit your business objectives.

Remember that fire within that motivated you to start your business in the first place?  Generally it’s the passion for what you do that helps you move forward, through the good times and the bad.  You should revisit your business objectives regularly, reminding yourself of the vision with which you started your practice.  How close are you to accomplishing those objectives?  What would it take to exceed them?  Is it time to revise them, and consider how to see your business become, as the Olympic motto suggests, faster, higher, stronger?

2.    Contact all previous clients.

Now may be a good time to contact previous clients who no longer retain your services.  Send them a quick note or email asking how they’re doing.  Depending on your relationship, you may also ask if there’s a reason why they no longer come to you for their accounting.  You may receive valuable feedback or regain their business.

3. Take advantage of the recession.

Warren Buffet once said, “Be scared when everyone else is greedy, be greedy when everyone else is scared. “  Right now, everyone else is scared, and you can take advantage of their recession fears in ways you may not have realized.  Last month we ran an article that highlighted action steps you can take to increase your profitability in the midst of a recession.

4. Do first for yourself.

It’s your job to manage your clients’ finances.  If you’re a truly valuable and proactive accountant, you watch key indicators that will tell you whether or not their businesses are profitable and suggest ways to increase their bottom line.  It’s important that you do that for your own business as well.  Become your own profit expert and, using last year’s numbers, project this year’s earnings, looking for ways to increase your own profitability.

5. Set new goals.

Would you like to increase your client base this year, or perhaps, increase your service offerings?  Maybe you’d like to move your business out of your home and into a professional office space.  Whatever it is you’d like to accomplish, it’s important that you set and record these goals.  Then break them down into smaller, more manageable steps that you can take throughout the year.

6.    Schedule the month of January.

Now that you’ve set some new goals you can begin to schedule action items within the first month of the year.  What steps can you take to make your business faster, higher and stronger?

7. Educate yourself.

It’s a good practice to participate in some type of training at least once a year in order to hone your skills and maintain your competitive edge.  The New Year is a good time to consider what you would like to focus on this year.  We suggest Universal’s Professional Bookkeeper’s Guide (PBG) to QuickBooks.

The PBG will enable you to master this software program that over 80% of small businesses use to manage their accounting.  Once you do, you will be able to work more efficiently as you use all the features, functions, and shortcuts QuickBooks offers.  Not only will the PBG enable you to manage your own books more efficiently, but it can increase your bottom line as you add QuickBooks consultation, help and setup services to your menu.  With hands-on training you can earn a professional designation as a QuickBooks Specialist that will give you the creditability you need to convince prospective clients that you are an outstanding bookkeeper!

With one simple click you can enhance your offerings and increase your bottom line. What a great way to start the New Year.  Order now!

The hardest arithmetic to master is that which enables us to count our blessings. - Eric Hoffer

Gratitude is merely the secret hope of further favors.  - Francois De La Rochefoucauld

Appreciation can make a day, even change a life.  Your willingness to put it into words is all that is necessary. - Margaret Cousins

‘Tis the season to give thanks!  In just a few days we’ll be celebrating the holiday that focuses on gratitude.  In these current times of economic turmoil it may be difficult to determine exactly what we have to be grateful for.  But as Buddha once said, “Let us rise up and be thankful, for if we didn’t learn a lot today, at least we learned a little, and if we didn’t learn a little, at least we didn’t get sick, and if we got sick, at least we didn’t die; so, let us all be thankful.”

Gratitude is a powerful emotion.  It can change your relationship with others, alter your perspective, and perhaps, grow your business.  Consider the following three exercises in gratitude as you offer thanks this Thanksgiving:

1. Discover all that you have to be thankful for

Your first task is to determine all those things you have to be grateful for.  In tough times that can be difficult.  You may be required to consider things you regularly take for granted: perhaps good health, a place to live, family and friends, food to eat, gracious neighbors, hope for a better tomorrow.

Those who believe in the Law of Attraction would tell you that in focusing on all the things you are grateful for, you will begin to attract more good things into your life.  Either way, focusing on the good will raise your spirits.

2.    Develop an attitude of gratitude

Consider a business run by a depressed, negative staff.  Such businesses exist, and they rarely become power companies.  Consider a business run by an enthusiastic, upbeat staff.  Such businesses are more likely to generate positive experiences with their clients.  When you focus your energy on all the good things in your life, you develop an attitude of gratitude which impacts employees, clients, and contacts in an affirming way.  Your business will be much more successful simply because you have a positive attitude.

3. Express thanks to your clients

Everyone likes to be appreciated.  And when you realize that your business wouldn’t exist without your clients, it becomes easier to feel genuine gratitude for everyone on your roster.  When you are able to do more than simply feel gratitude for your clients, but also express it, you’ll find that your clients feel better about the services you offer.  Now is the perfect time to let your clients know that you are thankful for their service.  You’ll find that they’ll be more likely to refer their friends and family to your business when they recognize your sincere appreciation.

Thanksgiving is the perfect time to reflect on all those things for which we have to be grateful.  It’s also a good opportunity to practice gratitude in a way that can positively impact our lives, and not just throughout the holidays.  Take the time to consider all those blessings you enjoy, and then feel grateful for them.  You may be surprised at how such a simple act can change your life experience.

Thank Us Later!

Consider what your life would be like without the convenience of modern technology.  Without software programs like QuickBooks, we would be required to do things the slow, old-fashioned way.  Thankfully, we don’t have to.

The Professional Bookkeeper’s Guide (PBG) to QuickBooks will enable you to master this software program that over 80% of small businesses use to manage their accounting.  Once you do, you will be able to work more efficiently as you use all the features, functions, and shortcuts QuickBooks offers.  Not only will the PBG enable you to manage your own books more efficiently, but it can increase your bottom line as you add QuickBooks consultation, help and setup services to your menu.  With hands-on training you can earn a professional designation as a QuickBooks Specialist that will give you the creditability you need to convince prospective clients that you are an outstanding bookkeeper!

With just one small initial investment, you can increase your income and your clientele.  Don’t wait to thank us.  Order now!

5 Tips in “Thriving” an Economic Recession

Many would agree that there’s no question we’re currently experiencing an economic recession.  That has many small business owners panicking as they worry about the longevity of their businesses and livelihoods.  Entrepreneur.com’s networking guru, Ivan Misner, has written a blog series entitled “I Refuse to Participate in a Recession” where he examines how business owners, in changing their perspectives, can thrive, as opposed to survive, an economic recession.  This week we will examine five tips designed to help you change your experience with the current economy.

1. Assess your internal dialogue.

How you experience the economy has more to do with what you’re telling yourself about it than it does the statistics, the news forecasts and the bailout proposals.  If you have determined that things are bad and they’re only going to get worse, for both the nation and your business, then chances are they will-not because that’s what’s destined to happen, but because that’s what you believe will happen.  Your internal dialogue determines whether or not you become a victim in the current economic crisis or a survivor-or should we say, thriver.

2. Focus on what you do want, not what you don’t want.

The Law of Attraction exerts that your life is a reflection of what you think, what you focus on, and what you expect to happen.  You must turn your attention away from worry and fear.  While it is a good idea to develop a plan for the worse-case scenario, once that plan has been laid you must move on to brighter thoughts.  Consider what you do want for your business and keep those ideas in the forefront of your mind.  Those thoughts will continue to attract more positive things into your life and business.

3. Maintain a positive attitude.

Try to remain as positive as possible.  While thinking more positively is a good first step, maintaining a positive attitude has a lot to do with your emotions as well.  Try to do those things that enable you to feel more upbeat and positive.   Exercise, read, maintain your hobbies, watch comedies.  It’s much easier to remain positive when you’re participating in those activities that make you feel good.

4. Become more competitive.

Consumers are now, more than ever, keeping a close eye on their pocketbooks.  This increases the competitive nature of the marketplace.  If you don’t increase your competitive advantage now, you’ll feel the impact on your bottom line later.  Consider adding complementary services or increasing your marketing efforts in order to counteract these effects.

5. Take action.

Entrepreneurs that passively “wait out” the recession will probably find their businesses in need of serious resuscitation when the dust clears.  Take action to improve your business regardless of what the economy is doing.

The Universal Practice Builder Program

Now is as good a time as any to grow your clientele.  Regardless of the economy, small business owners are still required by law to keep accounting records.  However, the market will grow increasingly more competitive as prospective clients look for the best accountant to meet their needs.  You must better market your services in order to generate the most appeal for your particular skill set.

In all our years working with accountants, bookkeepers and tax preparers we’ve come to understand how to best market your services.  Our Universal Practice Builder Program will provide you with 12 marketing strategies that will enable you to secure 15 to 25 qualified leaders per month, a guarantee of $30,000 in new annualized billings in only 12 months, three months of master coaching, and access to a proven plan that will help you retain clients.  Again, you can complete this amazing program on your time and at your own pace.

When you order this program now, you will receive a second valuable program, QuickBooks Made Profitable, for free! Designed to help you attract even more clients using your QuickBooks expertise, this course will enable you to start and maintain an even more lucrative practice.

80% of small businesses use Intuit’s Quickbooks software.  Learning Quickbooks will help you keep more efficient records, enabling you to teach your clients how to use the software so that you can get the information you need which will make your job much easier.  In addition, this program will teach you how to attract more clients using your QuickBooks setup, help, and consulting services.

Take advantage of this marvelous opportunity to stay the course and thrive the current economic recession.  Order now!

References

Misner, Ivan.  “I Refuse to Participate in a Recession (Part 2).” 1 October 2008 Entrepreneur.com Blog Network.

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!

My kids have one of those miniature basketball hoops we keep in the house. They don’t like to play with me because making baskets is a “no brainer” when you tower above the hoop. Wouldn’t it be nice to have a “no brainer” career, where you tower over success? Oh, wait, you do!

Every business, whether it be an auto shop, a high-level marketing firm, or an art gallery, must perform accounting functions. Not only is it required by law, but good accounting helps a business assess its progress and take steps to become even more profitable. Because of this, good accountants are a priceless commodity, and when they do their job well they become invaluable to the businesses they work for. The accounting profession can be your “no brainer” career, with guaranteed success just as close as a miniature basketball hoop. Lucky you!

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that employment for accountants will increase more than average by 2014. They also state that, “As the economy grows, the number of business establishments will increase, requiring more accountants and auditors to set up books, prepare taxes, and provide management advice. As these businesses grow, the volume and complexity of information developed by accountants and auditors regarding costs, expenditures, and taxes will increase as well.”

Life is good for the freelance accountant.

Catapult Your Practice to Success

Training is important. Not only to you, but to current and potential employers. The Bureau goes on to say, “Voluntary certification can attest to professional competence in a specialized field of accounting and auditing. It also can certify that a recognized level of professional competence has been achieved by accountants and auditors who have acquired some skills on the job, without the formal education or public accounting work experience needed to meet the rigorous standards required to take the CPA examination.”

It takes four years to get an accounting degree at a standard university. And they only train you in corporate accounting, which represents 2% of accounting opportunities out there. What makes up the 98%? Small business, and Universal Accounting Center knows small business accounting; they can train you in less than 60 hours!

The Professional Bookkeeper(PB) Program

Universal Accounting Center’s Professional Bookkeeper Program was originally created by Alf Bostrom when he became frustrated that no course existed to teach a hands-on process of small business accounting.

The course has evolved over the last 25 years into a comprehensive program in the day-to-day bookkeeping of a small business. And our graduates have found that the principles also apply exceptionally well to larger companies. You not only get the theory taught in college, but you are taught by practical examples of real-world companies. From a bakery to a car lot, you will do books for 9 businesses and see how they are similar and how they differ.

And the best part, you can complete the course in 60 hours; if you start today you could finish the program by the end of summer and focus on building your client base this fall!

Professional Bookkeeper’s Guide (PBG) to QuickBooks

In addition to the PB Program, we’re also offering this exclusive training in QuickBooks, the leading accounting software for small businesses. Universal’s PBG training program will teach you QuickBooks quickly, and painlessly. UAC’s Guide to Quickbooks Pro is a self-paced program that enables you to complete the parts that interest you and skip over the parts that don’t. Even if you have used the program for years, the program teaches you shortcuts and methods you may not have known. You will be impressed by the simple flow and completeness of this program. So why wait? In just a number of hours you could be ready to better manage your own finances while adding new services to your own practice and increasing your bottom line.

Don’t wait another day to take advantage of this incredible time for accountants and ensure that your accounting practice towers above the competition! Order this special package today!

QuickBooks vs Microsoft Small Business Accounting-You Decide

A Head to Head Comparison of Features

QuickBooks Pro has some competition. For years, Intuit, the maker of QuickBooks, has been the name most small business owners have turned to for small business accounting software. With the introduction of Microsoft’s Small Business Accounting 2006, there’s a new player in that market.

Taken from the October 2005 edition of the NSA Technology Advisor, here’s a comparison of key features, limitations and strengths of both software programs.

What Are the Limitations of Both Programs

Every software program has limitations. Below is a comparison of some of the practical limitations of QuickBooks Pro and Microsoft Small Business Accounting 2000.

What Are the Strengths?

Here are a list of the strengths of both programs.

What’s the Conclusion?

Both products can solve your small business clients’ basic accounting needs. Both products offer free trials that enable you to evaluate for yourself which program offers a solution appropriate for your client.

The Accounting Program is Only as Good as the Interpretation of the Information

As capable as both of these accounting software programs may be, without a skilled and qualified bookkeeper or accountant to interpret the information, small business owners are only seeing part of the financial picture for their businesses. Without seeing the big picture they can’t make informed decisions to improve the financial health of their company. Information that isn’t interpreted accurately is not only incomplete but dangerous.

By learning the right skills, a small business bookkeeper can be a profit expert with the skills to assist any small business owner. I haven’t found a more complete small business bookkeeping and accounting program anywhere. Nothing even comes close to the Professional Bookkeeper Program from Universal Accounting.

The right tools will enable you to achieve the personal and professional satisfaction that you are looking for. The Professional Bookkeeper program will teach you how to make $30 to $60 an hour and create the lifestyle that you and your family deserve. Follow the link below and find out for yourself how starting a professional bookkeeping and tax practice will make it possible for you to earn more money and live the life you want.

Regardless of your background,
IT WORKS!

It doesn’t matter if you have 20 years experience in accounting, or have never worked in the field before, the course is designed to provide practical, hands-on training for everyone!

Free Gift

Two Additional Practice Sets
-a $$$ value-

Practice makes perfect. The three modules already contain practice sets for nine different businesses. Purchase the Professional Bookkeeper program today and you’ll receive two more practice sets, giving you eleven in all. This will give you even more confidence and experience in various industries and the opportunity to work with additional types of clients.