Accounting and Bookkeeping Articles

Our telemarketers talk with many of your peers, some of whom have been laid off and are looking for work.  As we encourage them to see this time as an opportunity to launch their own accounting practices, they are hesitant, and some flat-out refuse, explaining that they want to find a job before they enroll in our training.

When we call them back in a few months, we find that they’ve run out of savings or unemployment and can no longer afford to enroll; they also haven’t found a job. It’s at this regrettable point that both the potential student and our salesperson realize that had that person acted 3 months earlier, he or she would be in a much better situation now.

Employment Uncertainty: The Perfect Opportunity

The recession has changed the workforce, driving many into self-employment out of necessity rather than choice.  If you’ve ever wanted to start your own practice, it’s important that you do so on your own terms, as the result of strategic planning and foresight.  Waiting for a pink slip to “inspire” your entrepreneurial spirit will launch your startup prematurely and on shaky ground.

If you currently have a full-time job, you can take steps now to plan for self-employment while enjoying the security of a regular paycheck.  If you’ve recently lost your job, don’t lose hope; you can still use this time to increase your skill-set and build a practice as your re-build your career.

Make Small-Business Accounting Your Business

Small business accounting is a valuable niche market.  In fact, over 90% of accounting opportunities can be found in the small business arena.  Universal Accounting Center (UAC) has been training professionals like you in small business accounting for 30 years because they recognize what many do not; most universities and trade programs are teaching students corporate accounting which isn’t preparing them for the typical, real-world accounting experiences they will encounter.

The Professional Bookkeeper Program

Becoming a small-business accountant doesn’t require years of your valuable time.  UAC’s Professional Bookkeeper (PB) Program is not only reputable, but it’s self-paced, enabling a busy professional like you to take your time or complete the program quickly, in less than 60 hours.

And when you take this program you are trained to act as your clients’ Profit Expert.  What is a Profit Expert?  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 informed business decisions.  The PB Program will train you how to do that.

You will gain the confidence and skill necessary to start and manage nearly every client’s books, and when you have a question, our follow-up program enables you to call and ask one of our seasoned professionals.

This valuable course provides you with access to the following:

• Flexible training you complete on your own time and at your own pace
• Rich and engaging training DVDs you can view again and again
• Hands-on instruction through which you gain much-needed experience
• Training in building and marketing your new practice
• 6 months of valuable follow-up support
• The opportunity to earn professional certification
• Our iron-clad risk-free guarantee

Success Stories

Countless students have benefitted from this training as evidence by the hundreds of testimonials we have received.  Here are just a few:

As an average for each client I am making about $30 – $50 an hour, I’ve been able to quit my full-time job. Thanks again to everyone at Universal Accounting Center! It has created for me a brighter outlook financially, as well as more free time in my personal life. And, I didn’t have to go to college for years and pay thousands of dollars for an education.-S. Thomas

This is the best investment for the money and for my future.-B. Davies

You gave a stay-at-home-mom the knowledge and understanding of accounting needed to go out and get work that can be done from home. -I. Snow

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

In this down economy, don’t wait until you’ve been unemployed for 3 months before doing what you’ve wanted to do all along: act now and enroll in the Professional Bookkeeper Program.  It’s could be the one Christmas present that you’ll use far into the future.

10 Questions to Ask before Taking the Plunge

Victor Kiam once said, “Procrastination is opportunity’s assassin.”  If you’ve been procrastinating your startup, it’s time to determine, once and for all, whether or you’re truly interested in the opportunity to build your own accounting practice.  Last week we posed the following five questions to help you gauge just how prepared you are for self-employment:

1. Do you enjoy making decision and taking charge?
2. Are you flexible?
3. Do you have a vision of what your business could become?
4. Are you self-motivated?
5. Do you have the necessary expertise?

This week we pose five more:

6.  Are you passionate about accounting?

If you answer “no” to this question, than go back to the drawing board.  You should be passionate about your business, otherwise you’ll dread the work you do, regardless of how skilled you are.  But if you are passionate about accounting, it will exude from you, attracting more clients who trust your enthusiasm and confidence.

7. It is financially feasible for you to quit your job to start an accounting practice?

This is where you ask yourself if you should continue to work full-time while serving a few clients in your spare time, or if you have enough clients to sustain your home business and quit your day job.  Maybe you’re ready to quit regardless, but do so with a well-padded savings account that can fill in the gaps until your income can support you.

8.  Whose your competition and how can you gain a competitive advantage?

You should do a little market research to see if the area can sustain another accountant.  And what are those other accountants doing that you could improve upon?  This could also be where you get some ideas on marketing.  How are they attracting clients and how could you improve on those methods?

9.  Will your family support your decision?

This is not the type of decision you casually break to your spouse.  “Honey, guess what I did today?”  In order to succeed, you’ll need your family’s support.  Be sure to discuss all the pros and cons together before making any decisions, because in a crunch you just might need to enlist their help in order to succeed.

10.  Will you be happy working for myself?

Ask yourself if you’re truly interested in running a full-time accounting practice.  Will you enjoy managing the business-end of your practice?  Is this something you will enjoy doing every day?  Because if you’re unhappy having your own accounting practice, then nothing else will compensate for your dissatisfaction.  But, on the other hand, if it’s something that will challenge and excite you, then pursue it with gusto.

Asking yourself the right questions can determine whether or not you’re ready to start your own accounting practice.  And just because you’re uncomfortable with some of your answers now doesn’t meant you can’t open your practice later.  It just means that you have a bit more to do in order to prepare for success.

UAC’s Training Can Help

The Professional Bookkeeper (PB) Program is just the course you need to prepare your startup.  For over 25 years we’ve honed our training in small-business accounting, the most lucrative market for contract accountants.  In less than 60 hours you can learn everything you need to know to start your own practice and attend to all your clients’ needs.

When you enroll in the Professional Bookkeeper Program you receive to the following:

• Flexible training you complete on your own schedule
• Rich and engaging training DVDs you can view again and again
• Hands-on instruction and practice sets through which you gain much-needed experience
• Training in building and marketing your new practice
• 6 months of valuable follow-up support
• The opportunity to earn professional certification
• Our iron-clad risk-free guarantee

The time is right to realize your dreams of self-employment.  Take action today and enroll in UAC’s Professional Bookkeeper Program.

10 Questions to Ask before Taking the Plunge

Starting your own accounting practice can be terrifying and exciting at the same time.  There are lots of pros in self-employment: the flexibility to work when you want and on what you want, the potential to uncap your salary, and the ability to wake every morning to a job you love.  But you aren’t being realistic if you don’t consider the cons as well: the responsibility and risk, the potentially long hours, and no guaranteed salary.  The reality of the last two thoughts could be enough to paralyze even the most enthusiastic from taking the plunge.  But you can be practical about starting your own accounting firm while preparing for potential obstacles.  Here are five of 10 questions to help you determine whether or not you’re truly ready to start your own accounting practice:

1. Do you enjoy making decision and taking charge?

In order to own and operate your own business you must be comfortable taking the initiative.  Business owners must make key decisions quickly and then act on them.

2. Are you flexible?

This has nothing to do with your ability to touch your toes, but it is a reflection of your adaptability.  Bruce Lee said, “Notice that the stiffest tree is most easily cracked, while the bamboo or willow survives by bending with the wind.”  Small businesses can be more successful during economic uncertainty because they are able to change course quickly, adapting to change without much fanfare.  Of course, that can only happen when the leader at the helm of a practice is flexible.

3. Do you have a vision of what your business could become?

If you find yourself daydreaming about a strong practice where your clients are highly satisfied, you have already begun developing a clear vision for your business.  With this vision comes an enthusiasm for your accounting firm’s potential, and your ability to share your enthusiasm with those whom you will associate will do wonders for your business.

4.  Are you self-motivated?

If you start your own accounting practice, you’ll be your own boss.  However, if you currently need a boss to tell you what to do and when, then you probably should continue to be someone else’s employee.  But if you’re self-motivated, proactive, and dynamic, you’ll be able to manage your practice rather than have the practice manage you.  This means you must be able to do more than just get-up-and-go; you also must get-up-and-finish.

5.  Do you have the necessary expertise?

Prospective clients will be unwilling to trust you with their finances unless you can demonstrate accounting expertise.  Luckily, you don’t need to attend college for four years in order to acquire the necessary know-how.  UAC’s Professional Bookkeeper Program can be completed in 60 hours, enabling you to not only gain the expertise necessary to start your own accounting practice, but also a professional designation that proves it.

Universal Accounting Center Can Help You Start Your Own Accounting Practice

If you want to start your own accounting practice but are unsure whether you have the necessary skill and knowledge to serve clients, or if you’re uncomfortable marketing yourself, Universal Accounting Center can help you reach your goals, providing valuable training in bookkeeping and accounting. Learn how to become a Professional Bookkeeper or build a successful accounting practice.  Don’t procrastinate your own success; enroll today.

Return next week when we’ll discuss the final five questions that can help you determine whether or not you’re ready to start your own business:

6.  Are you passionate about accounting?

7.  It is financially feasible for you to quit your job to start an accounting practice?

8.  Who would you competition be and what would you offer that they don’t?

9.  Will your family support your decision?

10.  Will you be happy working for myself?

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

Moving from Traditional Employment to Self-Employment with Ease

Victoria Richardson had just had her second child and knew that her employment situation needed to change in order for her to parent as she desired. She explained, “…my list of wants and needs included: complete flexibility to be able to be with my children when they needed me… I needed to be making at least $60,000 a year. I needed to be able to have a lot of flexibility, and wanted to work an abbreviated work week. And what I found was that there was nothing out there that was willing to give me that package.  I discovered that the only option that was available for me was to be able to start my own business.”

So Victoria began the process of launching her own accounting practice, and her first step ensured a happy solution for her and her current employer.

From Ex-Employer to First Client

Victoria’s strategy proved to be successful.  Instead of giving her boss two-week’s notice, Victoria presented him with a win-win situation.  He would continue to enjoy her accounting expertise as a contract accountant while she would be free to enjoy a flexible work schedule with her ex-employer acting as her first client.

Her confidence makes freelance work a lucrative business for Victoria.  She said, “I know what they want to hear, I know what’s going to make them feel comfortable, and I know what their concerns are. And the Universal Accounting courses taught…a lot of it has to do with…semantics; it’s the language that you present it in. When I talk to them about increasing their profitability, they listen. It makes sense to them. I can feel confident in helping them discover what problem areas they have, and… ways they can work through that, so it’s not a situation where I feel like, you know, anybody else is coming in and giving them that because… that’s what they’re looking for and they’re not finding it anywhere. I can come in and do it, and I can do it and save them money.”

But she’s not the only one who has recognized the value of this transitional strategy.  In today’s market where employers are looking to cut back, many recognize the value in reworking their relationship with an employer so that it benefits both of them.  In changing your position from full-time accountant to contract accountant, you save your previous employer money while enabling yourself to start your own accounting practice with one solid client and the opportunity to have that client refer many more.

David de la Rosa did the same thing with Motorola.  He explained, “I started my business ten years ago. I was doing computer training work for Motorola and found myself caught in a downsize. I approached management about letting me serve as a resource by referring me to their clients. That way, instead of Motorola having to carry me on their payroll, Motorola’s customers could pay me instead. They liked the idea-it was a perfect arrangement that offered a great transition for both of us.”

What Do You Need to Get Started?

Like Victoria you need a plan and the confidence with which to back it.  The Universal Practice Builder program is designed to provide you with a blueprint to success.  Not only will we teach you how to market your valuable skills to the right people, but we’ll also teach you how to act as the Profit Expert Victoria described, by enhancing your clients’ profitability with your analysis of crucial accounting data.

This phenomenal program also includes the following:

• A guarantee of $30,000 in new annualized billings in only 12 months
• Tactical goal planning and setting
• The generation of 15 to 25 qualified leads per month
• Phone marketing instruction and training
• Training in the benefits of newsletters and websites
• 12 proven marketing strategies
• Financing options

Take advantage of the recession by redefining yourself as a contract accountant.  You current employer just might welcome the change, and your professional future will be all the brighter as a result.  Learn how to launch your practice today by enrolling in the Universal Practice Builder program.

Resources

De la Rosa, David.  “FastTrac Entrepreneur Stories.” FastTrac.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.

10 Common Characteristics of Successful Entrepreneurs

In order to become a trapeze artist you need a strong stomach, a good sense of balance and a lot of nerve.  Most occupations require their applicants to have a certain set of character traits.  The same goes for entrepreneurs.  Without possessing (or acquiring) some common characteristics, the prospect of starting and growing your own business will be tedious and, in some cases, impossible.

In this two-part series we share 10 common characteristics of successful entrepreneurs.  Where might you be lacking?  Here are the first 5 of 10 important traits:

1. Passionate

You may be able to launch your new business without passion, but why would you want to?  When you’re passionate about what you do, it makes some of the more tedious tasks more tolerable.  It also enables you to maintain your “vision” even when things get rough.  And passion is transparent; your prospective clients will feel and appreciate your enthusiasm.  Something about that engenders trust in your clientele.

2. Organized

Managing your own business requires organization.  If you are unable to locate key files efficiently, it will cost you time and money.  This is especially true for accountants.  Your reputation could be shot if you lose or misplace client information.  If organization does not come naturally to you, this is a trait that must be developed if your accounting practice is going to prosper.

3. Accessible

You must be easy to locate.  Otherwise your ability to secure and retain clients is threatened.  Ensure that you can be easily reached in a variety of ways: via phone, email, or in person.  Most small businesses can enhance their accessibility by having a professional website.  Such a website can act as a personal secretary dispensing information about your business 24/7.  If you have a website, ensure that the information it relays is accurate, up-to-date, and useful.  Include the URL on business cards and in promotional materials so that current and prospective clients can easily locate it.

4. Involved

Your presence and visibility in the community will promote your business more than you might imagine.  By joining the local Chamber of Commerce and other small business organizations, you can become known as the local accounting expert and will acquire many referrals as a result.  You can also volunteer in your community by providing free financial seminars and consultations.  While that may take some time, it’s a great marketing effort that will promote your business more positively than other strategies for which you may be budgeting.  Also, being viewed as an active member in the community will do wonders for your reputation as a trustworthy professional.

5. Progressive

Professionals enhance their expertise by participating in continuing education through conferences, workshops, and training opportunities.  To be seen as a competitive, competent and capable accountant, you have to continually hone your expertise, being current in your discipline and skill set.

UAC’s Training Programs Will Help You Gain That Competitive Edge

Universal Accounting Center offers the best accounting and bookkeeping training available.  As you start your business you want to edge out your competition by offering valuable services to potential clients.  Most of your competitors don’t offer specialized small-business accounting services.  But after completing the Professional Bookkeeper (PB) program, you can!  Consider a training program that is catered to your needs and busy schedule-one that will enable you to earn a professional designation after just 60 hours of your valuable time.

Further enhance your expertise by mastering Quickbooks, the software program used by more than 80% of small businesses owners.  Upon completing the Professional Bookkeeper’s Guide (PBG) to QuickBooks, 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.

Learn more about how Universal’s training programs can help you develop those characteristics shared by most entrepreneurs.  Visit UAC today!

Return next week when we share the final five characteristics of successful entrepreneurs.

6.    Respectable

7.    Time-wise

8.    Customer-oriented

9.    Shameless self-promoter

10.  An expert

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.

What You Should Focus on in December

The holiday season can prove stressful for business owners who are just trying to survive until the New Year.  But we suggest you take advantage of this most wonderful time by following 12 key tips intended to help you acquire new clients, secure more business, and create more loyalty with employees.  Last week we covered the following six suggestions:

1.    Wish your clients a Happy Holiday

2.    Send holiday cards

3.    Schedule employee vacation time

4.    Plan company celebrations early

5.    Get in the spirit

6.    Bring your website into the festivities

This week we’ll discuss the final six of our 12 Days of Business:

7. Practice seasonal marketing

We understand that in December you are extremely busy with year-end, but you can target prospective clients at the beginning of the month with seasonal marketing.  Take some time to brainstorm your holiday promotions and then delegate the final project to a trustworthy staff or family member so you can focus on billable hours.

8. Acknowledge your employees

December is the time when many employees receive bonuses.  Small businesses and firms are generally unable to provide significant monetary rewards to their staff; however, you should make the effort to acknowledge your gratitude in some way.  Consider gift certificates, paid time-off, or some other giving gesture.

9. Don’t offend

Remember, not everyone celebrates Christmas, but some other holiday like Kwanza or Hanukkah.  You may consider remaining impartial in your advertising, mailers, well wishes, etc. by simple saying “Happy Holidays.”

10. Schedule your time well

Once you plan all the holiday festivities you should schedule the rest of your time so that you have enough to actual perform the accounting functions for which your clients have retained you.  At some point you must move beyond holiday preparations and attend to the business of billable hours.

11. Balance your personal and business lives

Perhaps these 12 tips have been overwhelming.  In reality, you can only do so much.  Once you’ve determined which of these 12 suggestions are feasible for you to implement, you must then see that your personal and professional lives are in balance this year.  The holidays are also a time of family and you must be sure to enjoy quality time with them this season as well.

12. Develop a New Year strategy

While New Year’s resolutions have become somewhat passé, it’s still good business to develop goals and strategies for the upcoming year.  If you haven’t already, schedule some time to consider what you must focus on in 2009.

Most importantly, take time to enjoy the holidays.  They do come but once a year, and it would be a shame if you didn’t revel in the season for a bit.

Building Your Business is a Great Strategy for the New Year

And Universal Accounting Center can help!  We’re offering a big holiday package intended to enhance any bookkeeping service or individual ready to start one.  You’ll attain the three things all business owners need to achieve true success: professional certification, marketing know-how, and enhanced service offerings.

Professional Certification

Accounting firms fare better when they provide specialized services.  Small-business accounting is a specialized service that will appeal to a large target market.  Most accountants are trained in big business accounting, which doesn’t address the unique needs of small business owners.  When you enroll in the Professional Bookkeeper program, you receive specialized training in the day-to-day accounting tasks required by small businesses.  Not only that, but upon completing the course, you will have the opportunity to earn professional certification, demonstrating to clients your newfound expertise.

Marketing Know-How

Regardless of how good your services are, you won’t secure quality clients without employing effective marketing techniques. And without clients, your business won’t go too far.  The Universal Practice Builder program will train you in 12 marketing strategies designed to help you secure 15 to 25 qualified leads per month!  Additionally, you will be guaranteed a $30,000 increase in annualized billings in just one year.  That is 10 times the cost of this special holiday package!  Talk about a low-risk investment with high returns.

Enhanced Service Offerings

In addition to offering small-business accounting, you will also be able to provide QuickBooks services.  Our QuickBooks Made Profitable program will teach you how to use your QuickBooks skills to attract even more clients!  You’ll learn how to leverage your time, meet more prospective clients and offer services that will enable them to reduce taxes, increase profits and put more money in the bank.

Get a jump start on the new business year by enrolling in these three programs, today!  You’ll be giving lots of gifts this season.  How about giving yourself a gift that continues to give, in profitable returns, year after year?  Enroll now!

Wise Budgeting Tips

As an accountant you probably think you’ve got your budget under control.  You know numbers and watch your spending to ensure that you are managing your money well.  But unless you’re applying crucial budgeting strategies, you’re not using this valuable tool to its full advantage.  Here are 5 tips that will help:

1. Ensure your budget aligns with your business strategy.

This may seem obvious, but in the day-to-day tasks required in business management, strategy may be forgotten.  There are fires to put out, emergency expenses to pay, and last-minute purchases to make.  So unless you’re vigilantly monitoring your outflow, your strategy may be nickel and dimed into extinction.

If you don’t yet have a strategy, now is the time to develop one.  Does your business require more aggressive marketing techniques?  Are you attempting to grow your firm by hiring a support staff?  Or do you want to focus on retaining current clients?  Whatever your strategy, you should devise a budget that supports and sustains it.

2. Assess your Chart of Accounts.

As an accountant you are very familiar with the Chart of Accounts.  The Chart of Accounts enables you to set up categories that align with your management strategies.  It also enables you to establish a healthy balance between control and responsibility regarding business spending.

3. Establish accountability.

Anyone responsible for spending within your business needs to be accountable for his/her choices.  You may currently be the only person responsible.  However, it’s important that you acknowledge and assess your spending and then make any necessary changes.  You may determine that your budgetary items are best distributed among control areas like marketing, skills development, client retention, management, etc.  This may provide you with more control over outflow.

4. Regularly review your budget.

Establishing a budget and then ensuring that it aligns with your business strategy is only part of this valuable process.  The true benefit of budgeting comes when you regularly review your budget with key players in your business.  In your review you can compare budgeted expenses with actual expenses and discuss discrepancies.  You can also talk with those responsible for various expenses and see how they might revise some of their spending choices.  This is also a good time to implement necessary changes and assess any changes implemented since your last budgetary review.

5. Revise as necessary.

A budget is not set in stone.  As mentioned in the previous tip, as you assess and review your progress it’s important that you make necessary changes.  In fact, that’s the beauty of budgeting.  As you monitor your income and outflow, you can make changes that will influence the future profitability of your business.

As an accountant you may assume that you’ve been using this tool to its full advantage.  But if you haven’t been applying the above tips, you may be missing out on some of the best benefits of budgeting.

QuickBooks Made Profitable

Budgeting isn’t the only tool you can use to increase your business’s profitability.  Our program, QuickBooks Made Profitable, will teach you just how to use QuickBooks accounting software to attract and retain more clients.

Nearly 80% of small businesses use Intuit’s QuickBooks software.  While other programs may be useful, QuickBooks has definitely captured the small business market.  Mastering QuickBooks will not only enable you to better manage your budget and keep more efficient records, but it will also help you teach your clients how to use the software so that you can get the information you need which makes your job much easier.  This program will teach you how to leverage your time while saving clients money in taxes and helping them increase their profits.  What client wouldn’t be interested in that?  We’ll teach you how to use this valuable software package to generate more income!

Don’t wait to grow your business and experience the success your budget will certainly help you achieve.  There are countless potential clients out there in need of these specific services.  You can be the one to provide them.  Order QuickBooks Made Profitable today!