A simple and easy way to calculate your fee

Make sure your prospective client recognizes the value of your services. See Why are businesses begging for my services? The most natural question next is “How much is it going to cost?”

The quickest way to discourage you is to charge too little for your services. Charging by the hour is too administratively time-consuming, and the small business clients dislike it. They prefer to know in advance how much the service will cost them, so that they can anticipate the charge and know what they are getting. You�ll need to calculate a monthly charge.

It wouldn’t be very responsible to GUESS at how much to charge each month. Either you will charge the client an unfair fee, or you won’t be charging what you are worth. A great way to assess the time-based fees involved is by the number of transactions you will need to record on average, each month. A transaction is a check, invoice, z-tape, bill, etc.

Ask your perspective client how many of each type of transaction you will need to record. The average small business has about 400 transactions each month.

Now take the number of transactions and multiply it by 50 cents per transaction and add $100 for the preparation of the Financial Statements. The average client will earn you $300 per month with 6-8 hours of work.

Then, ask them if this would seem a reasonable charge for all the benefits. If the prospective client says “yes”, congratulations on your new client.

If this person has not been pricing this service with other accountants, or does not fully understand the benefits, you might run in to objections. If it�s for the latter reason, you may have to step back and ask what benefits he thought were least valuable.

If the benefits are well understood, and he/she desires them, ask him if he might be able to get these benefits elsewhere for a lesser price.

If he plans on hiring someone, offer to help find a person. You might want to explain, however, that even paying someone a few hours each day will probably cost more than your fee. Plus, you will guarantee your work. And, they won�t incur the extra cost of computers, software, and office space.

You�re services are a bargain.

If he/she wants time to think, or is not interested, thank them graciously for their time, leave a business card, and ask for a referral.

By the way, you will get a “no”, more often than you will get a “yes.” Even the most qualified and practiced accountants will come away empty-handed more often than not. That�s alright. If you just pick up one account per week, within a short time you�ll be making a great income.

Additional information, including how to step-by-step calculate the number of transactions and a fair fee see Accounting Made Easy .

For continual information on marketing tips and strategies, click here to sign up now for our newsletter.

Change Offers Opportunity

Change is frightening to most people. But sometimes it’s the best medicine for us.

For over a dozen years I worked in a large corporation with great benefits. Raises were an annual tradition, and I was making over four times the salary I started with. In most respects I was happy. But my job was getting old and becoming a drudgery.

The thought of leaving my comfortable environment was, to say the least, frightening. So, I decided to take it in stages. I began by starting a bookkeeping service from my home.

Challenges Faced and Overcome Together

Since I worked during normal business hours I faced two challenges: How to meet prospective clients, and how to get the work done during the few free hours I had in the evening. The first challenge was easily solved by prospecting among friends and relatives. These are people I already had a relationship with and that I saw after business hours anyway. My first four clients came through these associations.

The second challenge was also easily solved. My wife, Sheri, was a homemaker and three of our four children were in school. With just a few simple instructions I was able to train her to do the data entry which she enjoyed doing. In the morning, before I left for work, I would set out the client’s material, and when I arrived home, the data would be entered flawlessly. I would spend a couple hours reviewing the results, making any needed adjustments, and printing out the reports.

After a short time of building my practice the decision to leave my full-time employer was a natural and lucrative one. It was just what “the doctor ordered.”

-Allen Bostrom
President of Universal Accounting

Improve YOUR Future

This is just one of thousands of testimonials that we receive from our graduates (in this case also the President of the company), confirming the principles taught in the Professional Bookkeeper program. The marketing techniques that you will learn in the Professional Bookkeeper program are not lofty theory or stuffy book learning. You will learn the “down in the trenches” practical guidance that you need to succeed with you own successful Accounting service.

Learn How To Start Your Profitable Business and Achieve Your Dreams!

Get a Better Job. Better Yet, Get is Right Away!

You Don’t Need to Go Into Business For Yourself to Benefit From the Skills of a Small Business Bookkeeper

It doesn’t matter what company you work for. For over 500 years, the accounting department has provided a stable and rewarding place to work. Since 1494 when Luca Pacioli, (considered the father of accounting), introduced double-entry bookkeeping, bookkeepers and accountants have played a critical role in every profitable company. And have been well paid for it. What’s more, smart companies have always paid well.

Accounting Career Tips - Real-World Techniques to Get Your Career Moving

By strengthening your skill set, you contribute to any business profitability and advance your own career in the accounting department. In fact, according to Robert Half International (the worlds largest placement firm for the accounting profession), employers desperately seek individuals who take the initiative to advance their accounting education.

They predict accounting professionals at every level are in such a high demand, that if you have the right skills, you can expect up to an 8% increase in pay over the next twelve months. Of course, this depends upon what your specific responsibilities in the accounting department are, but small business bookkeepers who are able to oversee the accounting process will see an above average increase in pay.

Every other week, Accounting Career Tips provides you the information and insight to get you promoted, get you paid what your worth and help you contribute to the financial health of any small business. For the most up-to-date information on advancing your career and earning a better income in the accounting department, you won’t want to miss a single issue.

Welcome to the Accounting Career Tips Newsletter

Click Here to Learn How to Advance Your Career in the Accounting Department

Your clients are just as interested in their retirement as you are in yours. Often they will ask you to help them plan toward their golden years. Certainly, there are very sophisticated tools that you can use, but it’s easy to calculate your or your client’s retirement needs with pencil and paper. Here’s a simple process you can use:

Line 1: Annual amount needed at retirement age in current dollars

Line 2: Number of years until retirement

Line 3: Annual expected benefits from employer plans…
Pension plan 401(k)
Other
Subtotal

Line 4: Annual expected benefits from personal assets…
Social Security
IRA
Other
Subtotal

Line 5: Grand total– Line 3 added to Line 4

Line 6: Difference–Line 1 minus Line 5
If this is positive, it’s how much extra you need each year to achieve your annual retirement needs on Line 1.

NOTE: Since most items on Lines 3 and 4 should grow at the rate of inflation or better, it’s appropriate to use today’s dollars in all lines.

If after you’ve collected the data and crunched the numbers the retirement income falls short of what you think will be needed, you’ll have to address the question of how much to accumulate each year (Line 2) to produce enough interest to make up for the shortfall.

Click HERE to Read a Similar Article Regarding Retirement Savings

Enjoy a More Flexible Schedule and Be A Successful Business Owner

Are You an Entrepreneur or a Propreneur?

What is a “propreneur”? Many very successful small business owners don’t fit the classic entrepreneurial mold. They’re not so much into the “business of business.” They are more interested in finding meaning in their careers and creating a lifestyle that will allow them to spend time doing those things that are most important to them.

If this describes you, you’re a propreneur. And with the right business, you will be very successful.

Aren’t All Business Owners Very “Driven”?

If by “driven” you mean someone who thinks of nothing but work, no. Many people who are happy and successful in their own businesses aren’t what you would consider “driven.” In fact, the key to succeeding as a propreneur lies in managing your business in such a way that you can perform those functions you do best.

The Following 4 Things Will Make You a Successful Propreneur

Authors and career coaches Paul and Sarah Edwards describe 4 things that you will need to do to be a successful propreneur. In a previous newsletter, we discussed what Paul and Sarah had to say about what is the best home-based business. (Click HERE to read about what Paul and Sarah say is the “Best of the Best Home-Based Business.”)

1. Have a Professional Attitude. Treat your business like a real business. Take the legal steps to form your business entity (proprietorship, corporation, LLC, etc…), open a business banking account, launch a website, and so on.
2. Get Business Coming to You. Learn to attract new business in ways that are the most comfortable to you. Do the things that come the most naturally, but remember, “Nothing happens until you make a sale.” You may have to step out of your comfort zone a little, but finding and keeping customers doesn’t have to be an uncomfortable thing to do.
3. Have a Good Relationship with Money. Don’t be afraid to talk to your clients about what you expect to get paid for the services you provide. Bookkeeping and accounting are highly specialized fields that require the skills of a trained professional. You must feel comfortable talking openly about money issues with your clients. Never feel you have to apologize for charging a fee for saving them a lot of time, headache and money.
4. Set Up a Support Network. Line up a network of professionals you can turn to for advice and assistance. For 6 months after your graduation, Universal Accounting Center will be there to offer you free advice, motivation and guidance as you begin your professional bookkeeping and accounting practice.

There is a Lot of Opportunity in Small Business Bookkeeping and Accounting

85% of the opportunity for bookkeepers is in small businesses. Small business owners need the services you can provide, and what’s more, it’s required by the government. Every business must do accounting and keep accounting records; qualified small business accounting professionals are in high demand.

The Professional Bookkeeper Program will teach you everything you need to know to do bookkeeping for any small business. We’ve been teaching small business bookkeeping and accounting since 1979. That’s 25 years of teaching people just like you and me the ins-and-outs of bookkeeping for small businesses. In fact, we’ve been called the Small Business Accounting Experts.

You don’t have to take my word for it. With thousands of successful graduates across the country, I’m confident that you will find the same level of personal and professional satisfaction that they have found. See for yourself what a few of our graduates are saying about the Professional Bookkeeper Program.

Your Professional Bookkeeping and Accounting Practice Will Earn a Better Income

The accounting profession has been around for a long time. Over 500 years to be exact. And you should know that the need for accounting and bookkeeping professionals is at an all-time high. Every year 500,000 new businesses are created, and all of them need the advice and expertise of a trained bookkeeper. As this trend continues, the need for your skills will continue to increase as well.

According to Robert Half/Accountemps, the nation’s largest placement firm for accounting professionals, the demand for skilled professionals in the accounting field is so large right now that bookkeepers and accountants are able to demand better incomes. There’s never been a better time to own a bookkeeping and accounting practice than right now.

Earn $30 to $60 per Hour and Save Your Clients Money

The average freelance bookkeeper can expect to charge $30 to $60 per hour for services that have the ability to save small business owners time and money. With the right training you can charge those kinds of rates for your services too. If you’d like to increase your income, create a better lifestyle for yourself and your family while becoming a propreneur, order our DVD “Start Today & Have Your Own Bookkeeping Business.” For less than $10 you can be on your way to a more flexible schedule, a more lucrative lifestyle, and the opportunity to earn money doing what you enjoy.

Will They Remember You?

Picking the Right Business Name

Your business name should give those you come in contact with a clear picture of what you do. Your business name should represent your specialty, values, and competitive edge. It also helps in developing that brand that all good businesses need. That’s a lot to cover in just a few words, so you should take a little time to create a business name that evokes the right feelings from your target market. Here are a few things you can do to find the perfect name for your business.

Brainstorm
To brainstorm, all you need is a pen, notebook, and all the creativity you can muster. At this point you’re looking for words that might work in a business name, regardless of how they might sound at this point. Don’t cross anything out or censor yourself; anything goes when you brainstorm.

Make Connections
For this activity, all you need is a thesaurus. Your objective at this point is to increase your options by expanding your brainstorm list. Add any words that relate to your profession and values. Look those words up in the thesaurus and add even more that might work. What words might communicate your competitive edge? Are you interested in localizing your business name? Are there any variations of your own name that could be used? Don’t make any judgments at this point—you’re still brainstorming, giving every idea that comes to mind a chance to make this long list.

String Some Words Together
Review your list and consider which words you’re most drawn to. Which resonate and best describe your objectives? Now string some together to create tentative business names. Make as many as possible; in fact, shoot for 20-30 that might work.

Don’t Get Too Quirky
Although you can get into the creative side of things with your business name, there can be a tendency to get too cute with your name. Names like “Numbers n’ Cents”, or “Counting Teddy Bears Accounting” are not going to give the right impression to those business owners who are looking to entrust you with their financial world. Leave the Quirky to the catchphrase, but try and refrain from naming your practice something that can’t be taken seriously.

Narrow Your List
Now’s the time to create a short list of business names. Which appeal to you the most? Go with your gut and pick those business names that sound best to you. Try to narrow your list somewhere between 5 and 10 names.

Check with Your Competitors
Before picking your own business name it’s good to do a little research and see what your competitors are calling themselves. First make a list of local bookkeepers and accountants. Then hit the internet and see what bookkeepers and accountants out of your area call themselves. This will help you see how your names measure up. Do they adequately represent your services while still being unique enough to stand out? Or are some so unique that members of your target market just might scratch their heads when they hear them?

Test-Drive Your Selections
Say them all out loud. Sometimes it’s only when you pronounce a business name that you recognize its flaws. Consider the following:

• Is it easy to pronounce?
• Is it memorable?
• Is it easy to spell?
• Will it appeal to your target market?
• Does say something about your business?
• Is it too limiting? (geographically or otherwise? You want something that can expand as your business does.)
• Does it stand out?
• Is it too similar to a competitor’s business name?

Next, run your selections by family and friends. What are their thoughts and opinions? Ask what comes to mind when they hear each name? It would also be good to run your names by members of your target market. Narrow your list as you feel appropriate.

Pick a Winner
Now that you’ve brainstormed, researched, and gotten feedback, it’s time to pick the name that you feel best about. If it’s a name you can get excited about, chances are it’s the business name for you.

Register Your Business Name
The best way to save the name for yourself is to register it. If you plan to incorporate, file the proper paperwork. Regardless whether or not you register the name, you can begin to use the trademark symbol. Picking a business name can be a great way to build momentum in getting that business of yours started. When you’ve found a name that’s a perfect match to your objectives, you’ll feel the excitement begin to grow, and hopefully, your business will follow suit.

Are you ready to take the next step in the process you have started in the accounting field? Are you tired of coming across those times when you know you could have done better if you just had the training in this or that aspect of the accounting, bookkeeping process? If only you had a way to learn how to market your accounting practice from an accountant who has been successful?

Be the Profit Expert Professional for Small Business! Don’t hesitate another day in getting the Accounting and Marketing Training that makes the difference. Click here to get more information on what you need to know about becoming the Profit Center Expert for small business accounting and tax!

In creating an accounting and bookkeeping service, there are steps that work every time in marketing. For the best way, see: The best way to market an accounting and bookkeeping service Another approach in creating your own service is to contact those businesses with which you do business.

Your business contacts.

Small businesses that you deal with as a customer tend to be a great source of clients. These contacts are often overlooked. At the end of this newsletter is a list of businesses that are traditionally small, that you might have used at one time or another. As you are reviewing this list, note the names of businesses that you want to notify in regard to your services.

Working with other businesses requires a professional image to achieve respect. A letter is a good way to begin.

This letter tells them that you are starting your own bookkeeping and accounting business. As a customer of theirs, you would like very much the opportunity to show them how you can assist them in running their business better.

In our course we have a sample of a letter that works terrific. I can’t show it here because I have to save some secrets for the course.

In the second paragraph you emphasize two very important points. First, you state that you have an accounting system uniquely designed for their specific business. Secondly, you explain that you will customize the system so that they can do the whole thing alone, you can do it with them, or you can do the whole thing yourself. It�s up to them. This let�s them know that you are there to help them.

Finally, in the third paragraph you announce that you will be in the area at a certain time during the next three or four days, and that you will stop in. (Be sure to make a note in your calendar to drop by at the appointed time.)

Try to be there about five minutes early. It will make a positive impression and also provide a buffer in the event that you run into unexpected traffic jams. If you can�t make it on time, be sure to call them, and let them know you need to reschedule.

You will want to send out only ten letters per week . No more — no less. Initially, this might seem like a small number. That�s alright. At first you will want to spend more time rehearsing and reviewing your presentations. Later, as you start setting up new clients, and follow up on past visits, ten letters will seem like a lot.

There are other articles showing easy methods of marketing your own accounting and bookkeeping service. For information on the other articles, you can link to them here:

The best way to market an accounting and bookkeeping service

Save time and money by finding clients near home

For continual information on marketing tips and strategies, click here to sign up now for our newsletter.

For complete information on marketing an accounting and bookkeeping service, see our section on Building a Successful Accounting Service at our Accounting Made Easy site.

Here is a list of some of the businesses you may work with, (just to get the creative juices flowing):

Motion shatters nervousness like a snake sheds its skin. - Scott Tinely

Nobody can make you feel inferior without your consent. - Eleanor Roosevelt

It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to conclude that personal confidence and professional success are closely linked. If you lack confidence, chances are you’re having difficulty advancing your business in order to enjoy the success you’ve dreamed of. Luckily confidence can be increased with a little time and attention. The following five confidence-building tips are a good place to start:

1. Practice positive self-talk
We can be our own worst enemies. The way we talk to ourselves often determines whether we feel confident or insecure. Listen to what you tell yourself throughout the day. Do you see yourself as a competent, accomplished individual, or are you constantly chastising yourself for what you perceive as mistakes and missteps? Self-talk becomes self-fulfilling prophecy. As Henry Ford once said, “Whether you think you can or can’t - you are right.”

If you practice negative self-talk it’s time to change your monologue. Regardless of how awkward or uncomfortable it might feel, begin saying positive things about yourself. “I am successful. I have a lot to offer. My business is thriving and continually attracting more clients.” You’ll be surprised at how these positive affirmations boost your confidence immediately.

2. Excel
The better you are at what you do, the better you feel about yourself. Take action to improve your services, your knowledge, and your skills. Improving yourself in some way will always help you feel better about yourself and your business.

3. Don’t waste time
While it’s important to unwind - watching a little TV, reading a good book, or meditating - wasting inordinate amounts of time will generally make you feel lazy, unmotivated, and yucky. The Hindu Prince Gautama Siddharta once said, “To be idle is a short road to death and to be diligent is a way of life; foolish people are idle, wise people are diligent.” A Spanish proverb says, “The busy man is troubled with but one devil; the idle man by a thousand.” Wasting time errodes your confidence.

4. Do something that scares you
Doing something that scares you is a great confidence booster. Whether it be hang-gliding, parasailing, repelling, or public speaking, confronting your fear will help you feel strong and accomplished. It will also give you the confidence necessary to do even bigger and better things.

5. Note your accomplishments
Not only should you note your accomplishments, you should celebrate them. And don’t be afraid to pat yourself on the back for small undertakings. The big and the small should be noted. That one new client will mean a lot in annualized billings. Your new website will go far in promoting your business. You have to change your perspective and amplify your successes. The more energy you direct towards the positive, the more positive experiences you’ll have. That’s the Law of Attraction in action. Whatever you focus your energy on will act as a signal to the Universe to send more of the same. So if you constantly focus on the positive, you’ll find that more and more positive experiences are being drawn into your life, like a magnet.

Confidence radiates from you like heat. Clients will feel that confidence and become even more convinced of your expertise. And the more you nurture that confidence, the more self-assured you will be, and soon you’ll find that your business is a reflection of your new sense of self-worth.

Come back next week when we will discuss five more confidence-boosting tips:

• Do something difficult
• Stop procrastinating
• Get in shape
• Take care of yourself
• Expect great things to happen

Create an Elevator Speech and Sell Yourself in 60 Seconds or Less

“So what do you do, anyway? “… Has anyone ever asked you that question before? It’s usually in a setting you aren’t expecting that from, and from someone that you didn’t think would ask. If you’ve ever stuttered through your answer, then the best thing you can do is to create a striking, clear, and succinct “elevator speech.” “Elevator speech, what the heck is that?” It’s a brief description, of you, your business and the services or products you provide, like a quick infomercial, that can be delivered in the usual time it takes an elevator to carry its occupants to their floor. It is an essential tool in the marketing of your accounting or bookkeeping business. And if honed and practiced, can be used to grow your business the way you want to. Like your business card, your elevator speech is a calling card of your business, and if you word it right, you can get the person who asks about your business interested in doing business with you. so that at opportune moments you can network effectively, explaining what you do and why you do it so well that everyone deserves to hear about it.

The Hook

So you can capture at the opportune moments, network with other business people effectively, while giving an interesting tidbit about your services you should begin your elevator speech with a hook that piques the listener’s interest and makes them want to hear more. Tactics on this vary as widely as there are people and different personalities. One way I heard used was, “Well, it’s not brain surgery, but can be a critical tool that will help keep your business alive and ticking…” Another hook I’ve heard, “What I do is not as complicated as rocket science, but to the average business owner it might as well be…” You can consider using a quote, sharing a quick anecdote, or asking a question. it’s something said “in the moment” (every moment someone asks) that is quick and not burdensome, and captures the attention of the listener right away.

The Conversational Tone

Your elevator speech should not be perceived as a sales pitch. Occupants would opt to walk up flights of stairs rather than be stuck in an elevator with a relentless salesperson. Think of your brief description as the introduction your business would give where it able to talk. It shouldn’t sound canned or monotonous.It should be exciting and engaging, communicating your passion for what you do and how well you do it. You should practice the speech so that it sounds natural and conversational. That it rolls off your tongue at a moments notice and in such a tone that is friendly and inviting. And it’s important that you not drone on and on. That’s why it should be no longer than 60 seconds. In fact, you may consider having two versions of your elevator speech: the 30-second version and the minute version. The elevator speech you deliver would depend on the given situation.

The Details

There’s nothing worse than asking a question and getting a vague answer is there? That is the same thing with your elevator speech. Without significant details, your elevator speech is generic and uninformative. More importantly it will turn people off to you and your services and products quicker than you can say “Shazaam!”. The main question you need to ask yourself is, “What do I do, that would be a great benefit to my potential customers?” If you have current customers, ask youself the same question, “What do I do that brings them back to me every week or month?” How do I make their business life better? Easier? More profitable? Other questions you can ask yourself is: What do you do that’s unique? What sets your services apart from others? Who are your clients and what problems do you solve for them? What could you do for the listener to make their lives better? When you have brainstormed on what you do and identified what it is that makes you the “bomb’ to your clientele, write it down, if it’s too long simplify it. If it’s like everyone else’s, use different verbs or adjectives to describe your business. Remember, this could be the only time you get a chance to peak the interest of that one person who could make all the difference to your business. Be ready for it.

The Request

You should always end your speech with a request. Will you ask for the listener’s business card? Will you ask them to take your card and give you a call if they’d like to learn more? Do you want them to refer their family and friends to you? You bet you do! So be in the moment and take care of it. You may decide to have optional requests in mind so you can end your speech with a request that responds best to that particular situation.

One tactic that has been found effective is right after you have given your elevator speech to ask them about what they do. Then once they have given you their “speech” ask them one or two additional questions about their business. Such as, “That’s an interesting industry, how many employees do you have? Or “How did you get into that interesting business?”. Better yet ask them a question that arises from their own elevator speech. Don’t make it to laborous, or take too much of their time with this, but after asking these questions, don’t hesitate in asking for their business card. By so doing, you become notched in their memory of someone that was interested in what they do. That could be all you would need for them to take your call or the appointment the next time you call on them.

A Final Note

While you can always give your speech in an elevator, the elevator speech is designed for any networking situation, places where you can introduce yourself and your business to potential clients. This may be at a convention, a conference, the grocery store, or the dentist’s office. Remember that anyone can be a potential client or can refer you to a potential client. And with your elevator speech on the tip of your tongue, you’re ready to sell yourself in any given situation with comfort and ease.

Marketing Is Only One Tool Of The Many You Need To Be Successful

Marketing your business is essential to keeping your business healthy and growing. You can do the right kind of marketing, with cost effective strategies and actions that will allow you to achieve the type of accounting / bookkeeping business you imagine for yourself. Building a Successful Accounting Business is only one of the modules you get when you purchase Universal Accounting’s Professional Bookkeeping Program.

Having a solid understanding of the Accounting and Bookkeeping methods and procedures is also essential to the successful business. Don’t hesitate any longer, take the steps needed to bring those dreams about your business into reality. Here’s what you will get along with Universal’s business marketing knowledge.

Close On The Account:

Tips for Catching Their Non-Verbal Cues (Part I of II)

You’ve done the foot work. You have put together the marketing piece speaking directly to that small business owner in your community, taken calls on it and set the appointments. You have practiced day in and day out your presentation, how you will approach the owner, the questions you are going to ask, and even the inflection of your voice. So you can have the best chance to close the account, get their business, place them on your clientele rosters…

There’s just one thing that you have no clue on. There is no way to get “intel” on it either. What is it? It is the reaction and the responses of he or she you are meeting with. There’s no way to get into their head and be able to take them step by step into the solution that best fits their business… you. Or is there?

Non Verbal Signals
As only a few can speak one or two languages for others to understand, everyone can communicate something, an idea, or a feeling with just how they hold themselves, by their expressions or their actions during the meeting. As much as they may practice their “poker faces” you will be able to get cues of what they may be thinking right there as you are speaking. Here are a few that you could watch out for.

Windows to Their Soul
As the saying goes, the eyes can have the greatest clues and communication of the person’s intent and interest. Those completely not interested with respond in a stare. Are they looking right at you, do they glance from you and those materials you might have brought to the meeting? The more they look at you, and not at something else within the room will show what’s holding their attention.

Mouth is Moving but No Sound
How someone holds their mouths can also be an indicator for how you may be doing in the meeting. Smiling, frowns, peircing lips, clenched jaw are all signals of what the person may be thinking. Smiling and frowning on occasion are still positive, however if you are seeing the pressing of the lips and the clenching of the jaw, that may signify that you need to stop and clarify some concerns he or she might be having.

Head Movements
How someone is holding their head is a great signal for you to read. The obvious positive signs of nodding or the tilting of the head to one side while looking at you is also a good sign. Not so good signs are the shaking of the head, the looking down more than up or the looking skyward more than looking at you. Each one of these can give you the cue of interest or non-interest of the business owner.

Body Placement in the Chair
How someone holds themselves: the crossing of the arms usually signifying being closed off; the doodling on the paper in front of them; the crossing of the legs, especially if the cross them close together; the sitting aside in their chair as if they are ready to get up and run. All aren’t signs that you have won them over to doing business with you.

Sitting on the end of their chair; studiously talking notes of what you are presenting; holding the hands on the back of the head with their arms up; back straight, facing forward with legs uncrossed are all positive interest signs you can play off of. Take a moment and think back to the last time you were gathering information to make a decision or if you were just at a presentation for the free food! Notice how you held yourself and how you feel and act when you are interested or disnterested in what is being spoken of.

These are all cues and signals you can use for when you meet with a person, if you want them to stay attentive, communicate to them with your posture, your stance, your eye contact the interest you have in their company and doing business with them. When you portray this, you will notice that those you are meeting with will also join you in the way you are sitting or moving.

You can take these cues and learn from them how you can best read the small business owner when you meet to close the account. Use all that you can to give you the edge in your business.

Next week we will cover the lessons that can be learned from the signals of those we meet with for business either one on one or in groups. Be looking for next week’s edition.

Are you ready to take the next step in the process you have started in the accounting field? Are you tired of coming across those times when you know you could have done better if you just had the training in this or that aspect of the accounting and bookkeeping process? Don’t hesitate another day in getting the Accounting Training that makes the difference. Click here to get more information on what you need to know about becoming a Professional Bookkeeper!