You Can Ask for Referrals Without Really Asking

Ask without asking? “Just about every course or book that deals with referrals teaches you one single method- ‘asking’ for referrals.”

David Frey, President of Marketing Best Practices Inc., goes on to say, “…there’s a HUGE problem with this approach. People HATE to ask for referrals. You hate it, I hate it…”

Mr. Frey also says, “Asking for referrals is right up there with asking your friend to come to church with you on Sunday. It’s downright uncomfortable.”

Although many of us might agree and believe that Mr. Frey is right, he obviously didn’t read the first article in this newsletter. Nevertheless, if you don’t like to ask for referrals, that’s OK, there is a way to ask… without actually asking.

This Is What I Call the Automatic Referral

This is where referrals get really exciting. Automatic referrals are exciting. The automatic referral is built into your work-flow.

A system is a process that has a predictable result because it happens the same way every time. The automatic referral needs to be systematic and transactional, not relational. In other words, it needs to be triggered as a part of the transaction, not triggered by your relationship to your client.

It’s easy to build your referral system into your transaction. It could be as easy as a coupon on the back of your statement or invoice. Thank them for the order and at the same time ask for a referral. “I sure appreciate your business. For every client you refer to my office, I’d like to give you a dinner for two at [name of restaurant here].”

Of course it doesn’t have to be a restaurant. It could be cash, a credit on their next order, anything that might entice them to offer you a referral. I’ve seen a $5 gift certificate to Chili’s Restaurant bring bank managers out of their offices to sign up new checking accounts. When was the last time you saw a bank manager stop what he was doing to fill out a check order? These kinds of incentives really work. And if you make it part of the transaction, it’s easy.

How Much Is a New Client Worth?

How much are you willing to spend to get one? Answer these two questions, and come up with some kind of offer that your clients can’t refuse.

To show you what I mean, let’s take a look at some of what we’ve discovered over the years at Universal Accounting. The average bookkeeping client is worth $300 in monthly billing each and every month. Over the course of the next two years, you’ll find that customer is worth $7200.

I think that’s worth a dinner or two for a client who gives you referrals… don’t you? Now, let’s make this even more interesting. Let’s look at this scenario and include doing their taxes along with their bookkeeping.

Over the years we’ve discovered that the average business client who adds tax planning and preparation to bookkeeping services, will increase that $300 per month to $400 per month. Over the course of the same two years, that client is now worth $9600. At this point, a referral is worth a lot of money to your tax preparation and bookkeeping business.

By institutionalizing the referral process, giving your clients an incentive to give you a referral, you can watch the referrals pour in.

“Automatic” Referrals Without Asking… What Could Be Better?

It really does get better. Referrals are only part of creating a successful tax preparation and bookkeeping business. All the information and experience to not only prepare income tax returns and the same training and expertise in preparing the tax returns for small business make it even better.

And it doesn’t stop there. With the Professional Tax Preparer program you’ll get all kinds of ideas and suggestions that will help you market your professional tax practice to businesses and individuals.

There’s never been a better time to be a professional tax preparer and there’s not a better place to begin than with Universal Accounting Center. With all the educational tools you need to learn tax preparation and accounting as well as all the marketing education you’ll need, all you need to do is click on the link below and learn how to start your successful and profitable practice today.

Show Me How Achievable, Profitable and Easy a Tax Preparation Business Can Be

Don’t Play Hide and Seek - Be Where Your Clients Can Easily Find You

Know What Your Potential Clients Read and Where to Find Them and You’ll Be On Your Way to Finding and Keeping More of Them

Let’s take a short quiz. In what magazines will you find advertising for the following three products?

1. Olive Oil
2. The New U2 Album
3. A Wide screen TV

Do you know the answers? Let’s take a look.

1. Olive Oil - Food & Wine
2. The New U2 Album - Rolling Stone
3. A Wide screen TV - Consumer Reports

How did you know the answers so quickly? This may be an oversimplification, but big-time advertisers laser target their marketing to their specific audience. You should too. You want your advertising to land in the publications that your clients read. And fortunately, you don’t have to spend the money U2 does to publicize their new album.

As a small firm, you can get free publicity and get your article or ad published, (or at least get mentioned), in something your target audience reads at no cost to you.

Read What Accountants Read. Just Don’t Expect Your Clients to Find You There

It’s important to keep up with your industry. It might even make sense to get published in an industry journal, but if you’re expecting to find clients there, you might be barking up the wrong tree.

If you want to reach your clients and potential clients, you must put your message where it will do the most good. You need to appear in the magazines, newsletters and other publications they read. For example, if you want to reach banking executives, you probably already know that they read banking publications. Photographers read photography publications and bicycle shop owners read publications about bicycles and bike shops. They don’t read about accounting. No surprise there.

How Do I Find Out What My Clients Are Reading?

The best place to start is to simply ask. Ask your clients what publications they read to keep a finger on the pulse of their industry. Another simple way to find out what they are reading is to take inventory of the publications in their waiting room. You can also look at media directories available in the library.

Don’t Ignore Trade Associations

National Trade Associations typically have a magazine or other publication that you can advertise in. However, the local affiliate organizations also publish newsletters that could prove to be a great places to advertise. It’s targeted to your local market and it’s cheap. For as little as $50 you can advertise in a local trade publication and enjoy a better response than the national publication. As a matter of fact, many newsletters will welcome your advertising in them to help offset the cost of publishing.

Start your research. Find out what your clients are reading and put your advertising message there.

Reaching Your Potential Clients is Easy and the Professional Tax Preparer Certification Will Show You How

At Universal Accounting we’ve taught small business bookkeeping and tax for over 25 years. The Professional Tax Preparer program will not only teach you everything you’ll need to know about preparing and filing personal and business tax returns, we’ll teach you how to build and run a fun and profitable business.

Starting your own tax preparation practice is simple, when you have the right skills. The Professional Tax Preparer program will teach you mastery of those skills. Finding clients is essential to the health of any business. Tax preparation is no different. You can utilize the same tools that professional marketers use. You’ll learn proven and tested secrets for finding and keeping clients in the Professional Tax Preparer program. Click on the link below and learn more about how to easily and effectively market your tax practice.

Click Here to Learn How Simple Marketing Your New Tax Preparation Business Really Is

Have you got a question? Click HERE and let us help you find an answer.

3 Methods, One Mistake and a Few Tips

Often the most difficult thing about starting your own business is pricing your services. And just because you’re the new kid on the block doesn’t mean you have to under-price your services to get a leg up on the competition. It also doesn’t mean you should run up your prices to imply that your offer quality services worth their weight in gold. As with everything in life, the key is in finding balance. Here are a few things to consider when pricing your products and services:

3 Common Pricing Methods
There are three common methods used to price products and services. Each has its benefits; you should consider which works best for your business and the market in which you currently prepare taxes.

Cost-based pricing. With this pricing method, you determine the price of your services by calculating its cost to you (in retail this would be the wholesale cost of the item, plus overhead and distribution costs) plus the profit you hope to make. When determining the cost of your services, this simply requires you to decide how much your time is worth (in addition, of course, to your overhead and any other costs). When using cost-based pricing you want to make sure you don’t leave any of your costs out; doing so cuts will cut your profits.

Value-based pricing. In value-based pricing, price is determined by how much clients are willing to pay for a particular service, or how much your services are worth to clients. For example, you could probably charge more when clients come to you last minute, say April 10^th, to prepare their taxes; they need the service performed and it will be worth the additional charge for them to have you do it.

Market-based pricing. With this pricing method, your price is determined by how much a particular service generally runs. For example, if most tax preparers in your area charge $75 per hour, than you price your services at or around this same price. This requires just a little research and is the most common method small to mid-size businesses use to price their products and services.

One Big Pricing Mistake
The biggest mistake new business owners make is in under-pricing their products and services. Many assume they must first earn their place in the market by being the cheap guy on the block. Trust that your services are valuable and the market can sustain you charging just what you’re worth.

Pricing Tips
And here are some things you can do to make your services more appealing.

Offer exclusive services. When you offer exclusive services, you become even more valuable to current and potential clients because they’ll have a hard time finding those services anywhere else. And chances are, if a client comes to you for your exclusive services, they’ll come to you for your nonexclusive services as well.

Look for ways to add value to current services. There are ways you can enhance your current services to make them more appealing to clients. For example, offering free electronic tax submission could be the way to earn a client’s loyalty and life-long patronage.

Brand your business. Just yesterday I called a plumber blind, simply because his advertisements were family-friendly and boasted of honest, trust-worthy service. When your costumers recognize your brand, and that brand appeals to their wants and needs, you’ll find that simple marketing promoting that brand will bring more costumers to your door.

Offer perks to returning clients. When you have a loyal costumer you can offer incentives for them to remain loyal. Consider providing returning clients a discount or a free peripheral service, like 6 months worth of complimentary QuickBooks consultation.

The important thing about pricing is that it be both thoughtful and purposeful. Once you set your prices don’t be apologetic or tentative about them; remember, you offer a valuable service and deserve to be paid respectively. And when your clients see just how priceless your service is, they’ll be ready to refer you to their friends and family.

Are You Ready For The Next Step?
Be in business for yourself, but not by yourself getting paid what you’re worth! Are you tired of thinking, “Why not me?” You have gotten this far in your search to do what you want to in your chosen career, take the next step. The time is now to be able to get the training and the change you desire in your professional life. Click here to find out if Professional Tax Preparation Certification is a fit for you.

Would you be interested in a way through which you could acquire as many as 10 qualified clients each month by investing just a few hours of your time? Most people small business owners would! This can be accomplished by holding valuable educational seminars for prospective clients.

As a leveraged marketing strategy, seminars are extremely effective in getting lots of marketing done in a brief period of time. With an average attendance of 20 to 25 people, it would take you weeks to accomplish the same presentation with each attendee individually. With seminars, it takes you approximately two hours of presentation time, a few hours of preparation and clean-up, and a couple hours to arrange the marketing for each seminar. In less than 8 hours you are able to accomplish what otherwise would take you weeks. Not to mention, you also start to see an increased income from those new clients much sooner.

Seminars can increase the effectiveness of your telemarketing and face-to-face introductory presentations by enhancing the prospective relationship; our experience shows that it takes nearly twice as long to set an appointment as it takes to have someone accept your invitation to a seminar.

There is also a tremendous dynamic of peer influence at a seminar that you can’t duplicate in a face-to-face appointment. Many times the strongest influence to take action comes from fellow attendees. In a seminar attendees are left to think more freely without the direct and focused pressure they may feel in a face-to-face appointment. This often results in a more positive reaction to you and your services which can be contagious in a group setting.

Though they can be effective, they can also be expensive. Over the years, Universal Accounting Center has invested thousands of hours and hundreds of thousands of dollars into this strategy. We have experimented, tested, innovated, validated and finally eliminated our failures and duplicated our successes.

Seminars can work for you too in securing new clients for your practice. We have encapsulated all our wisdom and development into the Universal Practice Builder Program so you can begin with our accumulated expertise and move on from there, without the expense and time-consuming experimentation we have conducted. We include three complete seminars that you can conduct, complete with seminar guides and PowerPoint presentations.

Students who have implemented our seminar marketing strategies as outlined in our Universal Practice Builder program obtain an average of 4 to 5 new clients from each seminar; in fact, some have acquired as many as 10! At an average of $400 per month per client, that’s as much as $50,000 in annualized billings from one single event.

Here are some things you will learn from the Universal Practice Builder as you plan and implement your seminar:

• What are the best ways to advertise and market the seminar?
• What content will best attract qualified prospects?
• How do I conduct a successful seminar that meets the expectations of the attendees?
• How do I use the seminar to prepare the attendees to become my clients?
• How do I follow up with attendees to convert them to paying clients?
• How do I duplicate my success and make my seminars part of my on-going marketing process?

All of these questions are answered in the Universal Practice Builder Program. As someone who has developed many different seminars, produced thousands and conducted hundreds myself, there are few market strategies that can be more fun or effective in leveraging your time and money and accelerating your growth. This alone would justify enrollment in the Universal Practice Builder.

Fortunately this program offers much, much more. The UPB program will help you understand yourself, and the kind of practice that works best for you. It will help you plan your practice and take you through the process of developing and implementing an overall marketing plan. It will teach you 20 different strategies to help attract the right prospects. It will teach you how to manage the science of marketing and develop your marketing into an art form where it is fun and easy, even automatic.

Put the power of seminars to work for you. Work smart and gain access to an approach that is tried and proven. Or experiment for yourself. As a seminar expert, I know it will cost you more than the UPB course to try to learn how to do seminars effectively and economically. This course provides you with our expertise and experience all designed to work for financial professionals just like you. Enroll in the Universal Practice Builder today and gain access to all this, including superb coaching support, which will put your practice on the fast-track to growth.

(Part One of a Three-Part Series)

Minding Your Landline Manners

As a business owner you know that communication is vital. Whether that communication takes place electronically, face-to-face or over the phone makes no difference; you want all your correspondence to be clear and effective. Communication via phone can be extremely efficient because it’s much like a face-to-face meeting where you’re able to manage issues in real time. However, it also poses some significant challenges; for instance, you can be easily distracted by something completely unrelated to your phone conversation.

In addition to enabling you to communicate effectively, phone conversations also enable you to build a stronger relationship with clients; what you do on the phone can make or break your professional image. In order to sustain a positive reputation as a tax preparer you need to practice good phone etiquette. Here are some things to remember when making and taking calls:

Making a Call

There are a few things to remember when making a call. Sometimes you won’t get through to the person you intended to reach, but you’re still required to make those interactions as purposeful and polite as possible. Here are four things to remember:

1. Remove all distraction. As discussed above it’s important that your listener feel that you’re focused on the conversation at hand. This means you shouldn’t work while talking. You should also ensure that other family members won’t be interrupting you while in the midst of your phone call.

2. Speak slowly and clearly. In order to be successful you must be understood. Whether you have a natural inclination to rush through presentations or you become nervous and speak quickly, you must practice achieving a good pace, one that enables you to annunciate your words well enough that your party doesn’t have to work at understanding you. Also remember that you must warm up your vocals before you make that first call of the day. Even though you may have been awake for a few hours, if your throat hasn’t gotten that wake up call with a little speaking practice you may end up sounding like you’re making the call from your bed.

3. Identify yourself, your business and the purpose of your call. Nothing is more disconcerting than getting a business call from someone who doesn’t identify themselves, their business and the purpose of their call. You must remember that every call should have a purpose, and if you’re unable to communicate that purpose effectively than you’re wasting time. Whether you’re talking to a receptionist or the intended party, you want your communication to be clear and effective, and that requires you to identify yourself and your purpose upfront.

4. Estimate the length of your business. You should prepare the listener for the length of your business. Don’t tell your party it will only take a minute if it really requires 20. That will end up frustrating your business associate, making it more difficult for you to accomplish your purpose. Be honest, and if necessary, reschedule a time that will better accommodate your schedules and your objectives.

It’s important that you remember that all correspondence contributes to your professional image, and that includes each and every phone call you make. By attending to a few simple rules of phone etiquette you’ll be able to maintain that professional image you’ve built your business upon.

Come back next week when we’ll talk about using proper phone etiquette when answering a call and using voicemail.

(Part Three of a Three-Part Series)

Minding Your Cell Phone Manners

Last week we discussed the importance of answering your business phone properly. In this last article of this series on phone etiquette we will discuss proper etiquette when using your cell phone. Cell phones enable us to keep in touch despite location. They’ve become a great convenience and have advanced our ability to remain in contact with our businesses and all the contacts that make those businesses thrive. Unfortunately, cell phone users can take it a bit too far, making their business everyone’s business by talking about private issues in very public places, taking calls regardless of the company they’re in, and disregarding many cell-free zones like libraries and hospitals. If you have a cell phone it’s important that you mind your wireless manners, because when you don’t you endanger your professional image and irritate those around you.

Consider the following 7 rules of cell phone etiquette:

1. Respect cell-free zones.
Libraries, museums, theaters, hospitals, dentist offices, churches, and all other cell-free zones should be respected. Otherwise you appear unprofessional and disrespectful which may be discouraging to potential clients.

2. Don’t take personal calls when doing business.
Unless an emergency, it is rude to take personal calls when meeting with other professionals. In fact, it’s a good idea to turn your cell phone off before you enter meetings, presentations, or lunch appointments with associates.

3. Maintain a safe parameter when carrying on a conversation in public.
While at the library a few weeks ago a man began carrying on a very private conversation with his mother where he talked about his drug addiction, the halfway house where he was currently residing, and the twelve-step program he was having trouble following. Not only was it a cell-free zone, but he was surrounded by about 5 people in a very quiet area; at the end of his call we all knew more about him than we wanted to know. Whether a personal or business call, no one wants a conversation thrust upon them, especially when it is one of which they did not agree to participate.

4. Wear an earpiece to better hear your caller and gauge your voice level.
If you know you’ll be in a noisy area it’s good to wear an earpiece which helps you better engage with your caller.

5. Demand that employees follow your rules of proper cell phone etiquette.
If you have employees it is important that you enforce your own version of cell etiquette when they are in your office. One unprofessional misstep could send the wrong message to your clients.

6. Inform callers that you are speaking on a cell phone.
It is good to let listeners know when you are on a mobile because they will be better prepared for the common interferences associated with cell usage.

7. Avoid loud and annoying ring tones.
While it may be fun to find unusual and distinct ring tones, they can sound annoying to listeners. And because you use your cell phone for business, everything about your wireless conversations should be professional, including your ring tones and its volume level.

With every great technological advance come some disadvantages. While accessing business associates may be more convenient with your cell phone, you must recognize that sometimes that comes with a price. If you don’t want to disturb those around you and come across as rude and inconsiderate then you must follow simple rules of cell phone etiquette. The seven listed above will help you get started.

(Part Two of a Three-Part Series)

Minding Your Landline Manners

With one thoughtless flick of the wrist you can answer the phone and compromise your career. We can’t stress enough the importance of practicing good etiquette in all your correspondence. Because regardless of your intentions, each time you communicate you’re speaking for your business.

Last week we discussed the importance of practicing phone etiquette when placing a call. This week we’ll examine the significance of answering a phone properly.

Answering a Call

Whether you or your secretary manages this task, you should never underestimate the importance of taking calls. The way in which your business phone is answered speaks volumes of your professionalism. Consider the following when tackling this important responsibility:

1. Identify yourself and your business. Each time you or your secretary answers the phone your business must be identified. This orients the caller and assures them they’ve reached their intended party. And imagine how disconcerting it is for a caller to place a business call only to have someone answer with a simple, “hello?” They may wonder if they have dialed the wrong number.

2. Watch your tone. It’s important that whoever answers your phone speaks with a friendly and approachable tone. The more personable your answering service, the more approachable your business.

3. Ask for permission to put someone on hold. If you must put someone on hold, ask for their permission first and estimate the length of their wait. This demonstrates respect for the caller and his/her time.

Voicemail

Yes, there is a certain amount of etiquette required when recording your voicemail message. Like any other correspondence, your outgoing message contributes to your professional image. A lackluster or incomplete voicemail recording may not inspire your callers to leave their message, thus loosing potential business. Remember to include the following when creating your recording:

A few moments pause. This time enables callers to prepare for your recording and process everything that will be relayed. Also remember how important it is to speak slowly and clearly.

A greeting. All work and no greeting can leave callers feeling short-handed. While it may be a business call, it doesn’t have to be sterile. Consider a greeting that will set the tone of your recording.

Your name. Before leaving a message your caller wants the assurance that they’ve reached their intended party.

The name of your business. Whether they were calling you specifically or your business, stating the name of your business will again reassure callers that they’ve called the right number.

The date. How frustrating is it to call a number that can no longer take calls because the voicemail is full. When your outgoing message includes a current date your callers realize that you manage you voicemail regularly and don’t allow messages to pile up. This assures them that you will return their call in a timely manner.

Estimated wait for a return call. Whether it is 24 or 48 hours, providing callers with an estimated wait for a return call is respectful and professional.

An emergency number. You don’t want callers to take advantage of an emergency number, but you do want them to have the help they need when they need it. When you provide callers with your home phone, the number of a business associate, or a call service, you enable panicked callers to talk with a person who can put them at ease.

You’d be surprised at how much impact your phone etiquette can have on callers. Not only can it help promote your professional reputation, but it’s the perfect start to a good track record with customer service. You’re promoting retention when callers feel as if their needs are being met.

Come back next week when we will discuss cell phone etiquette.

Painless Accounting: Increase Your Services and Your Bottom Line

Here’s a quick quiz for you.

1. Would you like to grow your business?
2. Would you like to work smarter and beat the competition?
3. Would you like to make more money?
4. Would you like to make a difference?
5. And would you like to do it all in less time?

If you answered “yes” to one or more of the above questions, than you would probably be interested in becoming a certified Professional Bookkeeper.

If you’re not quite sure yet, here’s another quiz.

1. Would you like the training to be convenient?
2. Would you like to learn at your own pace?
3. Would you like to avoid complicated math and confusing lingo?
4. Would you like to work with the small business, which provides over 85% of accounting opportunities?
5. And would you like to do it all without spending 4 years at a university?

Again, if you answered “yes” to those questions, than don’t wait another day to change your career and your life!

Small Businesses Are Looking for a Few Good Accountants
Over 85% of the opportunities in the accounting field are within small businesses. Universities prepare their students for corporate accounting which doesn’t address small business needs. More than 50% of small businesses fail, and much of that failure can be attributed to lack of accounting expertise. Imagine contributing to the success of small business, which will build your own community while providing you with job satisfaction and security. Why can’t that be you and how would you go about it?

UAC’s Professional Bookkeeper Program Has the Answer
At Universal Accounting, we understand the needs of the small business like nobody else. We’ve helped people like you advance their career in small business accounting for over 25 years. With a curriculum designed specifically to address the needs of small businesses, Universal Accounting offers the most complete small business accounting course anywhere. And depending on your schedule and situation, it could only take you 60 hours to complete. That’s about 4 weeks. Just think of it, you working for your financial stability and the lifestyle you have set for yourself in as little as 4 weeks!

Endless Opportunities
The Professional Bookkeeper Program will enable you to advance in your current job. Even non-accounting positions can be enhanced with accounting knowledge; this designation alone could impress your boss and earn a promotion. Or maybe you’d like to expand your tax practice by adding accounting services to your menu. This one program can open doors you might not have known existed.

In an informal poll taken by the success coaches here at Universal Accounting, we contacted 100 graduates of our Professional Bookkeeper Program 12 months after their graduation. 74% are now working in the accounting field, have been promoted to a management position or own their own accounting business.

Success Stories
But don’t just take our word for it. Here’s what our students have to say about the program.

When I started this class I knew nothing about accounting. Wow, what a difference 4 weeks can make! My advice, Just Do It. You never know what you can do until you do it. I know you’ve heard it before, but in 10 years do you want to be where you are now? I don’t. That’s why I’m here doing this.
-Dennis Keener

I have the videos and will watch them over and over. This support sets Universal Accounting Center apart from the other institutions. The material presented by Universal Accounting Center is what I have searched for all my life. I know from years of educational experience that no finer information exists and no one puts this material together better than Universal Accounting!
-Benjamin York

I have been very impressed by how much we have learned in such a short time. I had no experience in any accounting but I was still able to complete this course. I would recommend this class to anyone that is interested in accounting.
-Marianne Johansen

Hundreds have found success in the Professional Bookkeeper Program. Won’t you join them?

Universal’s Distance Learning PB Program
An explanation of Universal Accounting Center’s Professional Bookkeeper Program is available on VHS or DVD to provide you with the flexibility and convenience necessary in today’s hectic world. While some students breeze through the program in a matter of weeks, others take their time in order to work the training around their busy lives.

Maybe you have been thinking about this for a while, to getting your PB Certification, take advantage of the opportunity right now. Learn how if you order your copy today, you can get all the modules for only $1485 paid in full! Consider how much a university education might cost. Here is a quick breakdown of typical expenses.

There is no comparison on cost - $33,000 verses $1485 of the Professional Bookkeeper Program! The PB Program wins hands-down. And because our course will take about 4 weeks, rather than 4 years, you can also cut out the cost of lost career opportunities, since you can get working right away. Even a conservative estimate of $2,000/month of wage x 47 months (4 years minus the month that our training takes) comes to $94,000 in lost wages. Add that to the $33,000 in costs associated with a college accounting program and we come to a grand total of $127,000 - the REAL COST of university training!

$1485 is only a mere fraction of the cost of a university education and the Professional Bookkeeper Program will help you take advantage of 85% of accounting opportunities. And if you can’t afford the $1485 right now, click here to learn about our financing. Don’t let anything hold you back from the success you both want and deserve.

Visit Universal Accounting Center today to begin increasing your services and your bottom line!

Serving You with Our Free Newsletters

We enjoy sending you information that we hope improves your work as a tax preparer. Our three newsletters, AB Tips, Tax Tips, and Career Tips, are intended to help professionals like you advance in whatever their current position in the financial field. The AB Tips Newsletter is designed to share accounting and bookkeeping tips with subscribers. Intended for individuals with their own accounting practice or for those who would like to start their own practice, we specifically include tips on how to market your services, how to streamline tasks, how to organize your office space, etc. Our Tax Tips Newsletter is for tax preparers or those interested in tax preparation. We provide tax news, information on starting your own business, tips on building your clientele, etc. And finally, we have our Career Tips newsletter, for those who work or would like to work in the accounting field. In this newsletter we include information on getting the right job, advancing in your field, moving into management positions, etc.

As we learn more about your needs, we alter our approach in order to better serve you. We’re adding a few things to the newsletter that we hope you enjoy. Here’s a breakdown of what’s included and how we hope it helps you.

Two articles

Since we began running our free ezines over two years ago, we have included two articles every issue that offer accounting and tax information, tips on running and marketing a small business, career guidelines and promotional pieces. The newsletters provide us with the opportunity to share our products and services with those we believe they best serve. Universal’s programs are top of the line and life-changing; we promote them because we know they help people like you achieve career goals and realize your business dreams.

We also use the newsletter as an opportunity to expose you to our many free resources, including personalized information from our President and CEO, Allen Bostrom in Allen’s Blog, UAC’s accounting and tax forums, the newsletters, and the Universal video tour.

Recently we’ve responded to requests for purely informational pieces as well. Last summer we asked newsletter subscribers to tell us what you wanted to read about. For the past six months we’ve tried to include articles on all suggested topics. Each newsletter contains one, if not two, informational pieces. We continue to welcome your feedback as we write articles intended to help you improve your financial services. Please visit our forums for a chance to give us feedback on past articles and suggestions for future articles.

Press Releases and New Products

We want you to be in the know about everything Universal, so we include all press releases, enrollment offers, and information about new products in our newsletters. From our new interactive testing center to our customized Professional Bookkeeper Program for Canadian residents, we want you to be the first to know what’s happening at Universal Accounting Center.

Quotable Quote

Everyone could use a little inspiration now and then, so we like to include a quotable quote in each issue of our newsletters. Funny quotes, somber quotes, quotes that make you want to get up and accomplish something, we try to include a variety that inspire and uplift.

“The Bottom Line”

And last but certainly not least is an upcoming addition to our newsletters: a video clip we call “The Bottom Line.” In the serious world of financial statements, taxes, and projected profits, the bottom line is that we like what we do and can enjoy a good laugh about our profession. The humorous clip is intended to help lighten your load and improve your day. We hope you look forward to this new feature and share it frequently with coworkers, family, and friends.

We want our newsletter to help you move forward in your goals as a financial professional. So stay tuned as we continue to improve our newsletters so that they can better serve your needs. We appreciate your support.

How to Maximize Business Relationships

Ray Sclafani, founder and president of a coaching firm called ClientWISE, wrote an article for womenentrepreneur.com called “Reaching the Next Level of Your Business” in which he discusses the importance of using professional relationships to boost your small business to the next level. In that article he presents three steps in accomplishing this, which we have condensed and modified in consideration of your unique business concerns. If you’ve been thinking about advancing your business, consider the following:

Define your vision.

I was walking down the hallway of my children’s elementary school yesterday and saw a poster that read, “If you do what you’ve always done, you’ll get what you’ve always gotten.” If you haven’t given any thought to what you’d like your business to ultimately become, than you’re on track to getting what you’ve always gotten.

All successful business owners have a vision and the vision helps them determine what action they must take in order to move their business to the next level. Are you interested in evolving your business into something more profitable? Would you like to see it become a full-time venture? Are you interested in expanding your business so that you can function as a full-service financial provider? Do you expect to grow your business and add staff employees? All these questions can help you determine where you’d like your business to go. Once that vision is defined you can take the necessary steps to accomplish it.

Turn associates into advocates.

Look at all your contacts (clients, potential clients, colleagues, other business associates) and determine which of those might become your advocates. Consider those you most trust, who appreciate your services. Once you’ve found 10-such associates, you can approach them for help. No, you’re not asking for money or even a lot of their time. You’re asking them to answer 3 key questions regarding your business and how it might improve:

1. What do you do well now?
2. How might your business improve?
3. How would they describe your business to a friend or associate?

The answers to three questions will provide you will insight that will enable you to move forward, taking your business with you.

Work at 90-day increments.

In order to find the best business advocates, Sclafani suggests asking yourself: “Which 10 people could have the greatest impact on my business in the next 90 days?” Once you determine who those individuals are you can work to improve your relationships in order to get that valuable feedback that will improve your business. If that relationship already exists, initiate that conversation as soon as possible so that you can be advised on where next to take your business.

Work in 90-day increments, keeping your goals in mind. Those goals can be to develop relationships with key advocates or being applying valuable advice on improving your business and services. Whichever goals you choose, watch them closely and do all you can to accomplish them within that three-month timeframe.

References
Sclafani, Ray. “Reaching the Next Level of Your Business.” 22 October 2007. WomenEntrepreneur.com

UAC Can Be a Tremendous Advocate for Your Business

One way to fast-track your business to the next level is by adding accounting to your services. You’ll be able to attract more clients and stay busy year-round, managing small business accounts. And by enrolling in Universal Accounting Center’s Professional Bookkeeper Program you can gain the knowledge and expertise much sooner than you might expect.

In less than 60 hours you could complete practical training in small business accounting that will give you the confidence and skills you need to launch your business to another, more profitable level. Not only that, but you’ll find the program inexpensive and convenient, allowing you to study at your own time and pace. Here are the four modules you’ll enjoy:

• Module One: Accounting Made Easy
• Module Two: Practical Small Business Applications
• Module Three: Advancing Your ‘Account-Ability’
• Module Four: Building a Successful Accounting Service Contents

To learn more you can order our video, “Introduction to the Professional Bookkeeper Program” for just $9.95. Imagine that. For less than $10 you can be one step closer to achieving your vision. Now that’s a prime investment! Order today!