10 Tips on Working More Efficiently (Part One of a Two-Part Series)

Also called “working smart,” efficient work strategies can makes any small business more profitable as owners determine how to get more done in less time. And as we are in the middle of what some would call a recession, getting more out of your work day could help you and your business fair better during difficult economic times.

In this two-week series we will discuss 10 tips on working more efficiently so that you can eliminate the unnecessary and find more time for billable hours. Here are the first five of 10 tips designed to help you work smart:

1. Clean and organize your workspace

You can waste hours looking for important documents if your office is not clean and organized. While this tip may seem like one designed to lengthen your workday rather than shorten it, you’ll find that setting aside just a few hours to tidy up your office will save you a lot of time in the long run.

And this tip is not for looks alone. You want to ensure that all your files are quick and easy to locate. So don’t just hide them in a box in the closet. Take the time to truly organize your workspace. And once you do, dedicate a few minutes at the end of each day to clean up your office so it doesn’t become unruly once again.

2. Schedule workday around your most productive times

One perk in being self-employed is that you’re not required to comply with a traditional work schedule. This can be incredibly helpful for those who may work better early in the morning or late at night. Determine the times of day you are most productive and schedule your workday around those times.

There’s no use working 9 to 5 if you find you’re most sluggish in the last afternoon. Maybe you could work from 6 to 11am and then again from 8 to 10pm. Ensure your schedule is realistic and works for you and your family. And if your schedule is highly unconventional, make sure you devise a method for contacting clients and colleagues, as their schedules are likely to be more traditional.

3. Establish a routine

Once you determine a work schedule you should develop a routine. Routines can help you work more efficiently. Determine when you will read and respond to email; abide by that routine. Determine when you will call and meet with clients; abide by that routine. While there will definitely be times you must break from this schedule, generally it can help you stay on task and reserve the bulk of your time for billable hours.

4. Hire help

Sometimes it does take money to make money. Some of your more tedious tasks could be accomplished by a part-time employee. While you may need to pay this individual minimum wage or more, think of all the time it affords you to make more money and possibly take on additional clients.

You may find your best employee lives in your home, just a hop, skip and a jump away from your office. When you hire a teenage child to work for your business, you not only equip them with valuable experience and key employability skills, but you also enjoy important tax breaks. As long as the child is under 18 he/she is not only tax deductible, but in a proprietorship they’re exempt from FICA, Unemployment, Workmen’s Compensation, and tax withholding.

5. Consider replacing some paper files with electronic files

Sometimes all that paperwork can bog you down. You may want to consider which files would be easier to manage electronically, eliminating the paper trail as well as making information much more accessible.

By following just a few tips, you could make your business function more efficiently, which will make you and your business more productive, and in turn, more profitable.

Join us next week when we will discuss the following 5 tips for working smart.

6. Perform similar tasks at same time

7. Dedicate more attention to higher-yielding clients

8. Avoid unnecessary meetings

9. Reduce the number of emails you send and receive

10. Be productive and not just busy

UAC Can Help You Work Smarter

Let Universal Accounting Center help you maximize work efficiency. In learning new skills you can enhance your service offerings and become more profitable. Our DVD 4-pack is designed to let people like you discover those skills that can enhance your practice. It includes the following DVD’s:

Introduction to the Professional Bookkeeper Program–Learn how becoming a Professional Bookkeeper will improve your accounting skills and help you in your accounting career.

Yes Sample Marketing CD-Learn how to introduce your services to a potential client. Use this either for role playing, watching it while meeting with your client or passing them out.

Start Today and Have Your Own Bookkeeping Service–Learn how to make over $80,000 per year working from home while getting more clients than you can handle. Know how to charge your client so you can afford to take that next vacation while they get such a great deal they will be telling all their friends about you.

The Art and Science of Getting Clients–Learn proven marketing strategies designed to help accountants market their skills in order to get more clients.

Each of these DVD’s can help you work smarter. Order now and save nearly $25.00 on this valuable set. For less than $20 you can be on your way to a more efficient tax preparation business-or better yet, a more efficient full-service financial practice!

One of my favorite business bloggers, Ivan Misner, talks about attending a presentation by Steve D’Annunzio where he said, “taking the hard path often makes life easier and taking the easy path often makes life harder.”

As a parent of three young children this idea resonates with me. Taking the time to parent my children well now may be harder, but it will make parenting much easier when they’re teenagers. As I thought about this I realized the idea applies to just about everything in life, including business.

What hard things could you do right now to make your future professional life easier? By putting in more time, energy and even investing a little money you could significantly lighten your future load. Not to mention, increase your future earnings in the process.

The Hard Path for an Easier Future

If you currently offer tax preparation services, your business would benefit greatly by offering additional, complementary services. The truth is doing so would probably require an investment of time, money, and energy. But in the end would it make your life easier? YES!

Expand your practice by adding small business accounting services to your menu. Chances are some of your current clients are small business owners, so you are already familiar with their unique needs. And because you already prepare their tax returns, you have an advantage over other contract accountants who may be interested in securing their business.

Your Advantage

When you are trained in small business accounting you can promise prospective clients attentive service that meets their unique accounting needs. And when you enroll in UAC’s Professional Bookkeeper Program you can become confident, skilled, and certified in small business accounting.

Here are just a handful of things you will learn:

Accounting Made Easy - - Course Module 1

Master the tools, procedures, and underlying principles that make up the bookkeeping processes of all businesses. Understand the core building blocks of Accounting and Bookkeeping. — 4 DVDs & Manual. See Sample

Practical Small Business Applications — Course Module 2

Apply your understanding of the core accounting principles to specific industries. You will learn to set up books from scratch, do payroll like a seasoned pro, and much more. — 4 DVDs & Manual. See Sample

Advancing your “Account-Ability” — Course Module 3

Sure ways to set up complete bookkeeping systems and manage the books for a variety of more sophisticated industries. — 4 DVDs & Manual.See Sample

Building a Successful Accounting Service — Course Module 4

Learn the steps to finding paying clients. Start and Grow an accounting practice following a proven program tested and perfected since 1979. — 4 DVDs & Manuals.See Sample

While this may seem the hard path, the truth is, this course can take less than 60 hours to complete. And the cost of enrollment is a fraction of what you’ll earn after completing the program. So choose the hard path for now, for 60 hours, and enjoy an easier, more comfortable lifestyle later. Enroll today!

References

Misner, Ivan. “The Hard Path is Easier.” Networking Now: Growing Your Business Through the Power of Relationships. Entrepreneur.com

6 Steps for Turning Prospective Clients into Current Clients

You’ve made a good first impression and now you want to deliver your sales pitch and seal the deal. That may be easier said than done. But when you attend to the client’s needs and follow 6 simple steps, it can happen, and quite possibly, before the bill arrives.

1. Arrive early

It’s important that you properly set up your meeting. Most sales pitches are delivered over a meal; it’s a great way to lure prospective clients from their own businesses in order to discuss your services. In that case, you should ensure the restaurant is aware that your reservation is for a business breakfast, lunch or dinner. Give them your card before the clients arrive in order to avoid that awkward moment when the bill is presented. You can also determine seating at this time, which is important when meeting with more than one prospective client.

2. Build your professional relationship

Set the meeting’s tone by getting to know the client better before jumping into your pitch. Ask questions and listen to their answers. Just about everyone likes to talk about themselves, their families, their businesses, and even the weather. Exhibit genuine interest in your client’s life and you’re sure to build a solid base for your professional relationship.

3. Time your pitch

You want to avoid interruption and ensure adequate time to deliver your pitch. If you’re having breakfast, you don’t have much time and will want to start fairly soon. Lunch appointments are a little longer and you should wait until everyone orders before you start. Dinner appointments are the most leisurely and you should wait until everyone has finished their entre before you start talking business.

4. Ask the right questions

It’s important that you determine your prospective client’s needs. What are their current accounting needs? Do they already have an accountant? Are they satisfied with their current accountant? What services would they find most beneficial? The more you learn about their business and corresponding accounting needs the better equipped you’ll be to cater your pitch to align with their business objectives.

5. Emphasize benefits

Before you even practice your pitch try to take on your prospective client’s perspective. What would they most want from an accountant? While you probably offer everything from standard bookkeeping to payroll services, the client is more interested in how those services will benefit their business. It’s much more appealing to hear that you’ll help them cut costs and increase profits than it is to know that you can manage their accounts payable and accounts receivable.

6. Listen to and answer questions

This step is often overlooked. We can be so focused on delivering our pitch that we forget to listen to our prospective client’s questions and thoughtfully answer them. This will help you best determine what their deeper concerns might be. Often this is where the deal is sealed as the client comes to realize that you’re genuinely interested in what is best for their business.

Enhancing Your Sales Pitch

You’ll be better equipped to seal the deal when you have a professional designation to back your experience and expertise. Not to mention, when you receive training in small business accounting, you will enhance your service offerings and become a full-service financial provider! What client wouldn’t want their tax preparer to become a one-stop shop for their financial needs?

And when you enroll in Universal’s Professional Bookkeeper Program, you learn how to become a client’s Profit Expert, enabling you to contribute to a client’s profitability - a skill that makes your services invaluable. Imagine how that will enhance your sales pitch!

Get started today! UAC has been training professionals like you for over 25 years. Benefit from our experience and expertise. Enroll now and gain the skills and confidence necessary to secure more clients and seal countless deals!

7 Tips on Forming a Good First Impression

Meeting with a prospective client in order to pitch your services can be intimidating and nerve-wracking. Does it help to know that much of your prospective client’s decision will be influenced by their first impression of you? In fact, your contact will form that first impression within mere seconds of meeting. It’s important that you do your best to make it a good one. We recommend you consider the following when meeting clients to discuss your services.

1. Looks matter

We’re not suggesting that in order to succeed you must look like a contender for a beauty pageant or the cover of GQ. But we are saying you need to appear well-groomed and professional. Depending on the setting, a formal restaurant or a casual bistro, you should dress appropriately and ensure that all the details-from your hair to your shoes-are attended to and project a positive image for your practice.

2. Consider the contact

You don’t want your contact to feel out-of-place or uncomfortable. When selecting a meeting place you should consider the prospective client and what would put them at ease. This includes how you dress as well. You would probably select different attire when meeting a tattoo artist than you would when meeting a stock broker.

3. Practice a firm handshake

Just about everything you do in that first meeting will reflect back on your business and the services you offer. A firm handshake projects confidence and strength while a limp handshake projects a lack of confidence and strength. If necessary you should practice your handshake until it becomes second nature.

4. Express thanks

Lydia Ramsey, in her article “Seal the Deal in Seven Seconds,” says that while only 7% of your first impression is formed by the words you use, it’s important that you choose those words wisely. She suggests focusing on your first 12 words by expressing gratitude for the opportunity to meet with the prospective client.

5. Use the client’s name

Everyone loves the sound of their own name. And when talking to a prospective client, especially within those first crucial minutes, it’s essential that you say their name. But don’t overdo it; you just might start to sound like you’re schmoozing which is never very appealing.

6. Smile

No matter how nervous you are be sure to smile. A genuine smile will put the client at ease and set a friendly tone for the meeting.

7. Be energetic and personable

Even your walk says something about you. If your demeanor is sluggish then your prospective client will think that’s how you work. Be energetic, positive and friendly. This effort will communicate volumes about your work ethic.

Almost as important as your pitch is the first impression you give a prospective employer. As you attend to your appearance and the way your present yourself, applying the seven tips described above, you’ll find it much easier to close the deal. Come back next week when we will discuss how to present the perfect sales pitch.

To enhance your sales pitch and learn crucial marketing techniques, you can enroll in the Professional Bookkeeper Program. You can add new services to your offerings and broaden your target market. If you would like to learn more you can order our video “Introduction to the Professional Bookkeeper Program” today. For less than $10 (or free when you watch it online) you can learn everything you need know about this amazing course.

References

Ramsey, Lydia. “Seal the Deal in Seven Seconds.” 2 July 2008 About.com

If It’s Accounting, It’s Universal:

Get to Know More About the Company That Will Change Your Career!

Universal Accounting is a company that is making a difference in the lives of their students! For those who are pursuing or looking into the possibilities of pursuing a career path into the Accounting, Bookkeeping and Tax Preparation services, you need to get to know more about what all Universal offers in their comprehensive training programs.

If you prefer onsite classroom study or looking for the benefits received on independent study, we have developed the programs that you will be able to get the one-on-one experience in your own home. The skills we have used over the course of the last 28 years, with the trial and error, the fine-tuning of accounting methods and strategies, and what we and thousands more have experienced running their own practices - we have provided to you the advantage to stay on top of your profession. Our coursework is designed to be exactly what you will be doing when you are servicing the biggest customer base available, the small business owner.

If you are looking for the knowledge, the skills, and the know-how to start or build your accounting or tax practice, or just looking to gain the essential skills to further your career in your place of business, Universal’s Programs are what you are going to need.

Click here to take the Video Tour of Universal and all that we offer to you, the accounting and tax professional to be the best in your field and to have the success in business and in your professional life that you are seeking.Our exclusive short term courses do just that!

Imagine staying on top of the latest in the industry and having access to the experts who can assist you through training? Imagine what you are learning can be applied the very next day at work? Imagine being able to keep the materials, and the reading for continued referencing as you take that path in Accounting, Bookkeeping and Tax Preparation? You don’t have to imagine too hard, because that is one of the many things you receive when you enroll in these specialized programs! Click here to get to know Universal Accounting.

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.

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!

A Phenomenal Equation: Your Business 2x²

Have you ever wanted to clone yourself so you could accomplish more with your business? The idea of getting more work done without hiring a large support staff is appealing. And we know you don’t want to work twice as hard (and long) as you currently do in attempts to become more profitable. Working smart is the best option for your business.

While we may not be able to clone you, we can help multiply your efforts in such a way that you’d be amazed at how profitable your business can become. Many of you are probably working part-time as tax preparers, hoping that some day you’ll be able to take advantage of the flexibility and freedom of full-time self-employment. And if you’ve been waiting for a mind-boggling opportunity to do so, this would be it.

Let’s do some math.

Wouldn’t it be nice to increase your productivity, your business appeal, and your clientele? Of course it would! But the math we’re suggesting here isn’t mere addition. We’re encouraging a more powerful mathematical action: multiplication.

Multiplication has the power to increase your profitability exponentially. So ask yourself, wouldn’t you like to see your business in the middle of the following equation?

2x²

The Profession Bookkeeper Program - 2x

Let’s say your business is x. Universal Accounting Center enables you to multiply your business efforts by two. When you enroll in the Professional Bookkeeper Program we unite efforts in order to double the value of your business. How do we do that? By adding small business accounting services to your menu.

It’s amazing how small businesses continue to populate the nation. Every year more individuals take that leap and start their own business. We know you’ve thought about it! Unfortunately a large number of start-ups fail within the first five years due to poor financial management. These small business owners need accountants who understand their needs and can help them put their numbers to good use.

At Universal Accounting Center, we understand the needs of the small business like nobody else. We’ve helped people like you advance their careers in small business accounting for over 25 years. Unlike many university programs and other training curriculum, The Professional Bookkeeper Program is designed specifically to address the needs of small businesses, and Universal Accounting Center’s small business accounting course is the most complete of anything else offered today. And depending on your schedule and situation, it could take you less than 60 hours complete. Imagine earning a professional designation in less than one month!

If you’re working part-time preparing taxes, you can take your business venture full-time by becoming a full-service financial provider. Not only will clients come to you for their tax needs, but you’ll find yourself doing business year-round for all those clients who value your accounting services as well.

The Universal Practice Builder Workshop — x

Now comes the exciting part of this equation. Square your business’s profitability!

In order for any business to thrive, it needs customers-the more the better. Unfortunately, most accountants and tax preparers don’t feel comfortable marketing their services. In fact, many are unsure where to start.

Again, in partnering with Universal Accounting Center you increase your business’s profitability, only in this instance you take the value gained from the Professional Bookkeeper Program and combine it with the Universal Practice Builder Workshop, squaring this new sum.

UAC has developed a turn-key marketing solution which will enable you to grow your business with our proven system. You could work for years on a marketing plan, hitting and missing, only to find your business growing at a snail’s pace. Imagine learning which marketing strategies work in just 48 hours! The Universal Practice Builder is a 2-day workshop designed to teach you the art and science of getting clients. At the end of the workshop you will have gained the following (and much, much more):

• A guarantee of $30,000 in new annualized billings in only 12 months
• 12 marketing strategies that you can implement immediately
• A process which can produce 15 to 25 qualified leads a month
• 3 months of coaching via telephone and Internet
• Training on a computerized database tracking program
• A presentation DVD to show potential clients

By enrolling in both the Professional Bookkeeper Program and the Universal Practice Builder Workshop, you double the value of your business (2x) and then square that new sum (2x²). You of all people can appreciate a good mathematical equation, especially one that works in your favor. Order Universal’s value package and drop your business into that profitable equation today!

It’s as Easy as One, Two: Two Steps to a Bigger and Better Business

You will either step forward into growth or you will step back into safety. - Abraham Maslow Money is only used for two things. One, it’s to make you comfortable, and the more comfortable you are the more creative you will become. And the other purpose is it enables you to extend the service you provide far beyond your own presence. - Bob Proctor

Inside of you is a business tycoon waiting to break free. We hope you don’t find that hard to believe because success stems largely from your own beliefs. If your beliefs are limiting and leave you trapped in a dull-drum existence barely eking out a living, chances are you won’t see any change to that come two, five, or twenty years. However, if you believe that your business is a raving success in work clothes, then you’re on the right track. With that in mind, literally, we can partner with you to achieve all that you believe.

You can grow your business with two simple steps. First, expand your offerings by adding complementary services and, two, find a new niche to market these services.

Offer Complementary Services

If you intend to continue your business only offering tax services, then in order to grow that business you must draw more clients who need those services. That’s doable, but there are other, more effective ways to build your business. Consider this; if you were to add complementary services, like accounting, your current clients may enlist these services in addition to your tax preparation services. Without sending out fliers, postcards, or doing one radio commercial, you could increase your billable hours simply by informing current clients of your expanded services.

The Professional Bookkeeper Program

Genius is 1% inspiration and 99% perspiration. Accordingly a genius is often merely a talented person who has done all of his or her homework. - Thomas Edison

As a tax preparer, we already know that numbers come naturally to you. Now all you need to do is find your inner accountant. And it won’t take much formal training, although you will have your fair share of homework. In fact, Universal Accounting Center’s Professional Bookkeeper (PB) Program is not only reputable, but it’s self-paced, enabling a busy professional like yourself to take your time or to complete the program quickly and in possibly less than 60 hours.

Find a New Niche

The second way you can expand your business is by finding another niche market. And if you haven’t yet targeted the small business owner, now’s the time. The PB program will teach you small business accounting. And in order for your niche market to appreciate the value of your tax and accounting services, you need to market them effectively.

The Universal Practice Builder

Understand that you need to sell you and your ideas in order to advance your career, gain more respect, and increase your success, influence and income. - Jay Abraham

Whatever your specialty, you’d be hard-pressed to run a successful business without good marketing. Because we understand that many accountants and tax preparers don’t feel comfortable with their marketing skills, we’ve developed a two-day workshop designed to teach you all you need to know. It’s called the Universal Practice Builder and it will provide you with the following:

• A guarantee of $30,000 in new annualized billings in only 12 months
• 12 marketing strategies that you can implement immediately
• A process which can produce 15 to 25 qualified leads a month
• 3 months of coaching via telephone and Internet
• Training on a computerized database tracking program
• A presentation DVD to show potential clients

We call it your turn-key marketing solution.

So there you have it. With some accounting training and less than 48 hours of focused marketing instruction you can have a ready-made business, just add your shingle. And Universal has put together this special offer; enroll in these programs today and you can have them both for one low price. So have you found the tycoon within? It’s time you did because he/she is waiting to enjoy business success. Order Now!

If you’re like most professionals, you yearn for a successful career doing something you enjoy while earning a substantial income. Real people like you have realized those same dreams with help from UAC’s Universal Practice Builder (UPB) Program.

The Universal Practice Builder Program

Designed to teach financial professionals how to effectively market their practices, this program teaches enrollees more than 12 proven marketing strategies, enabling them to secure 15 to 25 qualified leads per month and earn more than $30,000 in annualized billings in just one year! For a small, initial investment paid in an enrollment fee, you will see incredible dividends. And if you choose to use the Client Generator, we can assist you as you employ the techniques you learn, step by step.

The Client Generator

When you opt to use our master coaches to help you employ all the principles taught in the UPB Program, you get qualified, personalized help in growing your practice. These coaches become part of a powerful team that works together to build your business and increase your clientele.

One technique used is the QuickBooks seminar, designed to attract a large number of potential clients to which you can demonstrate your expertise and value as a financial professional. When you use the Client Generator, you will have master coachesl help you in every step of the process, from attracting the right people to your seminar to securing follow-up appointments with them later.

The results you will experience are real and measurable. But don’t take our word for it. See what one satisfied enrollee has to say.

Scott B. wrote an email to express his thanks to UAC for helping him grow his business. Read his story to see just what happens when you combine the Universal Practice Builder Program with the Client Generator.

Scott’s Story

My name is Scott B. I thought that [the Universal Practice Builder] was a terrific experience, and yet it pales in comparison to my experience with the Client Generator! I am writing this email after just arriving home from my first QuickBooks Seminar!

It is difficult for me to find the words to express the gratitude and excitement that I am feeling for my Utah-based team members! It is important to me that you are aware of the outstanding effort, and the beyond-expectations results that your employees, my team members, delivered.

Let me start with Josh and Mel; these guys handed me a FULL CLASSROOM of ready and willing students eager to be potential clients.

Scott! Where can I even start with this guy! From his upbeat attitude at the UPB he created a positive energy that made me take notice and hear things differently. I came home with a new appreciation towards marketing. His can-do attitude continued with each coaching call. Then his over-the-top, side-by-side coaching / mentoring through the actual class. I may even forgive him for beating me by 2 strokes on the golf course! (Ask him about the rocket launch.)

David. What more can I say about David? From his coaching on the phone on closing skills, timely return of calls and information and personal attention to detail; the guy is amazing. He spent part of an afternoon via remote login to my computer to help me understand ACT software. He has listened to me practice my sales pitch to make it stronger and has shared in each success that he has helped me achieve.

It has been my experience that too many times people do just enough work to keep their job. There is a lack of effort, and or a lack of pride for a job well done. You will not find that characteristic in the gentlemen that I have mentioned in this e-mail. They do more than just try to reach the bar; they raise it with each contact.

As I said I just came from my first QuickBooks Seminar. There were 26 people in the room, and 10 of them self-identified for a follow-up meeting, requesting some accounting assistance. That includes seven that stood in line at the end of class to get their name on my appointment calendar. This number does not reflect the 3 one-on-one appointments that I made because the seminar was not good for them. It also does not include the 2 telephone meetings I have on June 16, for potential client set ups!

I am proud to have had the privilege of working with these team members and hope that you will recognize them for a job VERY well done.

Learn More for Yourself

This testimonial talks about a real experience with four of our master coaches. Others have experienced similar results and have expressed gratitude in their own testimonials. Read what they have to say today, and decide to change the course of your future by enrolling in the Universal Practice Builder Program.

It’s mid-summer and you’re probably experiencing a lull in business; not too many are interested in taxes this time of year. What are some things you can do? We have a suggestion. Why not use this time to enhance your skills and become a full service financial provider? You’ll be able to increase your service offerings and turn your business into a full-time, year-round venture. It’s finally time to quit your day job and give yourself a raise.

How Easy Is It?

You may think that adding accounting services to your offerings would require a lot of time, energy, and money. That’s simply not true. In 60 hours you could not only have the skills, but the confidence to perform small business accounting for a growing niche market. Universal Accounting Center’s Professional Bookkeeper (PB) Program provides hands-on training in the day-to-day accounting tasks required by small businesses. From payroll to bank reconciliations, you’ll learn how to manage more than your clients’ books; you’ll also become their Profit Expert, informing them how they can increase their business’s profitability and success. Imagine how valuable that service would be to small business owners who often struggle to last longer than 5 years.

Testimonial: This course has really helped open options I never thought I had before. The training was easy to understand, and the hands-on work emphasizes that understanding and know-how.-Barbara W.

How Much Could You Make?

We’ll do more than give you an average income range; we’ll share an equation that will help you calculate how many clients you will need to earn the income you desire. You can charge the average client $300/month. If you have 20 clients you’re earning $6000 per month. That’s $72,000 in one year, and that number doesn’t even take into account how much you earn during tax season. Depending on your needs, you can increase or decrease the number of clients in order to hit your target income.

Testimonial: As of July 1st, I am leaving my job of 15 years and working my business full time. I already have enough clients, on contract, to give me a larger annual income than I had working for my employer.-Robbie Ursu

How Many Clients Could You Have?

We challenge you to take a drive down your main street or thumb through the yellow pages of your local phone book. How many small, local businesses can you find? And that doesn’t even include the countless entrepreneurs working from their homes. Your potential client base is huge and continues to grow every year.

Testimonial: After completing UAC’s training I opened my business. I now have 15 clients, and have only had one meeting that did not result in a new client.-Victoria Richardson

How Long Would It Take To Get Started?

The Professional Bookkeeper Program is designed to teach you everything you need to know to get started. And because operating an accounting and bookkeeping practice from your home requires little to no startup costs, you could have your practice up and running as soon as you’re ready. This program is practically a ready-made business; you add confidence and stir.

Testimonial: I did not imagine that I could face this world out there and talk confidently about accounting and bookkeeping, let alone start my own business in it. But having this class, I have developed the confidence that I need to go out there and be on my own and the confidence to make a go at it. I’m ready to face the world!!!-Julie M.

Now is the perfect time to take advantage of a lull in business to grow your clientele and become a full-service financial provider. It’s not only easy, but profitable and can take just a couple months to get started. You’ve already got a strong base with your tax preparation business. Why not take advantage of your standing by growing your business this summer?

Our Business-Warming Gift

If you order the Professional Bookkeeper Program now, we’ll throw in QuickBooks Made Profitable as a business-warming gift! Most financial professionals know that QuickBooks is the most popular accounting software used by small business owners. You can use your QuickBooks skills to attract even more clients. When you order the PB Program, you’ll learn how to do just that! With these two programs you will be able to increase your service offerings and learn how to use your QuickBooks skills to attract even more clients.

Not only is now the perfect time for you to grow your business, but this is the perfect opportunity to help you do that.

• Click here to pay in full.
• Click here to finance.

4 Ways to Determine the Health of Your Sales Efforts

In an article published on Entreprenuer.com entitled “Vital Signs: Give Your Sales a Checkup by Analyzing Crucial Data,” Kimberly McCall addresses the importance of regularly assessing the effectiveness of your business’s sales efforts. McCall references Frank J. Rumbaukas Jr.’s book, Never Cold Call Again, and shares 4 ways to determine sales success. Rumbaukas suggests that small businesses run a sales checkup every three months in order to correct potential problems before a company suffers. He explains that when companies wait too long to take a sales pulse they “allow too much damage to occur-the longer you wait, the harder it is to correct a problem.”

Rumbaukas recommends looking at the following four elements in taking your business’s sales pulse:

Conversion Rate

The conversion rate indicates how many potential clients become actual clients. A good conversion rate indicates that your leads are qualified; you’re promoting your services to the right market and your potential clients generally find your services to be valuable. A low conversion rate indicates that you may be focusing your marketing efforts on the wrong people, or perhaps, your pitch isn’t strong enough and doesn’t appeal to your potential clients’ wants and needs.

Profit Margin per Sale

If your profit margin per sale is high that indicates you’re marketing to the right people, those willing to pay your fees without negotiating. They value the services you offer without asking for a discount. If you find yourself continually lowering your prices in order to secure clients then your marketing methods may be faulty or, perhaps, the demographic to which you’re marketing them. Continuing too long with a low profit margin is one sure way to set your business on a failing course.

Length of Sales Cycle

The length of your sales cycle is measured in the amount of time it takes potential customers to enlist your services from the point at which you first make contact, which may include an advertisement, the exchange of business cards or a phone call. A short sales cycle indicates that your marketing efforts are effective and your leads qualified. A longer sales cycle indicates that you should revisit your marketing strategies and consider different approaches.

Consistent Performance among Sales Reps

This indicator probably doesn’t apply to most small business owners who have no sales reps on their staff. In fact, many don’t even have a staff. If you’re the only sales rep you have, and if you’re not doing a very good job marketing your services, you should consider investing in some training that would enable you to better fulfill your business’s marketing needs. Some consider the cost of training to excessive, but ask yourself if an improved marketing plan could improve the profitability of your business and perhaps decrease its likelihood of failure.

Our UPB Program Will Build Your Practice

If, after taking your business’s sales pulse, you determine that your marketing plan could use a little revamping, we suggest you enroll in our Universal Practice Builder (UPB) Program, designed to train even the most marketing-averse business owners how to promote their services in the right way and to the right people. Our experience training financial professionals like you for over 25 years has proven that most tax preparers and accountants lack confidence in their marketing abilities; most feel more comfortable with a calculator than they do with a prospective client. But in order for your tax practice to truly succeed you must learn to get over those fears by placing your confidence in new-found marketing strategies and approaches. Most of our graduates agree that next to the practical training they receive through this program, confidence is the most valuable thing they take with them upon completion. Would your business benefit from 12 proven marketing strategies and 15 to 25 qualified leads per month? Would your business profit from having a sales rep (i.e. you) confident with their marketing skills and expertise? If you answer “yes” to these two questions, the time to enroll in this program is now-the time to change the course of your business, today! Don’t wait another minute to quicken the pulse of your tax practice.

References
McCall, Kimberly. “Vital Signs: Give Your Sales a Checkup by Analyzing Crucial Data.” February 2007. Entrepreneur.com 3 April 2008.