The best way to get started is to come up with clear answers to these two questions:

1. WHY do you want to work as a freelance bookkeeper?

2. WHAT does a freelance bookkeeping business mean for you?

There are no right or wrong answers here, but without these answers before you begin your business, you could end up frustrated and in a situation that you don’t want.

The reasons for starting a bookkeeping service business vary, but often it is sparked by a short-term situation. It might be that a job or other reliable income source was suddenly lost, or new household expenses arrived (such as a new family member). Regardless of the circumstances, oftentimes the primary motivator is a need for more income quickly.

If that’s the case for you, a word of caution is in order. There is a difference between creating a job for yourself so you can work from home, and starting a business – it’s a BIG difference. Starting a new business with your eyes open will determine whether you get the results you want, or struggle, sometimes for years.

This is not intended to discourage you from the idea of starting a freelance bookkeeping business. Far from it! It’s more about setting yourself up for getting exactly what you want right from the start.

When you think about WHY you want to become a freelance bookkeeper, is it because you simply want to work from home with a flexible schedule, possibly to be more available for your family? Or have you always wanted your own business and like the idea of providing valuable services to a variety of clients? Are thinking about building a team of bookkeepers? Maybe you’d even like to pass the business on to your children, or selling it when you’ve had enough of it.

Your first step is to take some quiet time, 30 minutes or so. Envision in your mind’s eye, vividly with as much detail as you can muster, what you see your life being like running a freelance bookkeeping business of your own.  See yourself actually doing it. What would your daily routine be like? Would you work from home? Would you have a virtual staff? How would it fit into the rest of your life?

Do this type of daydreaming first, before you get down to the “practical” steps of wondering what services you’ll provide or which software programs you should use. Instead, compare that vision, that picture and feeling of what your business will be like, to where you are today. No matter how dramatic the difference between your vision and your life now, it’s just a matter of moving one step at a time from where you are to living your vision. Really.

Getting from Where You Are to Where You Want to Be – Quickly!

Now that you know clearly what your freelance bookkeeping business will look like, it’s time to take practical action to bring it into your life. How? With a basic plan, of course!

Laying the foundation and plan for your business is part research and part learning as you go along. So you will need a measure of flexibility. But always start with the vision of what your business will look like when you have “arrived” at how you want it to be.

Then it’s a matter of finding what will cause the results you are looking for. That is, what expertise do you have now, and what do you still need? Clients will pay you for the value you provide them. So, what value do you have to offer, or what could you develop? Do you have any specialized knowledge, such as is needed in a specific industry? An example might be if you have experience with bookkeeping for a non-profit organization.

You’ll also want to consider a basic budget and how much you will need to charge in order to meet your financial goals. How many hours a week do you want to work? Don’t forget to consider the “overhead” expenses involved, such as insurance, taxes and vacation time.

Finally, you’ll want to have a plan for how you will market your services and attract clients. Just being “ready” to offer bookkeeping services will not automatically attract clients. You need to get the word out to those who are looking for the specific services you have to offer. That’s what a marketing plan will do for you.

We’ve briefly touched on some of the setup work needed before you start looking for your first bookkeeping client as a freelancer. Without proper planning, while you may bring in some income reasonably fast, you won’t end up with the business of your dreams unless you are clear on what you want and how you plan to move in that direction first.

But putting it all together doesn’t have to take a long time or be difficult. In fact, if you’re ready to start your freelance bookkeeping business using the power of the Internet AND you want to know how to snag your first paying bookkeeping client quickly, check out my no-fluff audio book, Virtual Bookkeeping Secrets, and use the included business planning worksheets.

If you’re already running your bookkeeping service business, what do you wish someone had told you before you got started?

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I’ve come to a startling discovery. And though I guess I kind of knew this already, I really did not expect it to be such a huge problem for so many people.

What am I talking about?

It’s what appears to be the #1 problem 95% of all of the new freelance bookkeepers, and even MANY of the seasoned freelance bookkeepers I talk to, face on a regular basis. It’s not what you think.

This problem is insidious because it actually prevents us from taking on new clients and building the business that we so want to have for ourselves and our family. It can cause you to work far too hard without adequate compensation… Repeatedly! In fact, it’s almost like a disease.

But once I saw it clearly after talking one-on-one with several of my students recently, I could see just how debilitating it really is. In fact, I even know what it feels like to battle this obstacle because I suffered from it myself, especially back when I first started. (and it can still crop up once in a while.)

What is this business-wrecking problem?

Is it a lack of credentials to provide bookkeeping services to clients?

Nope.

Is it a lack of experience in working with small business clients? (In some of our more recent blog discussions we’ve had some questions surrounding those who have more than enough academic credentials, but no hands-on experience. This can be a problem, to be sure, but that is not the problem we’re talking about here)

Is it not charging enough for bookkeeping services? (This problem can actually be a symptom of it, but in itself this is not the problem.)

So, what is it already? And more importantly, is it something you’re suffering from too?

Here it is – the #1 problem I see most freelance bookkeepers struggle with that can destroy your business or cause you to struggle for years on end is a lack of self-confidence.

All of us have likely struggle with this at one time or another. That’s natural. But it has become crystal clear that this is THE biggest problem that stops so many freelance bookkeepers from ever reaching their goals. And it’s primarily based on fear of the unknown.

In other words, much of that fear is NOT based on reality. And it’s working against you, often without you even realizing it.

But why is this such a critical problem?

It’s because if you don’t believe in yourself, you will either struggle with your business for years, or never be able to get your business off the ground in the first place, no matter how hard you try.

If you don’t have the confidence to stretch outside of your comfort zone in order to actually DO the marketing that you need to do in order to attract new clients, and demonstrate your expertise, you will never be able to find paying clients who will appreciate the work that you can do for them.

It doesn’t matter how many credentials you have. In fact, I see many freelance bookkeepers going after every possible credential, wasting a ton of time and money, in an effort to feel more confident! In most cases, it doesn’t work if the real issue is on the inside.

Similarly, if you’re battling self-esteem problems, years of experience won’t matter either.

In short, it’s your mindset that tells you that you do or do not have what it takes to start your own business and make it thrive; whether you are “ready” or not. But what your mindset is telling you may not be based on the truth.

And here’s the real kicker: Even if you do stretch yourself to try to find new clients, but your self-confidence is too low, that will come across in your communication. And when that happens, those you talk to won’t put much confidence in you and your abilities either. It’s a vicious self-defeating cycle.

So, now that this monster has been revealed, what can you do if you are struggling with it? How can you banish it?

From my own experience, I’d say it is actually a gradual process. But you have to be willing to deliberately step outside of your comfort zone to do things that scare you a bit. That’s how you do battle and come off victorious.

Sometimes you may need to tell yourself that it’s okay to fail so that you can get some practice and learn how to do better. (We all have to start somewhere, after all) You don’t have to be perfect and know all the answers immediately. This applies to both your marketing and taking on new clients.

I’ve also found that having a specific plan of action to take every day step-by-step will cause you to build up your confidence. All you have to do is work your plan. You also have to be determined to do it no matter what.

These are the steps to take if you’re ready to start winning this battle:

1. Identify whether a lack of self-confidence is holding you back
2. Identify where it is hurting you in your business
3. Choose one action you can take this week to challenge yourself and stretch your comfort zone in that area.
4. Give yourself a deadline and put it on your calendar
5. Take ACTION! (And promise yourself a reward when you succeed in getting it done, regardless of the results)
6. Repeat steps 3 through 5 one or more times per week

By simply facing your fear one step at a time, with a plan, you can build up your confidence, even if it is only with one baby step each week.

Bottom line: it’s all about your mindset. More than anything else, it’s your mindset that determines the success or failure of your business.

In fact, I recently interviewed my own business mentor who has helped me to battle some of my self-confidence demons successfully for branching out in scary territory in my own business. (He is not a freelance bookkeeper, but he has helped me transform my business)

In this interview, he shares how he started with over $25,000 in debt to build a multimillion dollar business, now with zero debt. In his well-known animated, and entertaining way, he also explains why your mindset is so critical. This really is a complete training in how to create your own winning mindset and how to put it into action.

As my gift to you, get free access to this highly valuable recording. I know it will be a huge help to anyone who truly wants to break free from the shackles of low self-confidence and get what you want for yourself and your business faster than you ever dreamed possible.

Click Here to Listen to the Interview

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Would you like a steady stream of new clients beating a path to your door?

Do you wish you could charge a higher fee for the services you provide and have your clients happily pay you?

If you answered yes to either one of these questions, it’s PEOPLE who will help you get what you want. You cannot get those results without other people!

More specifically, it’s the relationships that you build with people that will cause them to seek you out, value your services and recommend you to their friends and colleagues. Building relationships is how any struggling bookkeeping business can transition from just barely surviving (sometimes for years) into a thriving, growing, and prosperous business.

And the most effective way to build those kinds of relationships is by offering the VALUE that your existing and potential clients really want.  And it needs to be value that they recognize immediately – not what they may, in fact, need, but don’t understand or see as valuable to themselves or their business in some way.

For example, they may truly need their bank accounts reconciled to assure accuracy for their financial records, but that is likely not high on their priority list of the important tasks to manage their business. So if you are touting how you can make sure that their bank account is balanced and reconciled each and every month, you’ll have difficulty attracting new clients, or demonstrate high value to your existing clients. Many small business owners don’t even know why it’s important to reconcile their bank accounts in the first place, so it doesn’t mean anything to them. Thus, it doesn’t seem necessary or important. And certainly not something they want to pay for if they don’t have to.

The same is true if you’re promoting your services using accounting and bookkeeping jargon – accounts payable, accounts receivable, payroll liabilities, and so on. Potential clients generally do not actually understand those terms. Those words do not communicate value to them.

In reality, these words represent the functions you know how to handle for your clients. But they don’t communicate the useful value of those functions for your clients, value that your clients would be happy to hire you to provide for them.

So how do you provide VALUE that your clients will understand and readily pay you for?

Forget you are a bookkeeper! Put yourself in their shoes and consider what THEY care about. What do they spend most of their time doing in their business? What do they pay attention to on a daily basis and spend money on?

To answer these questions successfully, you need to get out of your own way and forget about what you want FROM your clients. You need to think about what they want most and how you can help them get it.

Relationships are built on exchanging VALUE. People value and are attracted to those who can help them reach their goals and fill their needs. As bookkeepers we are in a fantastic position to help our clients reach their business goals AND we can thrive in the process.

Learn the art of building relationships with your clients and prospects based on what is valuable to them, and you will not be viewed as “just another bookkeeper.” You will stand out from the crowd as a provider of REAL value. And THAT is what clients are happy to pay for because it means you are helping them get what they want. They will also talk about you to others, sparking the most powerful form of free advertising – word of mouth.

How can you learn to communicate value and build these kinds of relationships?

1. Start asking your clients and other small business owners you meet what they want most in their business that they don’t have right now
2. Pay attention to their answers and consider how the services you provide – and the information provided in financial reports – can be used to help business owners reach their goals
3. Learn how to communicate the true value your services give to business owners in a language that they can easily understand

One of the best ways to learn more about what small business owners want AND stoke the fires of word-of-mouth recommendations is to build strategic alliances with CPAs and Accountants.

If you’d like to learn how to crack the code for building this special kind of referral relationship, join me and fellow CPA networking expert, Val Barshaw, this Wednesday for our live online training, “Freelance Bookkeeper Networking: How to Build Strategic Alliances with CPAs and Accountants”

Click Here for more details

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Technology? The economy? Where are we headed in 2012 and beyond?

Little over a week ago I attended one of the bookkeeping industry’s most well-known events – the Sleeter Conference (aka The Sleeter Group Accounting Solutions Conference) and the message throughout most of the training sessions was very clear:

Desktop accounting is on the road to becoming obsolete!

There’s no question about it. More and more businesses are headed online, especially with the rapid development of mobile applications, the power of “smart phones” and how they now can integrate into popular business software – including (but clearly not limited to) QuickBooks.

The accessibility and sharing of electronic data to conduct business–anywhere anytime–is driving the move toward a truly paperless (and mobile) office with (nearly) zero data entry.

Does that scare you? How much of the services you offer consist mainly of data entry?

The future of bookkeepers will be more focused on managing data flow, not data entry.

Another BIG reason businesses are rapidly embracing the move to the clouds is all team members can instantly collaborate in real time without version problems – think about the hassles we so often must wrestle when coordinating backups, accountant’s copy, etc. Problem solved.

Of course, this means as freelance bookkeepers, our role is changing. Those who are paying attention will seize the opportunities that are emerging and start moving  toward becoming a trusted business adviser now, who cannot be replaced by automation!

I’ve seen the opportunities coming for awhile. And it will only grow now as your clients start to upgrade their business technology. And by the way, this is GREAT news since consultants and advisers generally charge higher fees than bookkeepers.

In using multiple applications to run their business, clients will be best served by using a dashboard approach to instantly get a sense of what’s going on within their business. We’ve also seen this trend in the most recent versions of QuickBooks. Intuit realizes clients want tools to USE their financial information to grow more lean, profitable businesses. (Starting with QuickBooks 2009 they created the Company Snapshot feature)

But QuickBooks and even QuickBooks Online Edition had better watch it’s back!

New cloud-based bookkeeping software is also taking root and we need to pay attention. That’s especially so if you focus on small service-based businesses. A few that I’ll be watching and learning more about for my own business are:

- FreshBooks
- Wave Accounting
- Xero

These are FREE online bookkeeping programs (to start) that small businesses can grow with, are easy, and automatically tap into live banking data to nearly eliminate data entry altogether. FreshBooks even ties into QuickBooks.

But the biggest obstacle on the road of transition to the clouds is the human factor – the learning curve is not so easy to climb for everyone.

In truth, not all clients will embrace the new technology quickly. In fact, some people will downright refuse and resist the changes that are already upon us. While the shift to online is gaining rapid momentum, as Doug Sleeter said regarding the slow or non-adopters, “Some of these people just have to die!” (That was my favorite quote! LOL! )

Side Note: If you are one who resists change, don’t despair. There is a sparkle of sunshine here. You can choose to serve the clients who want to keep doing their bookkeeping the way they’ve always done it. But just realize that this market will continue to shrink (and their business profits will likely slip as well). But they will appreciate you for not forcing them to go online.

For those who welcome the online upgrades, you are positioning yourself and your business to prosper going forward! The highest fees will go to those who step up to lead their clients.

A sobering question: Do you serve your clients, or lead them?

Leaders always get paid more. Your clients will look to you to lead their business into the new way of using online technology to grow profitability. (And younger clients are already there waiting for you.)

Your role will be to…

1. Cobble together the technology that works together effectively for your clients
2. Step into the role of business consultant and mentor

In Summary:

• The speed of online technology is increasing rapidly
• Clients will need your help to upgrade their workflow and efficiency (motivated by the desire to increase profitability) using the new (inexpensive) cloud-based tools

What we need to do now:

• Educate ourselves on what’s now available and emerging
• Use the new online products ourselves
• Learn new skills, including how to build dashboards for clients to manage business more profitably
• Move from the role of bookkeeper to indispensable consultant

As a first step, I’ve created a sort of Virtual Bookkeeper boot camp to get up to speed quickly on the basics called, “The Insider’s Guide to Your Own Virtual Bookkeeping Business.” This program will grow and expand as new tools and technology emerge.

We are entering a new online era. We can’t stop where the future is taking us. But we can position ourselves (and our clients) to use the new technology to prosper. It will be a dynamic process.

So, how do you plan to face new online technology and trends during the coming year?

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If your business has slowed down due to the rocky economy, or just because we’re in the dog days of summer, your thoughts may be turning to how you can bring in more business quickly, or rev things up as we head into the fall.

Either way, if you know QuickBooks well, here’s an easy way to not only get the word out about your bookkeeping services, but expand the services you offer to a wider audience at the same time. All without any hard selling.

The Plan in a Nutshell

Offer to do a health check-up of QuickBooks data files

While this doesn’t sound sexy, it’s something that 95% of all small businesses using QuickBooks really need, whether they know it or not. The fact is, the vast majority of small businesses are NOT using QuickBooks correctly. Some of them have SERIOUS problems with their books that may cause a HUGE problem for their bottom line.

But you can save them from this peril!

Bookkeepers and Dentists

I’ve often compared keeping bookkeeping records up to date like going to the dentist. We all know we SHOULD do it to avoid BIG problems later, but many of us do not eagerly anticipate our next dental checkup.

In this simple comparison, however, we, as bookkeeping experts can take a cue from our dentist friends. They are pretty savvy about overcoming this hurdle and keep a flow of return patients… and revenue… coming into their office!

Yes, they take in patients with toothaches and broken teeth and make big money from those emergency services. But the foundation of their STEADY income is from the patients who are coming back for regular checkups every six months or so.

Why?

Because that’s how they uncover additional work that needs to be done. And their patients appreciate it because it takes care of problems while they are still small.

How do we apply this to bookkeeping and QuickBooks?

Not only can we help clients who have neglected their books and are in trouble because they have a tax deadline looming or some other “urgent” need to get their books straight…

But we can also help clients who have been attempting to handle their books themselves (and will ultimately get themselves into trouble).

How?

Through education, regular check ups and “repair” services.

How to Put This Simple Concept Into Action

1. Offer a free or low-cost “class.”

It could be on something like, “The Most Common QuickBooks Errors that Could Be Costing You a Bundle”

You could teach this at your local business networking groups, to past clients, or even offer it free to clients of local CPA firms who do not specialize in QuickBooks. (That gets you good exposure from two angles!)

2. Present a simple but educational session that lasts 30-60 minutes.

Brainstorm your class content by thinking about all the problems you see whenever new clients come in and their books are a mess. Show them the tell-tale signs of the most common problems as they show up on their financial reports.

If you’re part of the QuickBooks ProAdvisor program, there are also plenty of free QuickBooks training materials you could use for this and other types of QuickBooks-based classes that could serve the same basic purpose.

You want to make them aware of problems that could be draining them of profits that they need to address within their bookkeeping records.

3. At the end of the class, offer a free 30-minute QuickBooks data file check-up.

This should be by appointment and can be done at the client’s site, in your office, or via online meeting. Whatever works best for you is the way to go. The point is to get them to raise their hand and say that they want more information from you, and give you their contact information so you can follow up.

To conduct the check-up, use the Client Data Review tool available in QuickBooks Accountant Edition 2009 and newer. Or create your own diagnostic checklist.

IMPORTANT: The purpose of this “check up” is NOT to FIX problems with the client’s books! You are simply identifying issues found and providing an overall report (I suggest a written report) on how “healthy” their bookkeeping records are.

Discuss your findings with the client and then come up with a mutually agreeable action plan for…

• Prioritizing and addressing any important problems found, including your suggested solutions
• Decide whether or not the client will engage your consulting or bookkeeping services, will need guidance in fixing problems themselves, or require training to avoid repeating the same problems again
• Offer ongoing maintenance with regular check-ups to keep the books in a “healthy” condition (just like dental cleaning & checkups every 6 months!)

This process naturally leads to new client prospects, referrals and more billable work both in the short term, and over a long period of time. You will be remembered for providing this valuable, professional  service!

Even if you’re not a QuickBooks specialist, you can use these same principles to help small businesses assess the overall accuracy of their bookkeeping records, even if they’re using a pencil and paper system.

Using this simple strategy, or some variation of it, will position you as a top-notch expert in your community AND attract high quality clients at the same time.

If you’d like to learn more soft-sell, high-value ways of attracting new clients, then you’ll want to take a look at my NEW Freelance Bookkeeper Marketing course.

It’s the easy way to fill your business with more clients than you can handle, using simple, but powerful relationship-based strategies!

Get more information HERE

QuickBooks is a registered trademark of Intuit, Inc.

“How can I find new clients?”

This is the question that, far and away, both new and seasoned bookkeepers consistently ask me. They are looking for effective ways to market their bookkeeping services, especially in this choppy economy.

How about you?

In reality, ALL of us need a steady stream of new prospects, whether you run a large multi-bookkeeper business, or you’re a home-based solo freelancer. That’s because you’ll occasionally have existing clients outgrow your services (hire dedicated staff), or even leave you entirely because of circumstances beyond your control.

When that happens (and it will) you need new clients waiting in the wings to replace the lost income.

Even when you have “enough” clients, it does not mean you’re set for life. No business is static; it’s constantly either growing or dying. Choose to grow by making consistent marketing a priority, no matter how busy you get!

And of course, if you’re just starting out, or are ready to take your business to the next level, you may need more than a few new clients right now.

So…what IS the BEST way to market bookkeeping services?

It’s word of mouth, of course!

It’s powerful. It’s free. And referred clients are usually ready to engage your services right away.

In fact, most successful independent bookkeepers get a majority of their new clients from referrals. Once you’re established, referrals are like an engine that just keeps sending you more business.

Even in the beginning, the vast majority of new freelance bookkeepers get their very first client by simply letting their existing friends and professional contacts know that they are starting their own bookkeeping business. It’s the easiest first step to getting the wheels moving on your word-of-mouth marketing program.

Did you catch that?

If you’re just getting started (or you’ve hit a dry spell), brainstorm a list of everyone you can talk to about what you’re doing. Share the good news about your bookkeeping services with friends, family and any other contacts you have.  Let them know you are taking on new clients and ask for their help in your search. If you can describe the exact type of clients you like working with best, that will make it easier for them to find someone to refer your way.

And by the way, don’t assume that everyone in your life already knows what you do for a living. They probably don’t. And the truth is, you never know who they know that may need your services!

The Downside to Word-of-Mouth Marketing

There is, however, a problem with this marketing strategy.

It’s really a shot-gun approach. While it’s quite possible that you will get quick results from your initial awareness campaign, you need to focus your ongoing word-of-mouth message more specifically on those closer to your Ideal Clients (aka a specific segment of the small business market).

The easiest way to do that is to go where your potential clients gather. By doing so, you will not only have more opportunities to strike up conversations with those who may wish to hire you directly, but also with those who regularly have contact with your potential clients.

Where might that be? The basic answer is at networking events or any other location (online or offline) where your best clients might gather to talk shop or socialize (such as at Chamber of Commerce meetings, a golf club, LinkedIn Groups, charity events, industry-specific conferences, etc.)

A Key Source of Targeted Referrals

Referrals work because they are built on relationships. And in this economic and technological climate, social interaction is extremely powerful.

That being said, the best source of high quality client referrals will come from those who are already working with the clients you want to snag. Therefore, building strategic relationships with professionals whom you can complement is the #1 way for freelance bookkeepers to build a solid referral engine.

For most of us, that means building strategic alliances with CPAs and accountants. (You may also consider strategic relationships with lawyers, insurance agents and any other small business service professionals who focus on serving the same clients you do).

Yet, as powerful as these relationships are, I’ve heard time and again how frustrating it can be to “crack the code” on getting referrals from accountants.

If you’ve run into that roadblock too, you’ll be glad to know that I’m holding a FREE teleseminar specifically for freelance bookkeepers and QuickBooks consultants on how to build mutually beneficial relationships with CPAs and accounting firms.

Together with CPA networking expert Val Barschaw, we’ll reveal the simple strategies that you can use immediately to connect with CPA firms and accountants to kick YOUR referrals and word-of-mouth marketing into high gear.

If you want to listen in on this exclusive 1-hour FREE training call, mark your calendar now for next Wednesday, July 27, 2011 at 8:00 PM Eastern Time.

So whether you’re looking for just one or two new clients, or you’re ready to ramp up your business with a whole slew of new clients as quickly as possible, what are YOU going to do right now to get your word-of-mouth marketing going?

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Resources

Recommended Book:

The Referral Engine by John Jantsch

Technology is changing WHAT we do for our clients, along with HOW we do it.

If you are working with your clients virtually… or headed in that direction, your role is in the process of some major changes.

A large part of the bookkeeping role has been to do “intelligent” data entry so that financial records are accurate. But with the improvements in electronic information processing, much of this is being done by computer programs via the web instead.

Think about how banking transactions can be downloaded directly into QuickBooks Online. Or services like ShoeBoxed can scan paper receipts and categorize expenses for you. Even Bill.com has a feature where they will seamlessly get your faxed or emailed vendor bills entered into QuickBooks for you.

And finally, there are new programs emerging that bring all the financial data together, using the Internet, to feed into the bookkeeping records automatically… from banks, vendors and client sales, using online accounting programs like Xero.com.

What does this mean?

Entering data into bookkeeping software is something that will eventually be nearly eliminated (or at least greatly reduced). Does that mean the role of the bookkeeper will also be eliminated?

No. But WHAT we actually do for our clients… and the value we provide… is starting to shift dramatically. We are moving from entering financial information efficiently and intelligently to get it into the bookkeeping records to managing the financial data flow and interpretation of it. We are facing a unique opportunity to assist our clients with getting the real VALUE from what their financial information means for their business. This prepares them for more productive meetings with their accountants for tax and business planning.

In other words, we are growing into the role of assistant / consultant with our clients to help them get the BENEFIT of their financial information for managing business. This is MUCH more valuable than simply doing the clerical work of keeping records updated after the fact so taxes can be filed. Our services are becoming more present and future focused.

and THAT is a VERY good thing for both you and your clients… if you’re willing to step up into this revised role. Of course, with a promotion to higher value for clients comes higher fees, too. It will likely also mean the TYPE of clients you serve will begin to change (improve), too.

So what do these changes mean for you right now?

Be aware that they are coming, and they are taking hold rapidly. You need to pay attention to how your existing clients are reacting to and embracing new mobile / online technology. You also need to choose the changes that you want to support for the future of your own business and the services you provide.

Of course, there will be some clients (and bookkeepers) who will dig in their heels, resist change altogether, and want to keep handling their financial records the same way they always have. If you are one of them, there will continue to be that “old fashioned” business owner who will still need your help… for a while. But know that those clients will be left behind in their market and eventually struggle, and possibly go out of business. How long that will take remains to be seen.

Small businesses are changing HOW they operate because of the major advancements in mobile and online technology coupled with affordable applications… this includes how they get their bookkeeping done.

So the question is, if these changes are coming – whether we like them or not – what will you do to prepare for it now, and how will it affect the way you provide YOUR bookkeeping services in the near future?

I’d love to hear your thoughts, complaints, excitement, or any other reactions you have to where our services are headed and how it is changing our role as bookkeepers with our clients in the months and years ahead.

Please leave your thoughts and comments below.

It seems we are constantly hearing about how we need to “go green” and cut down on paper. They say, we “should” be turning to digital or paperless ways of handling documents. It’s just good for the planet (supposedly). But there really is more to it than that.

If you’re working virtually with any of your clients (meaning, you work from your office instead of theirs), using electronic documents becomes even more important.

Despite this, and the fact that my own business has been 100% virtual since 2003, I have a confession to make.

I’m only currently about 75% paperless at this point. Getting closer to 95% has not been as easy as I had hoped. That’s mostly due to my own internal resistance.

As necessary as it has been to use paperless methods to work with my clients, I’ve found that most of my own business procedures are still quite paper-based.

So I decided to sit down and come up with both the Pros and Cons of going paperless internally to determine whether I really need to push myself to get closer to that 100% paperless ideal.

Here’s what I came up with:

Pros for going paperless:

• Easier to work with your clients virtually – I’ve mostly got this one handled since the benefits are nearly a necessity and go straight to the bottom line. They include…
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  • More flexible schedule – that’s because I work in my office not in theirs
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  • More efficient – can handle more work in the same amount of time, which means more billable hours
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  • Increased geographical service reach – my clients can be located anywhere, not just my local area
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  • Travel cost savings – rarely do I need to travel to see my clients face to face, and when I do, it’s a real treat to visit with one another
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• Saves money on office supplies – I recently compared my costs over the past few years when I’ve started using more scanning and a dual monitor set up, and the cost savings related to paper and toner have been significant, especially during tax season. These savings will only increase by using more scanning and PDF documents for my internal operations
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• More secure – all my digital files are stored (at least in backup form) online. That is far more secure than paperwork with sensitive data, even if stored in locked file cabinets (which could be destroyed by flood or fire). Digital documentation also can be attached to bookkeeping records for bullet-proof documentation if ever audited.
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• Space saving and convenient access – This one is significant, since over time accumulated paperwork can take up a lot of space and it’s a pain in the butt to have years of old documentation shredded. Finding needed records in digital form is also much more convenient and fast, since they can be searched if “misplaced” and, at least for me, my digital organization is better than how I’ve been organizing my paper files.
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• It’s Green – Although I know the real motivation when my banks nag me to get email statements instead of paper copies (it saves them money on paper and postage costs), the more paperless I’ve become the less trash is coming out of my office. And the less trash we all produce definitely makes a difference to the waste load on our planet.
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So, if all this powerful evidence is FOR going paperless, why have I still felt some internal resistance to changing over more of my internal operations?

Let’s take a look at the arguments against going paperless:

Cons against going paperless:

• Dependent on third party internet services – There is some loss of control when using any web-based services. If your Internet access goes down, or your service provider has server problems (like Intuit has had more often than you’d expect), you may not be able to get access to your documents 100% of the time. The actual percentage of time this happens is not high, but it does happen and can cause frustration. I know this from first-hand experience with some of the SaaS (software as a service) solutions I use regularly.
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• Changing habits – handling documents and procedures in a new way means workflow needs have to be updated and new habits formed. This has probably been my biggest resistance factor. Despite the fact that I’m often teaching my clients the latest high-tech ways to use QuickBooks software, the “if it ain’t broke, why fix it” mentality still nags at me, too.
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• New Costs – While going paperless creates some very significant cost savings, as noted above, there are some costs involved in changing how we deal with digital documents. That includes dual monitors (I could not live without dual monitors now), a scanner (if you don’t already have one), and a document management solution for storing and managing your digital documents (highly recommended). In reality, these costs are quite low compared to the BIG savings in the Pros section.
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My conclusion: The Pros far outweigh the Cons by a long shot.

My New Goal: From this point forward, convert my own “back office” operations to digital format, starting immediately.

This includes using my favorite document management system for all my own business operations.

Document Management Using SmartVault

This coming Thursday, March 31st at 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time I’ll be holding a brand new online training surrounding the use of SmartVault.

This FREE webinar training is designed especially for freelance bookkeepers who want to go paperless using this must-have online service for working with your clients on a virtual basis. But you can also try out this amazing and versatile tool for your own business for free for as long as you like.

Click Here to Get all the Details
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There are actually many more small businesses that need the help of professional bookkeepers than there are bookkeepers to go around!

So why is it so hard to find new clients – especially when starting a freelance bookkeeping service business?

Get the real answer to that question (and many more) on a brand new LIVE webinar designed especially for Freelance Bookkeepers on Wednesday, February 23 at 7:00 PM Eastern Time (6:00 Central, 5:00 Mountain, 4:00 Pacific)

If you’ve been looking for …

* Effective, low and no-cost ways to pull in additional revenue quickly and easily

* A reliable way to get referrals that’s easy and sends you a steady stream of new client inquiries every month

* High quality clients who appreciate your expertise and are glad to pay you what you’re worth

…then you’ll want to join me on this ground-breaking webinar.

“Freelance Bookkeeper Marketing: Proven Strategies for Getting Clients to Come to You”

Get all the details here:

http://thefreelancebookkeeper.com/webinar

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Have you ever thought about what a little bit of fame could do for your business?

If you were considered a top, highly respected bookkeeper in your community, what kind of clients could you attract?

Best-selling business authors are assumed to be the best in their field, usually because they’ve written articles and/or published a book. That’s the catalyst that helps them get invited to appear on TV spots or radio talk shows. And you can be sure that that kind of attention works wonders for their business.

SECRET REVEALED: Business authors don’t write books to make money from the book sales, but to make sales in their business because of the authority and notoriety the books give them!

But when we think about it, what great feat have they accomplished?

Nothing too difficult, really. They’ve provided some helpful information related to their field of expertise…and made it easily accessible to the public. That’s it!

Guess what?

You can easily (and quickly) do nearly the same thing and start positioning yourself as the go-to bookkeeper in your community too! That’s what will help you attract high-quality clients to your business like a magnet (and they won’t complain about your rates, either!)

Why So Few Do It

Q: If it’s so easy, why don’t more small business owners do it?

A: Because writing a book can be a huge, time-consuming project…when done the hard way, which is how most people do it. It can take a long, LONG time. Most entrepreneurs cannot afford the time. And once it’s written, they don’t know how to get their book published.

But what’s slowing them down is actually VERY good news for you!

With the Internet and online technology, it is quite easy (and MUCH faster than traditional methods) to publish information, whether in writing, as audios, or with videos (or all three!).  You can even SELL your information to create another income stream for your business!

This is exactly what I’ve done in my own virtual bookkeeping business, and it has attracted FAR more high quality clients to me than I can possibly serve myself. I regularly refer incoming client inquiries to colleagues because I am truly booked solid. (And my colleagues always ask how I’m able to keep pulling in so much business!)

How did I get my business to this point?

By simply providing helpful, instructional information online surrounding my expertise as a QuickBooks trainer and consultant. I’m just sharing my knowledge by publishing what are known as info-products.

And here’s the secret – as a professional freelance bookkeeper, you can DEFINITELY do this too. One way is by offering a free or low-priced, special report from your company website.

That’s actually how I got started.

And the best part is, once you do it, it’s like having a little salesperson working for your business 24/7! Online technology automates the whole thing.

And I’ve got to tell you, it sure is a nice little bonus to open your email in the morning and find out that you’ve made sales (and found new customers and prospects) overnight while you were sleeping.

Will Info-Products Work For YOU?

Creating small, but effective info-products works for ALL kinds of businesses, but it’s especially powerful for service-based businesses.

Because so few people are doing this effectively, creating small but valuable educational products positions you as the obvious expert and the person your prospects will trust and want to do business with when they need your services. In effect, you won’t have any competition!

As you become more known and in demand, you can also easily raise your rates.

If you can see how powerful it would be to position yourself as THE bookkeeper to go to by simply providing useful information geared toward your best customers’ needs, then I highly recommend you seriously consider publishing simple information products as lead generators for your freelance bookkeeping business.

It’s really quite easy to do.

And remember, you can even sell the information to create an additional revenue stream. Few ways of marketing your business is sweeter than that!

But I bet you’re wondering, “Where do I begin?”

I’m glad you asked!

This coming Thursday, February 10th at 7:00 PM (Eastern Time) there’s a FREE online webinar that shows you how to create your first info-product fast AND avoid making BIG mistakes that can backfire on you and actually KILL your reputation.

Even though I’ve been doing this successfully in my business for years now, I’ll definitely be attending this online event myself. The guy teaching it is (in my opinion) the absolute BEST!

I always pick up time-saving tips every time I attend one of his events.

If you’d like to attend too (remember, it’s 100% FREE), you can get all the details here:

=> Click Here for the Webinar Details

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