Ultra Quick-Start Guide

Transcription

1 The Virtual Bookkeeper s Ultra Quick-Start Guide The Fast-Action Way to Get Your Virtual Bookkeeping Business Up and Running in 30 Days by Gabrielle Fontaine

2 This is NOT a Free Report! This is part of a paid product. Please DO NOT give away this document to others. If you would like to recommend the class, please send them to: Gabrielle Fontaine, PB - all rights reserved. PO Box 54814, Philadelphia, PA DISCLAIMER: No information contained in this document or training course should be considered as financial, tax or legal advice. While the author has made every effort to provide accurate information based on her own business experience, she is neither a CPA nor a lawyer and cannot guarantee your specific results because circumstances may vary and individual effort is involved. Therefore, the material presented is for informational purposes only and reliance upon this material is solely at the user's own risk. If you have questions concerning financial and/or legal matters, consult your accounting and/or legal professional About Your Trainer Gabrielle Fontaine is a freelance Professional Bookkeeper and Advanced Certified QuickBooks ProAdvisor who assists Internet savvy entrepreneurs and self-employed professionals take control of their financial records and maximize profits using QuickBooks software. With over 20 years in business, she specializes in training and consulting exclusively via the Internet. Gabrielle is also the author of several bookkeeping business training books available on Amazon.com, as well as two popular bookkeeping blogs - QB QuickTips and The Freelance Bookkeeper. Page 2

3 Your 30-Day Master Checklist and Index Introduction..5 Week 1 Laying a Rock-Solid Business Foundation Day 1 Identify Your Starting Points & Gaps 7 Day 2 Define Your Vision Day 3 Choose Your Business Model...10 Day 4 Define Your Services Day 5 Create Your Ideal Client Profile Day 6 Build Your Business Blueprint Day 7 Review Your Foundation...14 Week 2 Build Your Supporting Framework Day 8 Make Your Business Real...16 Day 9 Set Up Your Office...17 Day 10 Choose Your Virtual Tools...18 Day 11 Set Your Rates Day 12 Choose Your Marketing Methods..21 Day 13 Create Your Marketing Calendar Day 14 Catch Up Day Week 3 Start Your Engine! Day 15 Put Your Marketing Plan Into Action.26 Day 16 Set Up Your Client Intake System Page 3

4 Day 17 Set Up Your Service Delivery System.30 Day 18 Marketing! Day 19 More Marketing! Day 20 Review & Complete Intake and/or Service Delivery Systems Day 21 Day Off! Week 4 Full Steam Ahead! Day 22 Crank Up The Marketing 39 Day 23 Set Up Your Internal Business Support Systems...41 Day 24 Marketing Online Day 25 More Online Marketing Day 26 Networking With Colleagues (Marketing!)..46 Day 27 Create Your Internal Time Management System Day 28 Day Off! Day 29 Continue Marketing Day 30 Evaluate and Celebrate! Insider Tips, Strategies & Tools for Maximum Results.56 Beyond The 30-Day Plan Page 4

5 Introduction This document is where you will put what you ve learned in this training program to work for you! Without action, you will not get results. Your success will depend on how much YOU put into your business to get from vision to reality. It takes effort and specifically focused actions. Be determined to make progress every day (even if you cannot keep up the 30-day pace), and you will get the results you re after. Reaching your goals is actually unavoidable when you keep moving toward it consistently. Here s the success formula to commit to memory: Clear Focus + Consistent Action = Goal Achievement & Success For the purposes of this 30-day plan, we assume that you already have adequate professional bookkeeping skills, as discussed in the training program. If you are in the process of brushing up on, or training as a bookkeeper, it will take longer than 30 days to get your business up and running. Here s the top-down view of what you ll be doing over the next month to go from zero to taking on at least your first (but likely more) paying virtual bookkeeping client: Page 5

6 So, let s get started YOUR journey of success right NOW! Page 6

7 Week 1 Laying a Rock-Solid Business Foundation We ll cover A LOT of ground this week! The foundation you are about to build will create a rock-solid business that will grow quickly. You ll get crystal clear on your business vision, the business model you will use, the EXACT services you will offer, and WHO specifically your clients will be. In just one week from now, you will have your business blueprint laid out and your path to success set. Let s take the first step now with Day 1 Day 1 Identify Your Starting Points & Gaps (Monday) Your Objective: Assess where you are right now so you can identify exactly what to do while you start building your business. To successfully start and run a freelance virtual bookkeeping business, you should have or be working toward the following (check off all those that you already have): Essential Skills Good understanding of double-entry bookkeeping and the monthly accounting cycle At least some working experience as a full charge bookkeeper (paid or volunteer) Solid understanding of the proper use of QuickBooks software (certification preferred) Page 7

8 Comfortable using Internet-based programs; willing to learn new technology as needed Proactive written and verbal communication skills, and willing to improve Any boxes you cannot check off indicate areas where you will need to expand your knowledge and skills while you build your business. Move forward with your business, while you put plans in action to fill in these gaps for maximum success. Day 1 Action Steps: Create an action plan to fill in any gaps in your knowledge, experience or skills Schedule any additional training programs needed or choose a book to read to help expand or improve your existing skills Day 1 Resources Penn Foster online training for double-entry bookkeeping training course with certification QuickBooks ProAdvisor Program: includes software and training resources and certification Virtual Bookkeepers Guide Recommended Reading List Day 2 Define Your Vision (Tuesday) Your Objective: Create a clear outcome that you can visualize in your mind s eye at a moment s notice for what you want your business to be like and the benefits it will provide you and your family. Your vision will serve as your anchor and get you immediately back on track whenever faced with challenges and roadblocks along the road to your success. Page 8

9 Creating and clarifying your visions is an ongoing process. It will become clearer and clearer with time, so don t stress if your vision is not yet crystal clear after today s activities. But do continue to work on clarifying the look and feel of your vision at least on a weekly basis. Set aside at least 1 hour of quiet, uninterrupted time to accomplish today s action steps. Day 2 Action Steps: Either on the computer or in a physical notebook, write out the answer to the following questions in as much detail as you can right now: 1. WHY do you want to start your own freelance virtual bookkeeping business? 2. What is the #1 goal this business will help you to reach? 3. Are there other goals or objectives this business will provide for you? 4. Describe in detail what a perfect day would look like and feel like working in and running your business when it is exactly as you would like it to be. Read through what you have written in answer to the questions above. Edit and embellish as needed. Then, summaries in one sentence the purpose of your business for you. This will become your anchoring statement. Write your anchoring statement on a 3 x 5 index card or a 3 x 3 Post It Note, and put it in view of your computer monitor. Start each day by reading your anchoring statement at least once (and several times throughout the day) to stay focused and on track toward building your ideal business. This is a habit that will move you very quickly toward realizing your goals! Day 2 Resource For a visual reminder of your business goals, consider creating a Vision Board. This can be amazingly powerful and influential on your subconscious mind! This book shows you exactly how to do it: The Complete Idiot s Guide to Visions Boards Page 9

10 Day 3 Choose Your Business Model (Wednesday) Your Objective: Decide which business model or models best fit your vision. There is more than one way to successfully structure and run a freelance virtual bookkeeping business! You can mix and match the models to fit your business vision: Solo Freelance Bookkeeper Independent bookkeeper who performs monthly bookkeeping services for clients and may be involved in project work; she carries out all functions in her own business; may outsource occasionally Bookkeeping Consultant Experienced bookkeeper who usually works on a project basis training and consulting with clients and performs most if not all business functions in his own business; he may coordinate virtual teams on a project basis Virtual Assistant Administrative or Executive assistant who provides administrative services on a virtual basis, including bookkeeping services on a regular monthly or project basis; may be part of a virtual team Bookkeeping Subcontractor New or experienced bookkeeper who assists established accounting or bookkeeping businesses with their client workload on either an ongoing, seasonal or project basis; usually part of a virtual team Multi-Bookkeeper Virtual Team Leader Experienced bookkeeper who targets mid-market clients and coordinates a team of bookkeeping subcontractors and / or virtual assistants; she usually has her own internal virtual administrative staff as well The general advantages and disadvantages of each model are laid out for you in the Business Model Comparison Chart, available in the members area within the Virtual Bookkeeper s Toolbox Page 10

11 Day 3 Action Steps: Review your anchoring statement and re-read your business vision Review each business model and choose at least one that will be your primary operational model that works well with your vision Update your written vision with a description of your primarily business model along with any aspects from any of the other business models that will serve you in reaching your goals Day 3 Resource The Virtual Bookkeeper s Business Model Comparison Chart available in the members area within the Virtual Bookkeeper s Toolbox Day 4 Define Your Services (Thursday) Your Objective: To match the services you will offer with the business purpose, vision and model. You will want to specialize in the types of services you offer and/or the industry (one or more) you focus on as soon as possible. This may seem to be a challenge in the beginning, but as your business develops, it will become easier. You can specialize by focusing in on what you already know well and have experience with. Also consider areas that you have a passion for; that you really enjoy or think you will enjoy. The goal is to become (if you are not already) an expert in that area. This will enable to you raise your fees much more easily than to be just a bookkeeper with no compelling reason for a client to choose you over someone else. Page 11

12 Day 4 Action Steps: Use the Business Specialty Worksheet to define services or industries that are likely candidates for areas of specialization that fit you business vision and model Brainstorm at least 3 services that are especially valuable for the 1 or 2 specialty business(es) you defined above. (Example: Form 1099 preparation for construction companies or seasonal cash flow reporting for a specialty gift shop) Choose at least 2 services that you would like to focus on when working with the business(es) for whom you specialize Note: Having specific types of businesses and services as your specialty does not necessarily mean that they are the only services or business types you serve. But they will serve as your centerpiece for focusing your marketing efforts and building your expert reputation in those business communities. Day 4 Resources Business Specialty Worksheet available in the members area within the Virtual Bookkeeper s Toolbox Day 5 Create Your Ideal Client Profile (Friday) Your Objective: Define an Ideal Client Profile so you know and can easily recognize WHO your primary clients are. This serves as your filter so that you can attract and qualify potential clients to build a rock-solid, targeted client base who are easy to serve, value your services and gladly pay your fees. Yes, these types of clients do exist when you lay the groundwork to match your clients with your business vision, model and services. Since you have already defined your specialty business types and services, now it s just a matter of getting in touch with the PERSON who qualifies as your client their work style, personality traits, demographics, etc. Page 12

13 Day 5 Action Steps: Use the Ideal Client Profile Worksheet to start to build a composite profile of WHO your best clients will be Brainstorm at least 3 places online or offline where you might find those who fit the description of your Ideal Client where do they gather and associate with one another? (example: Industry associations, business groups, online discussion groups) Choose at least one way you can start networking with those who fit your Ideal Client Profile and do any research necessary to find out how to get involved and associating with them. Day 5 Resources Your Ideal Client Profile Worksheet available in the members area within the Virtual Bookkeeper s Toolbox Day 6 Build Your Business Blueprint (Saturday) Your Objective: To assemble your own unique business blueprint to serve as your roadmap by bringing your business vision, model, specialty and Ideal Client Profile together in one place, along with the practical aspects of creating a REAL business that will be rewarding and profitable. This is your business plan (but not in the traditional sense). This simple, but powerful document will help you stay focused and on track to reach your goals FAR more quickly than making it up as you go along. We will cover setting your fees and your marketing plan in more depth in a few days. Your task today is to focus in on your specific goals and pull together all the information you have developed for your business so far so you can see it all together as a whole. Page 13

14 Caution: When you have completed today s activities, you may find yourself getting very excited about your business! Day 6 Action Steps: Complete the first 3 sections of the Business Blueprint Worksheet Create a folder on your computer hard drive where you will keep all of your business planning documents so you can easily find them for regular reviews and updates (optional) Print out your documents and include them in a plan binder, if you prefer a physical document for reference and review Day 6 Resources Business Blueprint Worksheet available in the members area within the Virtual Bookkeeper s Toolbox Day 7 Review Your Foundation (Sunday) Your Objective: To review your work from this first week in the 30-Day Action Plan and fill in any pieces or steps that have not yet been completed. This is your catch-up day! If you have completed all steps up to this point, congratulations! You are well on your way to building a thriving virtual bookkeeping business! This is also a great day to carve out minutes of quiet time and really visualize your business again in your mind s eye as to what you want it to look like and feel like one year from now. What would a typical day in your business be like? Take a bit of daydreaming time today. This will help to not only to anchor and internalize your business plans with your subconscious mind (where you most powerful action motivations come from), but also set you up to keep pushing Page 14

15 forward through the next 7 days and really putting concrete evidence in place that you are building a REAL business YOUR virtual bookkeeping business. Day 7 Action Steps: Review your work from Days 1-6 and complete any unfinished action steps Take minutes of quiet time and visualize in as much detail as possible what your business will be like 12 months from now. (Hint: This should be an enjoyable experience!) Page 15

16 Week 2 Build Your Supporting Framework This week is where all your planning and scheming will start to produce tangible results. It s time to set up shop, stock your tool chest and get ready to open your doors for business (or start taking on virtual business) Day 8 Make Your Business Real (Monday) Your Objective: Establish your business with your local government and show the world you re serious about reaching your goals The legal requirements for setting up your business depends upon your local and state regulations and requirements. You will need to check with your local city government regarding Getting a business license Zoning (even for a home-based business) let them know you will NOT be meeting with clients in your home, since you will be working virtually Registering a business name CAUTION: Some people get stuck at this stage because they are not sure where to find information or think they should incorporate before getting their business running. Don t forget your main objective: Get your business up and running with at least one new client within 30 days! You can start running your business immediately (yes, that is legal) and decide (with the help of your accountant and/or lawyer) which business entity and tax status fits your vision, business model and other financial and risk considerations best. Creating a separate business entity may take a fair amount of paperwork, time and expense. So don t let that be a stumbling block to getting the business off the ground now. You can work on both at the same time! Page 16

17 So focus today to get the wheels turning on doing what you need to do paperwork, research, etc. to get your business set up, and keep moving forward. Day 8 Action Steps: Brainstorm names for your business (if you will use one other than your own name) and choose the one that adequately describes your business to potential clients Contact your local government to find out what is required to set up a new business in your city and state Schedule time on your calendar to handle tasks that involve research or that you won t get to today Day 8 Resources Business Start Up Checklist available in the members area within the Virtual Bookkeeper s Toolbox Straight Talk About Business Entities an online training designed to teach the basic business structures, how they work, and the important considerations for choosing a business entity. This program will give you the information you need to discuss your situation with your accountant and/or lawyer when you want to incorporate or set up an LLC. Day 9 Set Up Your Office (Tuesday) Your Objective: Set up your physical work space so you can work comfortably and efficiently Today is a fun day! You get to spend it assessing what you already have, what you need, and setting it all up. Use the Office Setup Checklist as a guide and move as quickly as possible. When you stay focused, it s amazing how much you can get done in a day. Don t fret if you don t have (or can t quickly get) everything. Prioritize based on what you absolutely need right now, if a new client called you today, and do Page 17

18 whatever it takes to get those items in place. An example of what you could get by with bare minimum might be: Workspace (desk) Chair Computer with Internet connection Phone You probably already have these! You don t even need to have QuickBooks software, if you will be connecting remotely to your client s computer where they have their own copy of the program and you can use a free service like LogMeIn! Day 9 Action Steps: Set up what you already have to get your workspace functional Make a prioritized list of what you still need Go shopping to get what you need (HINT: shopping does not necessarily mean spending a lot of or any money! Be creative! There are thrifty ways to equip your office. See below) Day 9 Resources Office Setup Checklist available in the members area within the Virtual Bookkeeper s Toolbox The Freecycle Network a non-profit online system where you can get just about anything for free! Day 10 Choose Your Virtual Tools (Wednesday) Your Objective: Choose the tools that best fit your intended specialty, business model and Ideal Client Profile. Review the following: Page 18

19 The specific services you plan to offer You Ideal Clients and how they will likely want to work with you Whether you will primarily perform services o On your computer o On your client s computer (via Internet) o In the cloud There are many tools available to the virtual bookkeeper (and new solutions are being created at a rapid rate!) Choose your tools based on function, convenience, and economy, in that order. Some tools are free, many are reasonably priced, and a few are premium priced. Your core tools will be those that you build your systems upon. But you will also, over time, need to research and use tools that may be unique to a particular client s needs. Today you will choose those tools that will form the core systems for your service delivery to most of your clients. Day 10 Action Steps: Choose a primary tool for actually performing services (software or means to connect to the software) Choose the tools for sharing information with your clients (document and file management) Make sure you have what is necessary to use these tools (high speed Internet connection, scanner, compatible operating system, etc.) Day 10 Resources The Virtual Bookkeeper s Tool Comparison Matrix available in the members area within the Virtual Bookkeeper s Toolbox Page 19

20 Day 11 Set Your Rates (Thursday) Your Objective: Get paid what you deserve and need to build the business that will realize your goals Setting your rates profitably right from the beginning will make a HUGE difference in how fast you succeed! That s because most new bookkeepers undercharge, based on the erroneous notion that by making their services a bargain, they will get more clients more quickly. The truth is, using that mindset will set you up for frustration, and a very long and hard road to re-establish a quality-based reputation. You MUST think like a business owner, not an employee! When setting your rates, keep these key points in mind: Your fees should be set with your break even amount in mind o Use the Break Even Worksheet to estimate the cost of running your business If charging by the hour, you must charge at least 2-3 times an employee s hourly rate If charging flat rate, remember this is not an exact science, but can be based on a guesstimate of your hourly rate; and should allow for renegotiation with your client, as needed You are not locked in to any one type of fee structure You are NOT in competition with all other bookkeepers and your services are not a commodity o You provide specialized services for your Ideal Clients o All small businesses do not qualify as your clients When you quote your rates to clients, they will follow your lead. So get your fees clearly in your own mind first and remember that you decide how much your services are worth! Page 20

21 Day 11 Action Steps: Use the Break Even Worksheet to estimate your monthly business costs that must be covered Choose your PRIMARY fee calculation method Calculate your base fees for each of your primary services Day 11 Resources Break Even Worksheet available in the members area within the Virtual Bookkeeper s Toolbox Rate Setting Cheat Sheet available in the members area within the Virtual Bookkeeper s Toolbox Day 12 Choose Your Marketing Methods (Friday) Your Objective: Set up your professional presence for use when connecting with potential clients and referral sources. No one will hire you unless they know that you are available and will provide services that will benefit them. Marketing is communication. It takes on many forms, but generally the most powerful form in our industry is word of mouth. The good news is that that means it doesn t need to cost much to get the word out to find clients, however, it s not an exact science or always predictable either. Focus on the 20% of marketing activities that will get you 80% of the results. Your most effective marketing, therefore, will be focused on building relationships with those who qualify as Ideal Clients and those who already have relationships with those who qualify as your Ideal Clients. With relationships, first impressions count. So today we will focus on making a good first impression. You will need Page 21

22 Professional business cards o Do not print your business cards yourself! It is reasonably inexpensive to have them printed professionally. They do not need to be fancy, but they do need to look professional Professional web presence o If you are just starting out and do not yet have a website, start with a LinkedIn profile (it s free). Fill it out completely and include a photograph o You will also need a professional address (NOT Gmail or Yahoo!) as your main public contact address. The easiest way to do that is to register a domain name for your business (YourName.com). It s inexpensive and reasonably easy to do. You will be judged (and engaged) based on whether you appear to be established, professional and trustworthy. You need to look the part. Today you will lay the foundation for your professional image. Day 12 Action Steps: Order business cards Open an account on LinkedIn and fill out your profile Register a domain name for your business Day 12 Resources VistaPrint online, inexpensive resource for getting professional quality business cards that you can design yourself (remember, keep it simple and professional) LinkedIn this online professional social network is becoming more and more important. You can use your profile web address as your web site until you have set up your own business website. Even if you already have a website for your business, you will want to have a completely filled out LinkedIn profile for credibility and making strategic connections online. Page 22

23 Lunar Pages this is the web hosting service I use and recommend. I also buy my domains through this site, for the simplicity. Using the domain registration service with your hosting service provider makes setting up your business very easy. The Basic Web hosting level is all you need (and the domain registration is included) Day 13 Create Your Marketing Calendar (Saturday) Your Objective: For marketing to be effective, it must be consistent. Your objective today is to lay down your plan for how you will market your services the ACTIONS you will take to attract your Ideal Clients to you. Step 1 Choose the methods you will use to build relationships Contact family, friends, former employers, workmates, etc. Attend business networking events (where your Ideal Client may be found) Join a leads group (BNI, LeTips, etc.) Conduct local training events / public speaking Conduct online training events / public speaking Reach out to local CPAs Reach out to other freelance bookkeepers Reach out to strategic referral partners (those who also serve your Ideal Client) Step 2 Schedule WHEN you will take action Using a calendar, block out time when you will attend networking events, prepare and deliver training or public speaking information and/or contact and set appointments to meet with potential referral partners. Nothing happens until you make an appointment to get it done! Having a calendar will help you get your marketing activities done consistently. In the beginning when you are hungry for clients it is easier, since once your business is set up, you have plenty of time for marketing. However, after you get Page 23

24 your first few clients and you become busy, you still need to market your services regularly. If you don t you will have a feast or famine rollercoaster ride financially. Build the marketing HABIT now and create a regular marketing routine for yourself. You will also want to experiment with different forms of marketing (ads on Craigslist or posting helpful advice in targeted online forums with a link back to your website / LinkedIn profile, for example). Pay attention to what works best for you, and drop those activities that don t seem to work well. Ultimately, you will build a powerful custom-made marketing system that will send you a steady stream of new client inquiries! Day 13 Action Steps: Brainstorm a list of all the ways you can think of to market your services to build relationships. Write this list down and keep it for future reference Choose at least 3 methods of reaching out to connect with potential clients and referral partners that fit your style and comfort level (be willing to stretch if you are shy) Using Outlook or whichever calendar you use on a daily basis, set appointments to accomplish your marketing tasks, starting next week Day 13 Resources MeetUp Online resource for finding local groups where you can network. You can use these to focus in on referral partners, leads groups, industry specific gatherings of your Ideal Clients, or you may even want to start your own MeetUp group! This is a great resource because it works both online and offline. Google Calendar If you already use a Google calendar or you have a Gmail account, you can use this online resource to schedule your marketing activities. It s an easy way to keep them organized at a glance and overlay these with your regular day-to-day schedule with anywhere access. Page 24

25 Day 14 Catch Up Day (Sunday) Your Objective: Catch your breath and fill in any missing pieces that didn t get completed this week. You should have completed: Business license and any other legal requirements to start conducting business Your physical office set up and ready for business Your basic virtual tools chosen (software and online services) Your service rates defined Your initial marketing methods chosen and scheduled for next week Once you are up to speed take the (rest of the) day off! Next week we will be cranking up the marketing and getting your internal systems in place! Day 14 Action Steps: Get done now and/or schedule on your calendar the completion of any loose ends still dangling from this week s set up tasks Do something relaxing and refreshing to energize yourself today so you will be ready for the big week ahead! Page 25

26 Week 3 Start Your Engine! It s time to start taking on clients! This week we ll start up your marketing engine, set up your Client Intake System and your Service Delivery System. It is completely possible that you will hit quick success and find your first client this week. But whether you hit success immediately, or whether it takes a bit longer, marketing will be your main focus something you start to make a part of your daily, weekly and monthly routine so that you can fill your pipeline of clients to overflowing. Learn to build the marketing habit through consistent planning and action, and you will reach your goals faster than you ever dreamed possible! This week is where the cross-over from set up to functioning virtual bookkeeping business begins. Day 15 Put Your Marketing Plan Into Action! (Monday) Your Objective: Get your marketing engine running and take on your first, most promising marketing task to start attracting new clients! Key Mindset: Focus on the 20% of marketing activities that will get you 80% of the results. Your most effective marketing, therefore, will be focused on building relationships with those who qualify as Ideal Clients and those who already have relationships with those who qualify as your Ideal Clients. Starting today, marketing will become a DAILY habit. Your goal should be to do something EVERY DAY that markets your services to attract your Ideal Clients. Pick up where you left off on Day 13. Review your brainstormed list of marketing tasks and make sure you schedule at least ONE action step (some of your Page 26

27 marketing activities may require several steps to complete) each day this week. Put it on your calendar and block out time to get it done, as necessary. Ideally, your goal is to do something every day that could result in more business or a new client to come your way within the next 30 days or less. Over time, this builds HUGE momentum and results in a constant stream of new client inquiries. Let s start opening the marketing faucet TODAY! Day 15 Action Steps: If you already have a marketing task on your calendar today, do that now! Review or brainstorm a list of friends, family, colleagues, former employers, and other people you already know who themselves may be or who might know people who could become your clients. Target at least 5 people on your list of contacts and reach out to them TODAY by contacting them either in writing or via phone. Ask to either meet for coffee, a meal together, or set up a time to talk to (1) catch up with what they ve been doing (reconnect with them personally) and (2) ask for any advice or suggestions they may have for your new service offerings and/or people they may know who could assist you or are in need of your services Day 15 Resources Mind-mapping is a great way to brainstorm ideas that may not be linear. Once you get used to it, it is extremely helpful for doing a brain dump for any ideas you have. In this case, you can use it to brainstorm all the contacts you have and the approach you might want to take with each one of them. Free software is available to download or use online for this purpose: FreeMind Free software that runs on your computer, basic and simple to use (no frills) Bubbl.us simple, online tool (free and paid versions available) XMind flexible online software available free and paid; great tool to grow with Page 27

28 Day 16 Set Up Your Client Intake System (Tuesday) Your Objective: Set up your system to assure that you ONLY accept clients who you will ENJOY working with and are qualified to work with you! Your Client Intake System serves as the tool that will help you move from marketing to making the sale and, at the same time, protecting you from taking on clients who will be more trouble than they are worth. The purpose of your Client Intake System is to Determine whether the client fits your Ideal Client Profile Determine whether the services you offer fit the needs of the client Establish mutual responsibility, expectations and ground rules Successful client relationships are built on a non-negotiable win-win mindset! If a potential client clearly does NOT fit your Ideal Client Profile, you must weigh the pros and cons of taking that client on. In the beginning when you need the Page 28

29 clients, you will be tempted to take on any client that comes your way. Decide whether you really want to delay your long-term success by taking on a shortterm source of revenue. Best Practices to Avoid Heartache: Be honest if a potential client is not a good fit for your services or capabilities, refer them to a colleague instead (remember: ALWAYS play win-win) DO NOT accept clients who cannot afford your rates unless there is a clear, long-term, guaranteed benefit to doing so (eg. Strategic referral source) ALWAYS trust your gut feeling about whether you should work with a client or not. Get in the habit of requiring a retainer / deposit before billable work begins (this demonstrates that the client is committed to a win-win relationship too) Day 16 Action Steps: Review and revise the provided Client Inquiry Form to fit your specific needs Visualize yourself interviewing a potential client using the Client Inquiry Form and imagine all the steps you will go through in the process of potential client inquiry to them signing your engagement letter and your delivery of the New Client Organizer Review and revise the provided Engagement Letter sample and save it as a Template to be used as a basis when taking on each new client Day 16 Resources Client Inquiry Form available in the members area within the Virtual Bookkeeper s Toolbox Page 29

30 Engagement Letter Sample available in the members area within the Virtual Bookkeeper s Toolbox Day 17 Set Up Your Service Delivery System (Wednesday) Your Objective: Set up your system for beginning work with a new client so you start off strong and profitable right from the start of the relationship, every single time you take on a new client. Once a new client has signed your engagement letter and paid the initial retainer, you will need to start coordinating information and procedures between you. You MUST proactively take the lead in making this happen as the hired professional. (Remember: You are NOT an employee. You are the boss!) Key tools for getting everything up and running smoothly and efficiently will be the Client Organizer and your Client Procedures Manual. This is where we transition from your Client Intake System to your Service Delivery System. The purpose of your Client Organizer is to give your new client instructions and information they need to provide what you need to start the engagement. It should include a checklist of what the client must give you and set their expectations for your service schedule. This is the communication tool that assures you are on the same page (literally!). The purpose of your Client Procedures Manual is to serve as your internal documentation of the mechanics of HOW you provide the client s services consistently. This is an important document to create and maintain, right from the beginning, even if you work as a solo freelancer. Why you need to take the time to create a Client Procedures Manual for each of your clients: Allows you to work efficiently and consistently, which increases your capacity to serve more clients and grow your business Page 30

31 Makes it easier to bring on employees or subcontractors if you choose to grow your business (it saves a TON of training time!) You don t need to remember how you provided services in the past for a client, especially helpful for seasonal tasks Keeps client deadlines in focus so you stay on schedule (especially important for payroll and taxes!) Makes your business much more valuable if you should ever decide to sell it, since a new owner could easily manage or perform the services consistently Day 17 Action Steps: Set up your Client Organizer template each client s organizer will be customized, but you can decide now what you want to include Set up your Client Procedures Manual template This is your internal guide for each client s services. It will be unique to each client, but you can decide now the basic information sections each client manual will include and in what format (Word, OneNote, Google document, hard copy, etc.) Day 17 Resources Client Organizer sample document available in the members area within the Virtual Bookkeeper s Toolbox Client Procedures Manual sample document available in the members area within the Virtual Bookkeeper s Toolbox Day 18 Marketing! (Thursday) Your Objective: Lay the groundwork for MASSIVE marketing momentum! To get significant results in your business, you need to take significant ACTION! Today will be spent focusing on your marketing to attract new clients. Page 31

32 In addition to personally reaching out to at least 5 more potential contacts (see Day 15), brainstorm a list of ways to expand your Circle of Influence. That is, making NEW connections that could serve as a gateway to new client referrals. Review your Ideal Client Profile (do you have it memorized yet?) and ask yourself, Who else works closely with my Ideal Client? These might be Industry associations Complementary service providers Interest-specific clubs or social groups Suppliers who cater to that specific industry or profession Trade journals The purpose of this is to identify where your Ideal Clients gather and with whom they associate. Then you want to find a way to associate with those same sources and build relationships. How To Do It: The fastest way to build relationships is to provide value. Provide value to these people, groups or organizations and you will quickly become known and viewed as a valued expert. Contribute helpful articles they can publish Provide free tips and consultation Be a guest speaker or trainer at an event This kind of marketing project may involve many action steps. But you should have at least one marketing / promotional project each month that reaches out to expand your circle of influence in some way to reach more deeply into your Ideal Client s world. Page 32

33 Once you achieve critical mass with this type of marketing, your business can literally be overrun with new client referrals and inquiries! Today is the day to get this kind of momentum started. Day 18 Action Steps: Brainstorm and document at least 5 new contact types by answering the questions Who else works closely with my Ideal Client? Research how you can find and associate with these new referral sources Choose a way that you could proactively provide value to your new contacts that would get their attention and position you as an expert that caters to their industry / profession (HINT: Think win-win!) Day 18 Resources Google Your most valuable research tool! Article Marketing Fast Track (free report) An excellent way to start providing valuable information that will attract your ideal client is to write short, useful articles and publish them on article directories and forums where your Ideal Clients hang out on the Internet. It s also a stepping stone to attract potential clients to your website, LinkedIn profile or to build a list of subscribers to your own e-newsletter, when you are ready to complete those steps as your business grows. Writing articles is a habit worth learning! Day 19 More Marketing! (Friday) Your Objective: Start networking in person with potential clients, colleagues and referral partners Relationships that lead to word of mouth spreading about you and your services takes time. But there are different ways to get your feet wet to network and help the process. Yesterday we started the ball rolling on some very strategic ways to Page 33

34 reach your Ideal Clients. Today, we will go for the less targeted but potentially faster approach. It s time to get out of the office and actually connect with people in person! Nothing builds relationships faster than simply talking with someone face to face. You may find that some of your best virtual clients and referral sources will be those who are in your local area. So it s time to learn how to do so good old fashioned business schmoozing! You may have started this on Day 13, but now it s time to follow through. What business networking and leads groups are in your local area? Find out when and where they meet and schedule to attend an event as soon as possible. Your mission today is to get at least one networking event on your calendar that you can attend within the next 7 days. When attending the event, you will still be looking for those who fit your Ideal Client Profile, or those who may know or work with your Ideal Clients, but the event itself will likely be more for general business networking or leads. Here s a short list of the places where you might find networking events you can attend: Chamber of Commerce Rotary Leads groups such as BNI, LeTips, etc. (search Google for business leads + your city) Women s business groups such as NAFE, NAWBO (search Google for women s business + your city) Meetup (search for business networking) Once your find a few events to attend, then what? Attend dressed professionally (business casual is usually your best choice) Bring business cards and give them to people who ASK for them or to those with whom you truly connect and exchange cards Page 34

35 Remember: you are NOT there to sell your services! You are there to meet people and build relationships! Start conversations with those you sit next to or who look nervous and alone. Here s how: o Smile! o Introduce yourself and offer to shake hands o Ask them their name and what they do o Get them talking about themselves by asking questions so that you can get to know them and the challenges they face in their business better o When they ask you about yourself (wait for them to ask), start off with your 10-second answer (see Action Steps and Resources below) o At this point in the conversation you will start to know whether there is a basis to continue the conversation and start to explore ways you can help each other o If there is a connection of some sort, give a referral if you can, and exchange contact information o If there is no basis for further discussion, wish the person well and move on Make it your goal to chat and start a conversation with at least 3 new people at each event you attend. Even when you don t make a connection with any of them, it is excellent practice at learning how to start conversations and get to know new people. Remember the basic networking cycle: Meet people > Follow up > Give and Ask for Referrals Day 19 Action Steps: Schedule at least one in-person networking event that you can attend within the next 7 days Page 35

36 Prepare and visualize successfully attending your first networking event, with the goal to start a conversation with at least 3 new people (the first event is always the hardest! It gets easier the more you do it) Follow up the day after the event with each person from who you made a connection. Send an or physical note card in the mail to further the conversation and build the relationship (share a helpful bit of information, make a referral, or set a date to meet for coffee) Day 19 Resources 10-Second Identity Worksheet available in the members area within the Virtual Bookkeeper s Toolbox Networking for People Who Hate Networking if you feel that you re too shy to reach out and attend networking events, this is the way to learn how to do it. Love this book! Networking Like a Pro Excellent way to make your time count and build the foundation of your networking strategy to build your business on word of mouth and powerful relationships Day 20 Review and Complete Intake and/or Service Delivery Systems (Saturday) Your Objective: Catch up and complete any of your Systems tasks not completed on Days 16 or 17 With your marketing activities starting to pick up pace, today you will revisit the work you did on your Client Intake System and Service Delivery System, so you are fully prepared for the new clients you will be screening and starting to work with! You should have ready to go Page 36

37 With using the Client Intake Form whenever handling a prospective new client inquiry Your own customized Engagement Letter template to be used (and tweaked) whenever making a proposal to work with a new client Your own customized Client Organizer template, to be used (and tweaked) whenever you accept a new client so they know exactly what information to gather and what to expect from you to get the new working relationship up, running and a success right from the start o Different sections of the Client Organizer should include: A Startup Checklist for your client information you need to start work on their books (this information will depend on what was defined in the engagement letter) Your expected Service Schedule (when monthly or weekly information should be provided to you, and when you will provide reports or other information to the client General outline of Expectations and Responsibilities for both you and the client Your own version of the Client Procedures Manual template, to be tweaked for use in your internal servicing routine of each client, based on the work contracted. o Different sections of the Client Procedures Manual should include: Client contact information, preferred communication method and general service schedule An overview of how information will flow and be shared with the client An area where client communications will be documented Page 37

38 Specific, detailed service procedures and instructions Of course, each of these documents will be customized for each client as they come on board. But having the templates ready BEFORE you start taking on clients will allow you to respond quickly and ride the initial excitement to provide excellent, responsive service right from the beginning to delight your client (and foster referrals!) Day 20 Action Steps: Revise or complete each of your client intake and service delivery templates as needed Day 20 Resources Set Up Your Systems chapter in the Virtual Bookkeepers Guide training webinar available in the members area from the Training Dashboard Day 21 DAY OFF! (Sunday) Your Objective: Rest, clear your mind, and recharge! You ve been working hard to build a solid and successful business over the past few weeks! Today is the day to refresh and sharpen the saw. Taking time off not only gives you time to remember WHY you are building your business, but it also will make you MORE effective when you come back to work. Day 21 Action Steps: Take time for yourself today and do something fun or frivolous! You deserve it! Page 38