Nobody Likes Stress…Especially in Bookkeeping Systems
I know you don’t like feeling that awful stress, where your schedule is too packed, but you’re trying to onboard clients and get systems that make your workflows more efficient. It’s a LOT.
That’s why I wanted to address the stress today. Especially after the last year we have all had, the last thing any of us need is more pressure. So in this post, I am introducing you to my less-stress bookkeeping systems. When I say bookkeeping systems, I mean putting processes in place to find your right bookkeeping clients and get them onboarded and what to look for if you think you might be dealing with the wrong clients.
I’m also introducing you to my template lab that helps bookkeepers streamline their business operation processes.
Time to de-stress! Let’s get to it.
Your Bookkeeping System to Finding the Right Clients and Weeding Out the Wrong Ones…
Nothing is more stressful than trying to find clients and not finding the right ones for your business. That is why I believe in systems to help business owners roadmap out what their ideal clients look like, so the stress is taken out of wondering who they will attract.
This includes getting you to…
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- Hone in on what you’re willing to do and not willing to do. Think about your schedule, scope of work…everything that goes into what you provide for clients and what you have learned is a hard nope.
- Identify what kind of client you want to work with, personality-wise.
- Make sure new clients see the value in your services… I mean staying away from clients that lowball you on pricing. You know what you’ve got to offer and you should be paid for it.
- Get clear about boundaries. No answering calls when you’re marked as unavailable.
- Understand that it’s okay to say no if a client doesn’t value the services being provided!!
We all want to get clients….but sometimes not every client is the right match, which is why I ask the above questions. It’s important to have a system in place to figure out if a client isn’t right for you. And don’t forget, they could have been an ideal client at one time but are now causing you stress.
Bookkeeping Systems for De-Stressing Onboarding…
In my business, I have a very clear lead questionnaire that asks potential clients very specific questions so I can get an initial sense of whether or not they will be a good fit for my business. I actually made my onboarding process a part of my template lab, which you should probably join, because it’s great.
Once they fill it out + hit submit, my calendar appears and they are able to schedule a call. They also receive an automated email with the same calendar link prompting them to schedule a call if they have not already. The other great thing about the questionnaire is it allows me to get an idea of where their problem areas are so I can guide the conversation, as opposed to spending half the call asking questions that they could have already given me the answers to ahead of time.
Saves me a ton of time and energy, and lets the client take their time to think about their answers, instead of watching the clock on a call and scrambling to describe their goals to me.
Finally, my questionnaire also includes my onboarding questions, so by the time we are done with our initial call I have all the information I need to move forward, so there is no need for that second follow-up call.
Once we’re done, I choose a workflow for the client based on the service we are starting with, it automates their quote, then they sign their contract, pay their invoice, and then a to-do list is automatically sent to them.
The other thing I want to drive home about gaining new clients and getting them onboarded is that there is NO NEED to reinvent the wheel. Having set prices, contract templates and lists of services saves you so much time. I talk to business owners who are drawing up new contracts for every single client.
I always wonder why. There is no need to do that and once you template those contracts and pricing, it’s as easy as pressing send to get it out to your new clients.
This system reduces my stress immensely because it’s literally a few clicks of a button and entering some client info, instead of spending 45 minutes writing up a new contract.
System wins!
Bookkeeping Systems at Tax Time
Plain and simple – having systems in place at any time, but particularly at tax time is a lifesaver for any bookkeeper or CPA. They save you time…and we all know time is money. It also means less stress. I always ask my clients, “If I can give you this time back, what will you do with that?”
Some people take on more clients and grow their business, some spend more time with their family…however people spend that time is fantastic. The important thing is they have more time to do whatever they want.
So in Closing…
Not having bookkeeping systems increases your stress – whether that’s systems for finding your ideal clients, weeding out the ones that don’t work for you or admin systems that help you streamline all your other business processes. When you don’t have good systems, there is chaos and no organization.
Systems = workflow = supreme organization and efficiency.
I know creating systems sometimes is frustrating and time-consuming. If you need some help, I want to introduce you to the NumberNerd Template Lab… where all the systems guesswork has been done for you. It’s got all the templates and step-by-step guidance you need to…
- Take inventory of your current processes to see where you can create efficiencies
- Improve your workflows and gain back your time, so you can take on more clients
- Eliminate backtracking so you can efficiently manage all of your clients’ needs
And so much more. There are even templates that will help you create a lead generation system that seriously works to get you new clients.
Ultimately, it will help you streamline your work and just get things done faster.
