It’s Time To Realign
I am only one, but I am one. I cannot do everything, but I can do something. And I will not let what I cannot do interfere with what I can do.
– Edward Everett Hale
::Together With Financial Cents::
Financial Cents has a fantastic library of templates built by accounting firms like yours!
2025 is soon upon us, and with that comes a time to have our business services realigned. The key to bringing value to our clients and joy to our workday is to offer only what we want to do and what we do well. And the time to realign is now, as 2024 closes out, not as 2025 opens. Go in fresh!
Are you starting this process?
I am doing this right now with my bookkeeping, consultations, and templates.
About this time last year, I honed my 5-Star client to be accounting firms. I already worked with a few and realized how much I loved collaborating with them. So, I realigned only to take on accounting firms as new clients, and they needed to be on QBO with their bank feeds connected. I also have a micro lifestyle firm, so I don’t do AR or payroll for them.
At the time, I pictured engagements of ~$750/month to support firms with AP and accrual-based accounting. As I’ve chugged along in 2024, I have realized there is a need to support firms’ internal controls simply by clearing bank feeds and reconciling. So, I will also offer this at $250/month.
Do you have a 5-Star profile and floor pricing?
I was doing consults and training on various firm aspects, from app training on Dext/QBO/Plooto and other cloud programs to firm consults and process consults. Turns out I love fixing things, not talking about things, starting things or hanging about for the long haul. I am best at seeing what folks are doing and optimizing it.
As last year wore on, I realized that some call times were too long and draining (for me and the guest), and some were too short for folks to leave the session feeling like we accomplished something. 90 minutes is just right (the three bears in action).
I have refined what I consult on to 90-minute sessions where we look at how you have set up a process or workflow, how you have applied it in apps and/or how your apps talk to each other. That’s basically it.* I’m going to consult only on what I love, that the folks who sign up will get great value from.
Have you aligned how you meet with clients and the boundaries that ensure you look forward to every meeting?
I have a Black Friday/Cyber Monday Sale until December 8, 2024.
33% off all templates using the code: BLACKCYBER24
As you are well aware, apps can be overwhelming with the choice of what is out there and with the feature adds and improvements. Keeping up with the changes for the proprietary workflows has become overwhelming, and it no longer makes sense to update them for the amount of sales generated.
This is like a firm with fifty clients trying to keep up with processes for two clients who are not on the main accounting program. The outliers, no matter how sweet they are, don’t make sense to accommodate.
So, as of the end of December, I am no longer selling 17hats, Asana, Clickup, Financial Cents, Pixie or Typeform templates. If you have been thinking of buying them, the time is now. I will concentrate on improving and iterating my workflows in spreadsheet formats (which can be applied into practice management apps), my Standard Operating Process Guides, Client Guides and Google Forms.
Not only does this free me up to concentrate on the templates that sell best, but it will also streamline the buying process. With so many choices of products on my site, it can be a little tough to decide what to purchase.
Start your realignment process now.
Vet your services and how you deliver them
It’s time to hunker down and decide what services need to be realigned so that you are bringing the best your firm has to offer to the clients who will value you the most.
Vet that client list
I’ve said it before - liking a client is not a good enough reason to keep them. And not liking them is a great reason to let them go. I realize that letting clients go is hard - really, really hard - so even if you aren’t quite prepared to part with some, at least start with a list of who should be moving on, and part of that process will be realigning the work you do and how you are doing it.
Simply yours, Kellie :-}
*Here’s a fun video of me looking at some firms' Discovery Forms to give you an idea of how I can help you.
I am offering a bit of an oddball consult that is not related to accounting at all. I have presented hundreds of times over the last ten years - live and virtual. I also sit on conference and event committees. This has given me insight into what makes a successful submission and what makes a great presentation deck. So, I am offering a “Roast My Presentation” and “Roast My Submission” sessions. They are $200, 30 minutes, short and sweet - to review what you have pecked out and what could be improved with your submission and presentation.
Or you can do this asynchronously. Create a folder for us, share it with me (calmwaters@calmwaters.ca), add the submission and/or presentation for review and a video with your thoughts. I’ll review it within a week and send back a video of my thoughts. $100. Here is the link to order this up.
I also have resources to help create and manage speaking and teaching gigs.
