DW Business Solutions

A good practice to follow is to be consistent with searching for new clients and projects every week.  Make this a part of your weekly sales process. Don't forget to stay in contact with your existing clients on a regular basis for projects.

Existing clients already know your value.  Never assume that there is not any work when they do not contact you. During this crazy economy, people won't always offer opportunities to you.  You have to be visible and ready.  Your existing clients may appreciate the offer - help them decide how they may delegate projects to you.

Go ahead and accept new projects.  Learn how to schedule these projects. What if you have another project you are working on when you get a new project?  Be sure to communicate with your clients about the target date of completion.  Schedule the project the following week if you are able to do this.

If the project needs to be done ASAP, approach your client with the solution that you have a great subcontractor you work with and that you would like to use them on this project.  Be sure to let your client know that you will review the work before you forward to them. They are important.  If the project is a priority, you may need to negotiate a higher rate for services (to pay your subcontractor).  Existing clients already know your value. Let the client decide if they need the fast turnaround or wait.  You still save the clients time because they didn't have to search for someone new. You both win.  This procedure will soon become invisible for you.  

Remember to include in your sales plan to stay visible with your existing clients.  Always follow up - email, coffee, or telephone call.  This is something we easily forget to do. It does pay!   

DW Consulting

Yes, we must enter transactions (information) into our databases correctly to get the output we need.  And I advise not to take short cuts to do this.  It does return to haunt a business in many ways. 

How do you get the correct information out of this database?  A business needs to measure what they are doing. This is a continued measurement and does not stop.  Accounting Professionals have always been a part of the overhead expense in the past.  Yet, the information measurements created may be used by Sales/Marketing Teams. 

How long will the cash last? How is the cash used? How do you create more? Where are the sales coming from? What should we target in the future?

This process is a science of itself.  Each step is valued along the way and should not be taken lightly.  I saw a Twitter post by Sean Murphy, SKMurphy which focused my own thoughts on Accounting. Sean quoted Rick Munden, "At a distance big companies look like aircraft carriers, but close up you see they are really a thousand canoes."

Accounting operates like this.  It is those thousand canoes that track and measure results which Executives value. If one of the canoes turn the wrong way or capsizes, (employee/contractor terminates - sick, disabliltiy or leaves), negative results may happen. 

It takes time and expertise to build a valuable accounting database. One may learn to enter one transaction in an hour, it is the complete process which assists your business with measurements.

~ DW Business Consulting, One on One Training with patience ~ 

I receive many questions of what are the differences between these two positions.  I do make a choice of using the political correct choice of words. 

I even hear statements like, "Oh, you are a bookkkeeper."  I actually hold value and respect for excellent full charge bookkeepers.   And, there may be a gray line between the two - one is to use the political correct term of Accounting Professionals. 

Accounting Professionals may offer more services to clients.  Using myself as an example, I am hands on and will actually work on the daily tasks of general accounting with clients.   I will also look at the 'inside' of your accounting system to ensure this resource is being used in ways to save time with your business.  I have the patience for training you with simple tasks to do quickly and efficiently.  I ask questions like:

• Are the accounts mapped correctly inside the software?  
• What type of controls are established with your processes?

Many small business people don't pay attention to items in this area upfront. By setting up a system correctly and letting it work with you and not against you - headaches seem to disappear.  I do work directly with CPA Accountants - preparing files for them which they may examine quickly and help small businesses make quality decisions of what to do.

The term of bookkeeping is slowly disappearing as a political correct word.  It surprises me how many times I still hear this word mentioned.  It is unfortunate the use is often associated with a dollar value now.

Remember:  Accounting made simple.  I want to direct my focus of building sales with you, by helping make presentations clear and concise (massaging your words).  

I read this article in USA Today, by Elizabeth Weise, Ginkgo biloba has no effect on Alzheimer's, dementia.  Additionally, it is good news that Ginkgo biloba does not have "negative effect" on people too.

This only made me ask a further question, what are viable solutions for this disease? 

Fortunately there are methods to give to caregivers to help understand what is happening to these patients now when it was only a couple years ago there has not been.  And, this is a disease that is very challenging to recognize with people as they enter in to it.  (both sides of the equation). 

With rising healthcare costs, and the percentage of people (yes, the aging baby boomer generation) as it is predicted that will enter into some stage of this disease, are we prepared to conquer this disease?  it is closer than one realizes.

There is not an easy answer to this disease alone.  To watch your love one slowly go through stages of becoming unknown, and not being able to communicate .... once you go through you understand. We cannot wait for that.

Add a comment here, name and contact, if you want to form an action group to do something about this. 

Thank you.

USA Today Article, Ginkgo biloba

A trend is emerging for Financial people to become more involved in companies.  Work on getting the whole picture away from offices by rolling up sleeves and participating with "hands on" activities with the rest of the company. Develop an understanding of what is going in the company and be a contributor with the rest of the company: Attend meetings.  Talk with shipping personnel. Participate with customer calls.  Look inside that shipment of goods. Walk around the company.

This may be uncomfortable at first by stepping outside the "normal accounting box", get acquainted of processes hands on.  By participating during the process, people will appreciate the numbers expertise to get on track to sales growth. Help with finding simple solutions when questions arise in the beginning. 

An additional note, this is not just for management, the accounting staff needs to have an active role with the rest of the company.  

This works with all industries and it is amazing to see these people visible.  On a recent trip, I saw the Resort Hotel General Manger walking around the property every morning (and throughout the day).  The staff knew him and worked together as a team, yet friendly, personable, and helpful .... and the hotel has been identified as one of the best places to work.

A great article, Be the Face of the Company by Ben Paramore, in Beyond Beans, December 3, 2009.  

The recession is bringing many ideas to surface that brought opposition from before.  Those employees that were quiet and carefully thought about how to successfully accomplish projects get passed over.  If you look closer at these employees, ask about what they do on their personal time, you may find artists emerging. 

Writers are artists.  Writers will have many revisions to perfect their work of art.  When this is applied to the business world, a writer is able to reinvent and revise until the business plan is perfect.  They research all items thoroughly and create a draft.  Next, they will add the elements that make their work original and successful.  This is similar to creating a successful business plan. 

A trend is emerging of adding artists to the workforce to assist with redefining businesses. 

Find out about more elements, collaborate and commuicating, that a writer shares, in this great article provided by John Maeda & Becky Bermont, Why Business Leaders Should Act More like Artists,

Dec. 1, 2009, Harvard Business Publishing.   

Companies are including business travel as they prepare their budgets for 2010, and thinking smarter in how do to spend these dollars.  The personal contact and handshake is very important now in building the trust with people.   (Which may be what was lost before) 

I agree that Twitter and Facebook creates a space to have that initial introduction with many people you may not otherwise have a chance to, it is the follow up meeting in person which expands your network.

Ways to Save

• Day trips are great which saves luggage fees and overnight fees. 
• Schedule a cluster of cities in one region for a trip.
• The use of On-Site Managers (or Interim) locally is increasing.  Meetings are planned in one region, and executed in another without airline tickets and overnight accommodations.  Audio Visual equipment may be shipped (less than an airfare), materials may be picked up at copy centers ~ Professional On-Site Manager may be hired locally to execute the meetings.
• Each trip should have a purpose stated clearly before travel. Executives of companies should not be afraid to say "no" if it doesn't make sense. 

Additional reading from the NY Times article, Some Rediscover the Benefits of Business Travel, by Tanya Mohn

We know the difference between managers (tell people what to do) and leaders (encourage their followers with their own ideas), as per the article from Suite101.com, Differences between Managers and Leaders by Julia Mihai on April 21, 2009.

One of the newest business trends is to be able to keep up-to-date with information and Business Organizations are having to teach employees, customers, suppliers, and even competitors this latest information.  Teaching is perceived differently that just out-market the competition.  People tend to trust more.

Read more about this in the article by Bill Taylor, The Rise of the Teaching Organization, Nov 17, 2009, Harvard Business Publishing, "The most idea-driven organizations have a chance to become the best teaching organizations — and we never forget our best teachers."

Teaching trends are moving back into businesses, is this a positive or negative item?  Welcome your comments!

Still time, save money and purchase just one nice item for everyone to enjoy at Thanksgiving,

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This is an interesting article about the use of IPods with musical therapy, especially with Alzheimers patients; as well as other patients who have had strokes.  Caregivers have noticed this effect in patients to help stimulate them.  This is one area of research which soon will be on the rise going forward.  IPods with therapy being used.

Going green is "in", how do you find the dollars to implement this?  As many businesses are preparing their budgets, remember to set aside a small percentage towards going green. Then ensure you follow up for the results.  Interesting article this a.m. although I am not sure it really speaks about "how" businesses may go green nor what they should do to implement the dollars set aside. 

Be simple this year with Thanksgiving and share one flower centerpiece on the table for everyone.  

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