In the past couple of weeks, I have talked to several of you who have been in a little distress because you needed to put together a presentation for a BNI meeting.  I do not know about you, but when it comes to public speaking – my anxiety level goes through the roof and it is enough to put me into a tail spin.

At first you are in a panic because you realize that you need to speak in front of a group of 15 or more people.  Then you become horrified because you realize exactly what it entails, that you’ll need to stand in front of these people and talk for at least 15 minutes.  Your last thought is, what am I going to talk about for 15 whole minutes?

You need to stop, take a deep breath and take five steps back.  Remember, presentations and 60 second promos about your business are the best way to educate people on what it is you do.  Keep this in mind.  By doing this you are building relationships with the people that you meet and promoting your business.

Whenever I do a presentation for the BNI network, here is my approach:

1. We, as bookkeepers/consultants, should focus on the value of our service, not the price. Ie.  Our clients love us because we take the worry away from them and allow them to focus on their business.  They have comfort knowing that their bills are being paid on time and the work is accurate.
2. Define what makes you different from your competitor or companies in your area.
3. I define who is a good contact for you to meet with.  For example, I am looking to connect with Lawyers, landscapers or non-profit organizations.
4. Some presentation topics that relate to my business that I have talked about are
   1. Updates on what’s new with QuickBooks or Peachtree – Talk about the latest versions of software you work with and what changes they have made within the programs that could benefit different businesses.
   2. How to streamline your Clients Book- I have done a PowerPoint presentation before that showed areas that most people do not use QuickBooks and how to use them in order to implement better bookkeeping procedures.  Find an area most people are weak in and show them a way to improve.
   3. I have educated the members in my group on what the difference between a bookkeeper, a full charge bookkeeper and a controller is and discussed the different roles and expectations associated with each.  By discussing the different aspects of bookkeeping, you have the opportunity to educate others on what it is you offer.  Most people are pretty uneducated in this area, many business owners’ don’t realize there is a difference in these services.

Don’t let the fear of public speaking keep you from sharing what you love best about what you do and who you are.   As much as public speaking takes me out of my comfort zone, I do find that it ends up being worth the tiny discomfort that I have to endure.  I have gotten a ton of referral business from it, so it pays to put yourself out there.

By Linda A Hunt

A couple of months ago, I referred a prospective client who was not right for my firm to another bookkeeper who I thought would be a better fit. I sent him an email and then I followed up with a phone call so that I could give him all of the details that I had learned in my initial conversation with the prospective client. I had not referred anyone to this bookkeeper before. I found it interesting that I was doing most of the follow-up to give him business and this of course, got me thinking – is following up a lost art?

Since I had told the prospective client that I would pass their name along, I set up a reminder in my calendar to follow up with both the prospective client and the bookkeeper in a few weeks time. When I did I ended up having a lovely conversation with the prospective client from whom I learned that they were working with my referral and very pleased with the outcome. When I called the bookkeeper, who I referred the business to – no response!

This is not the first time I experienced this and I am sure it will not be the last. Life, these days, seems to move at the speed of light and we have tons of technology to help us keep up that speed. To me, technology represents a double-edged sword. While on one side it can make our lives simpler by automating time-consuming tasks, it also keeps us running at a pace where we forget to slow down to be people and connect as people.

Following up takes discipline. Sending a handwritten note is the most powerful and least expensive way to deepen a relationship. A handwritten note denotes a relationship and leaves a lasting impact.

Over 80% of my business comes to me through referral. I have spent a great deal of time forming relationships with my colleagues and have to do very little other types of marketing. The day I receive a referral, I send out a handwritten thank you. I don’t wait until or if it turns into business. I believe that my referral rate is so high for two reasons:

1) All it takes to receive another referral is a simple acknowledgement to the source of the referral to keep them coming, and:
2) I ask them to keep referring to me.

It’s that simple. Remember to incorporate personal touches in all of your networking and you will set yourself apart from the pack and watch the referrals start to roll in. Following up is one of the easiest ways to distinguish yourself from others. Don’t under estimate the power of tangible appreciation.