comments

I also find that when someone starts dickering around the price that they don't value what you can do for them.

I often wonder how they feel when their clients pull the same routine. I suspect they don't like it. So why do it to someone else?

I am however willing to work with someone who A) tells me up front that they are on a budget and what they can afford; B) have completeluy filled out their Biznik and LinkedIn and FaceBook profiles and actively use those services; and C) offer to do something for me in return that I need such as a marketing person who evaluated my Biznik profile in exchange for a meal and a quick review of their books and I happened to be in their area anyway between clients.

If you want to keep track of what clients have purchased, enter reoccuring or memorized invoices such as for servicing type work each month, enter reminders or to do notes to remind you to come back on X date to work on Y, and what you have done for them in the past as well as job costing (provided you set yourself up for that), QuickBooks is a good choice.

It also allows you to integrate with Outlook, Outlook Express, Windows Mail, and other mail programs such as Entourage and MS Word if you want to generate client lettters.

If you want more information to track, the customer manager is a good tool although it is not for everyone.

I think Ken that you need to tell us what specifically you are trying to accomplish.

One way to make sure that you can seamlessly match your bank transactions in QuickBooks or Quicken desktop for the PC or Mac with your bank account is to make sure that you first enter them into the accounting and bookkeeping software program along with the appropiate account category and then either download and import a free in most cases web connect file from your bank or credit union to complete the matching process. This doesn't take a lot of extra time.

Another option is to sign up for a direct connect connection which usually costs money to exchange this information.

The first option is how I do it on a weekly basis in both programs for my business.

However, the real issue I have found with my clients that I help set up, review their existing books, or train in either software is that frequently their financial institution will not let them download their information. In that case, I suggest they might want to switch to a financial institution in touch with the real business world. And ask these kinds of questions before they sign up.

You can also post to more than one service or for sale category on craigslist.

Just make sure that each ad is written differently and pertains in some way to that specific category.

For example, in Rebecca Wood's case, she could offer her shea butter body and spa products in the for sale section of craigslist under the categories of household items, beauty and health, and farm and garden to name a few as those are places where people might be looking for her products.

In the services area, she could offer her products if she offers a service in beauty services, labor and moving (got to smooth those chapped hands), farm and garden (same), travel (same), and therapeutic (but you have to pay the last one).

You have to be creative but still follow the rules.

I don't agree with the suggestion to not answer the phone. I have gotten several clients to help them with their QuickBooks and Quicken problems because I did answer the telephone.

This meant that that I didn't have to worry about a competitor winning the sale as the client was frantic and wanted to close the sale and solve their problem.

One commented that I was the only one out ten that she called who called them back. Which was why I got the job.

The trick is that you post an ad with a link to an image that is hosted on an outside site. The image is your "ad".

This usually works for services categories but not others.

Each image has a different file name. If you use the same image name, you'll get flagged.

What you do is first create your HTML code. You can do this in Word as well. Save the file as a Web Page.

Bring up the "web page" and then print the page to an image generator or PDF creator. That creates your "image".

Then you publish away.

And yes, you will need to know how to write basic HTML for your ad and if you look on BizTalk, you might find a post from me about how to do that.

I have QB POS 6.0 hardware (cash register drawer, scanner, printer, and bar code reader) and their last generation 6.0 software. I would sell them for a reasonable price.

I can also help you set it up as I am certified in both current and last generation's QuickBooks financial and point of sale (POS) software.

I concur with David, Nancy, and Sonia about the recent decision by Biznik management (oh, no, Mr. Bill, Biznik is now a corporation!) to hide compliments and photos of unpaid members and it is making me evaluate continuing my premium membership even though I get 8-18% of my business through it.

To me, the decision makes the site less useful and doesn't promote networking. I like to see photos, compliments, and fully completed profiles. It tells me if I want to do business with them.

That's what I can see on LinkedIn, FastPitch, and other social networking sites. Why should Biznik be so "high and mighty?"

When you take useful services away, you only weaken yourself. If you had it before, you shouldn't take it away for older members. They should be grandfathered or grandmothered in.

One way to get around this restriction is to copy and paste those compliments to the What X Does or put them in the What X Does Best section in your profile and mention that link in the What X Does section.

Following up on this discussion of finding a small business friendly bank, WaMy now Chase will allow you access up to seven years of banking records online.

I believe that this includes the ability to download your transactions into your financial management software such as QuickBooks, Quicken, Money, Excel, etc.

Useful if you are like some of my clients who finally decide to get organized and want to be ablet to start 2009 fresh.

If it is the beggining of the month, I would use the discount or sale terms of first month free. Then I could pick when I started. I like things simple.

This is a good list and the comments are pretty useful as well.

I think the biggest problem many of these social business networking sites face is numbers and ease of use. Most of them don't do very well in either. Having 7 million members doesn't mean much if the site is clumsy to use.

I am also on eAcademy, Fast Pitch, LinkedIn (have gotten business from them as well as Biznik), Partner Up, Plaxo, Ryze, StartUp Nation, and Xing (I think the former Jobster CEO is working for them).

When I had 20 computer books to sell a few years ago to raise money for my membership in the QuickBooks ProAdvisors program, I got good results from Craigslist: Seattle.

I would suggest that you look up each title on Google or Yahoo/MSN/Bing or on the Powells Bookstore in Portland and see what price they are bringing.

Monique hit the nail on the head when she pointed out the real emotional and time cost of trying to do it yourself.

This is why I go to an auto mechanic to take care of my car that I drive to my QuickBooks or Quicken for the PC or Mac clients, to a computer repair shop for my computer, a plumber to fix a leak, etc.

I don't have that expertise. I would rather pay others to do what they do well rather than being frustrated. And I make more than what I pay others to do to make my live easier by fixing life's little problems.

Shouldn't it be that way?

I am constantly giving some of my QuickBooks set up, review, and training clients when I come to their place of business this same reminder about the need to support their deductions.

The major areas of concern are in the automotive (yes, going to a Biznik event qualifies) as well as the meals and entertainment category (ditto and don't forget the tip you left for the barista for letting them meet your client at their coffee shop.)

The funny thing is when I quizzed one client about their spending over a month's time, we discovered that they had omitted several hundred dollars worth of deductions by not writing them down which were offset by a hundred dollars of deductions they couldn't substaniate.

So another reason for record keeping is to not over pay one's federal income taxes and self employment taxes if applicable.

Unless you prefer to, smile.

In regards to Terry Simpson's comment above, I just duplicated both inventory and service items so this seems to be working.

You do this by highlighting it in your item list, selecting duplicate item by right clicking your choice and clicking OK to lock it in.

Are you current on your product releases? About a quarter of my clients have problems because they don't update.

The most current product release for QuickBooks Pro (for the PC) 2009 as of July 29, 2009 is R7 which can be found by pressing the F2 key and looking at the top line.

I am trying to edit my profile in the about me section and can not. I have tried twice. The page says it is saving but isn't. I also can not edit my five group links to the left of my profile.

If you have done your homework about a specific business or industry and are solving people's problems by offering a solution through your services, then you are not cold calling by "calling on them" and introducing your service.

Another effective method is to meet people at an event or online such as Biznik or LinkedIn and then send them (by e-mail or via snail mail) an article that pertains to their business. People remember people who go out of their way to help them.

And of course, referrals on Biznik don't hurt either.

There was an article on the last page of the back section in today's (4/7/09) Wall Street Journal about how you can sock away up to 92.175%* of self employment earnings by using a Solo 401(k).

*You still have to pay your half of the self employment tax.

When you start a business, you have a choice. You can ask people who know more than you do for advice or you can do it yourself.

If you try to DIY to set up your books, point of sales system, create a web site, write a business plan to get a loan, or market yourself, etc. without fully understanding how to do all or either of them WELL, your chance of making a mistake is greater. If you ask any small business owner, that is one of our major observations about our clients.

If you ask experts for help, chances are you will save time and money in the long run. At least that is what one client told me the other day.

Would you rather spend $50 and get a free lunch and learn or call me in six months from now for several hundred dollars to fix what you mucked up.

You wouldn't climb on your roof to fix it, represent yourself in court on a civil or criminal case, or rewire your house. Why do the same for your new business?

It is your money and business. As Indiana Jones was advised, "Choose wisely." So should you.

My class will be focusing on creating a good set of books for your new business, how to avoid the top ten mistakes I sees many of my clients make, how to make your choice of accounting software or system work for you, and how to tie your accounts with various IRS tax forms lines so you can save on accountant’s fees.

If you create an account on Craigs List, you can reduce your posting time considerably by logging in, staying logged in for two weeks, and selecting which ad to renew that day.

It is easier and faster than opening up one program and then copying and pasting the ad in another. You can always change the ad each time you post.

Also, you can post up to three ads a day for the service categories. In your case, you could post additional ads that are worded differently to the writing and editing, household, and creative services categories to name a few.

Here's the list to the (32) Best Websites to Publish Your Articles that Zeke Camusio wrote with all the links clickable. I think you will all find it is much easier than cutting and pasting.

WordPress -- http://www.wordpress.com WordPress is an excellent blogging platform.
 
Squidoo -- http://www.squidoo.com Create your lens, publish your articles, and network with other = users.
 
Hubpages -- http://www.hubpages.com Create your own page and spread your content.
 
Wetpaint -- http://www.wetpaint.com One of the best Wiki platforms out there.
 
Clearblogs -- http://www.clearblogs.com Another = awesome blogging service.
 
Blogspot -- http://www.blogger.com A free blogging service owned by Google.
 
MySpace -- http://www.myspace.com One of the most popular social networks on earth, owned by Microsoft. Use = the blog feature to publish your content.
 
AOL Journals -- http://peopleconnection.aol.com/blogs Another blog service. This one is owned by AOL.
 
Quizilla -- http://www.quizilla.com Create your page and show it to the world!
 
Bumpzee -- http://www.bumpzee.com List all your blogs here and give them maximum exposure.
 
Multiply -- http://www.multiply.com Create your page and list your blogs.
 
Experience -- http://www.experienceproject.com Another social networking site that allows you to share your content.
 
Scribd -- http://www.scribd.com An amazing service to publish your documents.
 
NewsVine -- http://www.newsvine.com A collaboration-based news site.
 
Facebook -- http://www.facebook.com I'm sure you've heard about this one. Facebook is the biggest social network in the world. Create your own page, join groups and interact in the community, create events, network with others, and create your own group to get the most out of this fantastic tool.
 
Zimbio -- http://www.zimbio.com Publish your articles and submit your blogs here.
 
Wikispaces -- http://www.wikispaces.com Another amazing Wiki platform.
 
Tumblr -- http://www.tumblr.com Post your article with a few clicks only.
 
Flickr -- http://www.flickr.com Share your photos and include your articles too!
 
Twitter -- http://www.twitter.com Twitter allows you to let the world know what you are up to.
 
Mahalo -- http://www.mahalo.com Publish your articles for free.
 
Associated Content -- http://www.associatedcontent.com One of the most prestigious article distribution services out there.
 
Helium -- http://www.helium.com Post your articles here. It is very easy to use.
 
E How -- http://www.ehow.com = Become an expert and publish valuable advice.
 
Wiki How -- http://www.wikihow.com Give advice and become a respected member of the community.
 
Ezine Articles -- http://www.ezinearticles.com = The best article distribution service ever.
 
Go Articles -- http://www.goarticles.com In my = opinion, the second best article distribution service.
 
Articles Base -- http://www.articlesbase.com Another site where you can publish your articles.
 
Article Alley -- http://www.articlealley.com = Free article publishing service.
 
Google Knol - http://knol.google.com An article distribution service owned by Google.
 
43 Things -- http://www.43things.com Share that thing that you always wanted to do or your experiences about = things that you have done already.
 
For more great articles, visit our blog at http://www.TheOutsourcingCompany.com/blog

I certainly plan to make use of it. Thanks Zeke.

One thing that I do when writing a testimonial is to mention how it specifically helped my business name which does X services or sells X products. That way, someone who is seeking X services or products can find me.

I also encourage the same from folks who are writing testimonials for me. We have to help each other out.

Here's the list of the 50 best sites to promote your blog with all the sites hot linked so you don't have to copy and paste to your browser. It should save everyone some time and money:

PR: 8 Technorati http://www.technorati.com/
PR: 8 Blogarama.com http://www.blogarama.com/
PR: 7 blogcatalog.com http://www.blogcatalog.com/directory
PR: 7 eatonweb.com http://portal.eatonweb.com/
PR: 7 ping-o-matic.com http://pingomatic.com/
PR: 7 blogtoplist.com http://www.blogtoplist.com/
PR: 6 WeBlogALot.com http://www.weblogalot.com/
PR: 6 BlogHop.com http://www.bloghop.com/
PR: 6 blogdir.com http://www.blogdir.com/
PR: 6 blog-directory.org http://www.blog-directory.org/index.php
PR: 5 blogroll.net http://www.blogroll.net/
PR: 5 biggerblogger.com http://www.biggerblogger.com/
PR: 4 blogrankings.com http://www.blogrankings.com/
PR: 5 Blogged.com http://www.blogged.com/
PR: 5 quickblogdirectory.com http://www.quickblogdirectory.com/
PR: 4 bloglisting.net/ http://www.bloglisting.net/
PR: 5 blogbib.com http://www.blogbib.com/
PR: 5 blogexplosion.com http://www.blogexplosion.com/directory/
PR: 5 addurlblog.com http://www.addurlblog.com/
PR: 4 blogbunch.com http://www.blogbunch.com/
PR: 4 blogsbycity.com http://www.blogsbycity.com/
PR: 4 blogbunch.com http://www.blogbunch.com/
PR: 4 blogflux.com http://dir.blogflux.com/
PR: 4 submitblogs.com http://www.submitblogs.com/
PR: 4 topblogarea.com http://www.topblogarea.com/
PR: 4 emarketingblogs.com http://www.emarketingblogs.com/listings/index.shtml
PR: 4 bloghub.com http://www.bloghub.com/
PR: 7 blogskinny.com http://www.blogskinny.com/
PR: 6 LSBlogs.com http://www.lsblogs.com/
PR: 6 globeofblogs.com http://www.globeofblogs.com/
PR: 6 geekswithblogs.net http://www.geekswithblogs.net/
PR: 6 bloglinker.com http://www.bloglinker.com/
PR: 6 bloggapedia.com http://www.bloggapedia.com/
PR: 6 poweredbywp.com http://www.poweredbywp.com/
PR: 5 2-review.com http://www.2-review.com/
PR: 6 delightfulblogs.com http://www.delightfulblogs.com/
PR: 4 addyourblog.com http://www.addyourblog.com/
PR: 4 blogzdirectory.com http://www.blogzdirectory.com/
PR: 4 blogdirectory.info http://www.blogdirectory.info/
PR: 3 DirBlog http://www.dirblog.com/
PR: 3 blogfolders.com http://www.blogfolders.com/
PR: 3 add-blogs.com http://www.add-blogs.com/
PR: 3 BlogTagstic.com http://www.blogtagstic.com
PR: 3 blogoxide.com http://www.blogoxide.com/
PR: 3 blog-search.com http://www.blog-search.com
PR: 3 blogz-search.com http://www.blogz-search.com/
PR: 3 bloggazines.com http://www.bloggazines.com/
PR: 3 bloggingsmostwanted.com http://www.bloggingsmostwanted.com/
PR: 2 creative-blogs.com http://www.creative-blogs.com/
PR: 2 B4Blogs.com http://www.b4blogs.com/