It’s a new year again!
Looks like it is back to work and time to start planning those business strategies for 2023.
During the break, you’ve probably given some thought about where you’d like to see your business heading this year.
Can we throw a few ideas into the mix too?
In 2023, think about becoming the Financial Storyteller to your SME clients and prospects.
Financial Storytelling will help you explain to your clients how they build stronger businesses in these times of uncertainty.
It is what many of your clients will want you to do. By being their trusted advisor, you will build closer relationships with them and start to become an essential part of their business.
Now please excuse this blatant plug, but we at ESS BIZTOOLS can help make your transition to Financial Storyteller a lot easier, by helping you support your direct clients through our professional product packages.
We know that when you venture into new territory, there will always be concerns, especially when you are faced with signing up to online products/services of which you may not have previously heard. That little thought-bubble keeps going off in your mind, asking “Am I doing the right thing?”
Before you commit, you’ve got to feel comfortable that the products you are subscribing to are:
- current and comprehensive;
- have ongoing support; and
- ongoing updates will be provided.
No one wants to get left in the lurch with unsupported products.
After-sales support or ‘AFTERS’ are just as important with online subscriptions as the original service.
At ESS BIZTOOLS, we back our ‘AFTERS’ with our 20 years of experience supporting the Australian accounting industry.
Knowing you can rely on our ‘AFTERS’ is key to the ongoing delivery of your Financial Storytelling.
Accountants, like yourself, who are prepared to provide services beyond taxation are positioning themselves to benefit greatly as they develop their Financial Storytelling skills. When you apply these skills, you’ll be able to help your SME clients fully understand how they can grow and prosper.
Knowing that you have a reliable range of ‘AFTERS’ available to back up your product packages creates a sense of confidence within your accounting team. By relying on our professional product packages, you will be able to deliver a broader range of services to your client base.
This is not only financially rewarding, but results in great job satisfaction. Isn’t that what we’re all looking for?
There is a growing trend towards virtual CFO and Business Advisory Services being supplied to SME clients.
Sure, the US led the way in this concept, however it is expected that more and more Australian companies will turn to their accountants for similar services over the next twelve months. Trends show that more SME clients believe they need additional services to help them to operate successfully in the recession-prone waters ahead.
If you wonder why these trends are starting to emerge, you only have to look to the following points:
- Reduction in wage earner tax returns, potentially reducing professional firms’ income. Have a look at what the ATO Commissioner had to say about this a few months ago – click here.
- More businesses seeking to raise capital by using Section 708 of the Corporations Act, Early-Stage Innovation Company Capital Raising and Crowd Sourced Funding Equity Raising.
- Capital raising requires businesses to have prepared realistic Business Plans, Budgets, Cash Flow Forecasts and Projected Balance Sheets. If for no other reason than financial credibility, these businesses will require your professional assistance to get these tasks done.
- A growing number of businesses are undertaking Research and Development activities expecting to claim the Research and Development Tax Rebate. Many of these businesses will need professional advice.
- More SMEs are exporting, with more applications being submitted for the Export Market Development Grant.
Our development team at ESS BIZTOOLS stands behind all our product packages and we are happy to make the following ‘AFTERS’ promises to our professional advisory clients:
- Our team will provide assistance to help your team deliver Business Advisory Services to your SMEs through the ESS BIZTOOLS Business Advisory Services Training Package – 13 modules. This will guide your team through the advisory process.
- Training and Mentoring Services are included with our various packages:
- Starter Package: 4 sessions of 30 minutes each
- Advanced Package: 4 sessions of 60 minutes each
- Within one week of you joining our service, we will arrange mutually agreeable dates and times to carry out your training on individual products. Training is conducted through Zoom meetings.
- The Mentoring and Training Sessions will be delivered to meet your firm’s and your clients’ requirements.
For the Starter Package, these sessions may include:
- Starting a Business
- Characteristics of a Well-Run Business
- Establishing Appropriate Charge out Rates for Tradie Businesses and Professional Service Businesses to achieve targeted profits
- Determination of Retail Business Product Mix with Various Mark-ups to achieve targeted profits
For the Advanced Package, the sessions could include:
- Corporate Governance Overview
- Company Secretary’s Services
- Board of Advice – overview on operations
- Board of Directors – meeting procedures
- Government Grant Applications for Major Grants
- Predictive Accounting Processes for long-term planning
- Research and Development Processes to enable research and development rebate to be claimed
- Business Planning Approach
- Utilisation of the SME Needs Analysis will be discussed within our training and mentoring sessions so everyone can understand how this product can best be used, to determine which additional services your individual client requires.
- All subscribers have access to detailed training videos on each product package.
- We present monthly webinars exclusively for our members. During each of these sessions, we focus on an individual product package to give you more detailed knowledge. You and your colleagues will be welcome to attend these events via Zoom.
- Our monthly Business Plus+ Newsletter can be badged with your firm’s name and address and sent out to your clients and prospects. Using analytics, you will be able to identify clients who may be interested in a particular article. We suggest you then contact them to see whether they are interested in discussing that topic further. This type of activity can lead to new business opportunities for you and your team.
- We produce approximately 25 ESS BIZTOOLS Podcasts each year which will give you the opportunity to stay abreast of topical subjects generally related to Business Advisory Services, CFO services and Predictive Accounting.
- Each fortnight, our ESS BIZTOOLS Members Alert will be sent to you, to keep you across issues on ESS BIZTOOLS and ESS BIZGRANTS products, upcoming webinars and other items of interest to Accountants, Bookkeepers, Business Advisors, CFOs servicing the SME market.
- All subscribers have access to the information papers that you can badge with your firm’s name and send out to your clients and prospects. These papers will be updated as new information becomes available and papers on new subjects will be prepared and uploaded to our website during the year. Subscribers are free to share these research papers with their clients and prospects.
Advanced Package subscribers have access to all of our papers. That’s now nearly 570 reports covering a wide range of accounting, taxation and business topics.
Starter Package subscribers have access to approximately 340 papers.
These are the kinds of ‘AFTERS’ services that professional accounting firms, like yours, need to know are available and can be relied on when they subscribe to professional product packages.
Remember…we are always available to help you deliver the services in our packages to your clients.
Like to know more?
Come and check out our websites.
Visit www.essbiztools.com.au to discover how easy it is for you to start down the path of providing Business Advisory Services, including Financial Storytelling, to your SME clients.
You can also visit www.essbizgrants.com.au, a platform that can assist you to find out which government grants could be a good fit for your clients.
Are you interested in finding out how your firm can provide Business Advisory Services, Financial Storytelling and CFO Services to your SME clients?
Give ESS BIZTOOLS a call on 1800 232 088 and we will arrange a no-obligation Zoom meeting with our Managing Director, Peter Towers. Peter is an expert in diversifying accounting practices and can guide you through the steps you will need to take to integrate financial storytelling into your new range of services. Alternatively, you can book an appointment online at www.essbiztools.com.au.
Business Advisory Services and Financial Storytelling are the future for Australian accounting.
So let us help you support your clients.
Want more information?
COMPLIMENTARY WEBINARS
FREE WHITE PAPER
Peter Towers | ESS Biztools | peter@essbiztools.com.au
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