Optimise your QBO Profile - Part 3: The exact steps to improve your QBO ProAdvisor profile

Welcome. If you are a QBO Pro Advisor, then this video is for you. It will tell you how to optimize your QBO ProAdvisor profile. And in this lesson, in this video, you're going to learn the four key action steps that you need to take to optimize your profile. And I will also share with you my three top tips for getting more reviews. Now, this is from a live webinar that we did for our students in the Value Pricing Academy and it's delivered by the Amazing Jessica Fox. So we're going to go and see Jessica in a short while while she takes you through the four action steps and then I'm going to come back at the end and share my three top tips for getting more reviews. Now of course, if you missed parts one and two, I do recommend that you actually go back and watch parts one and two first before this one. And we'll put the links to part one and two of this video series in the description. They may even appear on the screen here somewhere. And at the very end, as well as sharing my three top tips, I will give you some links to some free resources. So with that said, let's go and learn what are these four action steps from Jessica.

Now, I've given you some things that you can do, so I want to give you some actionable steps that you can take right now, right after this session and start working on improving your profile. So number one, I've talked about this but it bears repeating because I know for me that was really hard part hard to do. You need to request reviews. People are not going to give them to you unless you ask for them and it will not occur to them to give it to you because if they contacted you through the directory, it's not like they're going to think to go back, find your profile and review. It doesn't have to come from somebody that you found from the directory. It could be anybody that you are serving or have served in any capacity in relation to QuickBooks, accounting, taxes, any other type of services that you will shop for in that directory. So don't be afraid to ask. I recommend to systematize this because it's awkward who have to ask every time. I have an email template so whenever I deliver a service that request is nicely worded, it's built in, it includes the link. That way I don't need to get my shyness and my anxiety and my imposter syndrome of oh my goodness, I am scared. What will they say? I am my worst enemy when it comes to that. So I removed myself out of the equation because that is systematized. Anytime somebody contacts you to ask questions that maybe it's just a training, maybe they just needed to hire you once to clean one thing in their QuickBooks, that's still enough to ask for a review.

Then I want you to evaluate your photo and if you identify that, hey, it doesn't quite match with what Jessica was just telling me, make it a point to update it. You don't need to overthink it. If you want to go to a photo studio and get some professional headshots, go for it. But don't feel like you need to wait until you have the time or money for that. Most cell phones nowadays have really good cameras and you can either use a stand, you can ask a friend or relative to take some pictures for you. Take several options because the first one is going to be very rigid. You're going to be nervous and your body language is not going to be kind of tight. So you're going to want to take various shots in different poses, perhaps different locations, perhaps changing your clothing. And then what you want to make sure is that it has good lining, that you have a full, natural smile, not a forced one. When somebody says say cheese, but pretend somebody told you a joke, think of something funny. Usually when I want a natural smile, I think of my dog because my dog is hilarious and I just think she's adorable and I cannot think of her without smiling naturally. So think about your trigger. Maybe it could be your child. Thinking about your child makes you smile naturally, your cat or whatever your favorite comedy that you enjoy as now when you go to upload your photo, you want to make sure that it's not so zoomed in that you're just a floating head. I seen some of those and they're okay because I can see the person, I can see their smile, but it just feels odd when there's just a head. There's no neck, no shoulders. But you also don't want to be so zoomed out that you can tell there's a face. But I will need my stronger glasses and I will need to squint in to really see their face. So usually a good rule of thumb is from about mid chest up and don't have too much space above the head. So that way you have shoulders, neck and face. That's essentially a good rule of thumb. And don't be afraid to show your personality within a professional range. So think of who you are trying to attract. Usually those that are very artistic and right brain. Don't mind if you are wearing bohemian type clothing, maybe some subdued tie dye, but if you are trying to attract a lawyer, you probably will want to have more business type of wardrobe when you are taking your photo.

Now I also want you to assess the first line of your about me. It's important that you look at it and reward it. If it's not engaging, put yourselves in the shoes of a prospect. Think I need a bookkeeper and then start reading your profile. Will you contact yourself.

And be very objective? Because I know we're biased but think if I didn't know myself and I needed a bookkeeper, an accountant, is that somebody that makes me want to click? And if the answer is no, think of what words would catch your eye and you'll realize that it's going to be about what is offered to you, what is in it for you rather than about their experience or who they are or what certifications, what services they offer.

And then I encourage you to systematize responding in a timely manner.

What I have done is I have a gmail template for all Pro advisory directory responses. A while back I used to have this automated by zapier but then QuickBooks changed the stuff and I don't recommend you get that fancy but I have a template that is a standard response so anytime I get a contact from the ProAdvisor directory I just add that template and the only thing I need to edit is the name. Hi Maria, hi John. Everything else is pre written because my responses are standardized. There's two things that I will respond to a prospect that contacts me through the ProAdvisor. One I'll funnel them to my website to schedule a discovery call or two if it's obvious to me that they are not an ideal client. For example, they're using QuickBooks Online. It's a Sorry, I am not the person for you. Go back to the directory, here is the link and filter for your desired software. That way I'm able to reply within seconds of opening that message. I don't have to stop and think how am I going to approach this or have to psych myself up or I don't know about you guys, sometimes I get writer's block and I just don't know how to reply to them. So I've had this template that's been serving me very well. How timely you respond, it's up to you. I know some people that they get a contact at 7pm, they'll just pick up the phone and call them right There if that's the type of service that you want to provide, where the client will know, oh, I can contact them at 7pm and they'll reply, go for it. For me, work life balance is something I have to consciously work towards. So for that reason I only reply during business hours. But if you're contacted via that contact form, it's okay to call them via phone, but I recommend that you also send them a quick email saying hey, I I just called and left you a message or oh, it was great chatting with you, here's my website or here's the what we discussed just so that that algorithm will know that you are replying.

Okay, that was extraordinary. I'm going to now share with you my three top tips. Just before I do that though. First, if you enjoyed this so far, click the thumbs up the like button. Also, if you've not done so already, please subscribe to the YouTube channel and and click that bell notification, that bell icon. So you get told by YouTube when we upload new training. So I want to share with you my three tips. Jessica's talked about in videos one and two and three the importance of getting reviews. So three ways to get more reviews on your profile. Number one, systemize the process, make it systematic. And the simplest system that you could create is is a standard meeting agenda that you use in every meeting, whether it's a face to face physical meeting or a virtual meeting on, for example Zoom. And so make sure that every time you have a meeting have a standard agenda and in that agenda have an item on there to remind you to ask the client for a review. If you get into the habit of asking for reviews every single meeting, you will still you will soon build enough reviews to get to number one. Because most people in the profession, most accountants, most bookkeepers, never get round to it, never do it. So systemize the process by putting it into your standard meeting agenda. Number two, second idea, build it into your onboarding process. Every time you win a brand new client as part of your onboarding, ask them.

If they're happy with what you do, that they will give you a review. Very often they'll give you a review straight away because they've signed up with you, they're grateful because you've taken them on and you've almost certainly delivered some value at this current stage early on. So very often you'll get reviews very early in the relationship and even if you don't make it an expectation or condition and that makes it easier later to remind them to give you a review. So build into the onboarding process. And number three, you don't just have to ask clients. It may be you meet a business owner, you have a great meeting, you deliver huge amounts of value. But for whatever reason, now's not the time to sign up with you. Perhaps they're not ready to change just because they're not signed up as a client. If you've had a great meeting with them and a great conversation, ask for a review. In other words, you can ask for reviews from prospects they don't have to be clients. And that opens up many, many more possibilities to get more reviews. Now, I've got some free stuff for you. If you haven't watched videos 1 and 2, you'll find them in the link below. I've got a benchmarking research report showing you how to price bookkeeping. There's There is a 28 page ebook on how to price cleanup work. And if you want more free resources, just connect with me on LinkedIn. Again, the links below. Whenever accountants and bookkeepers connect with me on LinkedIn within a few days, I'll respond with some links to other free stuff. And if you're thinking about what should I do next, which is a question I often get, I always recommend consume as much of my free stuff first. There's plenty of free stuff, but when you're ready to take the next step and you want to go deeper, then I recommend you join the Profitable Growth Academy. It's our entry level academy. The Value Pricing academy is our top level and you can one day upgrade to there. But start with the Profitable Growth Academy. And the great thing about that is as well as structured video training from me every single month. The best thing that people love is you get live training every single month with the Amazing Jessica Fox, where she goes deep on issues that she's figured out in her firm that you can also copy her systems, her processors. Now, we're not finished because although this is video number three, there is a fourth one in the series. And in the next video, remember this is from a live webinar we did in video 4. You're going to hear the Q and A session at the end and there was some great insights there. For example, somebody asked Jessica the question how do I ask my clients for a review? And she gives her insights into that. Some people have One person asked how do you what are your tips for pre qualifying so you don't waste time with the tire kickers, the pain in the ass clients, sometimes referred to as the PITA clients or piter clients again. Jesse will give you tips on that and many, many more things. So check out video 4 next. The link will be below or on the screen now. I'll see you there very soon. Bye for now.