Should Small Businesses Use Accounting Software?

As a small business owner, I get asked this question by many of my clients. My answer is almost always the same, yes!

“Why? Why should I pay yet another fee for a service I can do with a spreadsheet?”

 

Well, first off, a spreadsheet cannot do all the things that accounting software can do. With minimal input, accounting software calculates gains, losses, income, expenses, and your net income. No legwork for you other than inputting some figures and in most cases, just connecting your bank or Paypal account.

Accounting software can also be used to send invoices to get paid. The invoices can be customized so they look more professional. They accept all major credit cards or services like PayPal, Stripe, and others.

“Where are all my invoices stored?”

 

This is another great thing about accounting software, everything is stored securely in the cloud!

That means at anytime, anywhere, and on any device, you can access let’s say an invoice from last month, or last year even! It’s all there, and easily accessible to you.

 

“But isn’t this software expensive?”

 

I remember when I was starting out. I tried to do this myself. I always had issues with sending invoices and keeping track of them. It was also tedious to calculate me earnings, incoming payments, and outgoing payments.

But there are many companies offering free accounting software for very small companies.

One such platform is Wave. Wave has a paid or free plan. The free plan will work perfectly for small startups, and will enable you to grow within it. I have been using Wave, and it has made that part of owning my own business so easy. I use it to accept payments, send invoices, and keep track of incoming and outgoing payments. My clients find it easy to use and there is almost no data entry for me to perform, other than verifying incoming payments.

So whether or not you use a free or paid platform for your accounting, I would highly recommend using something. This software is made to make your life easy, and it does. If you’re serious about growing as a business, and looking professional, you need this type of software in your arsenal.

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Should Small Businesses Use Accounting Software?

As a small business owner, I get asked this question by many of my clients. My answer is almost always the same, yes!

"Why? Why should I pay yet another fee for a service I can do with a spreadsheet?"

Well, first off, a spreadsheet cannot do all the things that accounting software can do.  With minimal input, accounting software calculates gains, losses, income, expenses, and your net income. No legwork for you other than inputting some figures and in most cases, just connecting your bank account.

Accounting software can also be used to send invoices to get paid. The invoices can be customized so they look more professional. They accept all major credit cards or services like PayPal, Stripe, and others. They often do all the credit card processing for you (for a small fee). 

Another important feature, is that this software will show you your earnings. It collects all your financial data and categorizes it according to your pre-determined settings. Available to you in your main dashboard is your total income, your total expenses, and your total net income. It's nice to see how much your making hopefully!

The analytics part is also useful. Often pie charts will show where your money is going and coming. This kind of data will help you see where maybe you could save a little, and what percentage of your money is being spent on those particular expenses.

"Where are all my invoices stored?"

This is another great thing about accounting software, everything is stored securely in the cloud!

That means at anytime, anywhere, and on any device, you can access  an invoice or client info from last month, or last year even! It's all there, and easily accessible to you. This can be extremely helpful when you are not in your office or home, and need to access information.

Tax time coming? You can get detailed printouts for your accountant so he knows exactly where every penny is so he can get you the most back on your return.

"But isn't this software expensive?"

I remember when I was starting out. I tried to do this myself. I always had issues with sending invoices and keeping track of them. It was also tedious to calculate my earnings, incoming payments, and outgoing payments.

But there are many companies offering free accounting software for very small companies. 

One such platform is Wave. Wave has a paid or free plan. The free plan will work perfectly for small startups, and will enable you to grow within it. I have been using Wave, and it has made that part of owning my own business so easy. I use it to accept payments, send invoices, and keep track of incoming  and outgoing payments. My clients find it easy to use and there is almost no data entry for me to perform, other than verifying incoming payments.

So whether or not you use a free or paid platform for your accounting, I would highly recommend using something. This software is made to make your life easy, and it does. If you're serious about growing as a business, and looking professional, you need this type of software in your arsenal.

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What Can A Web Designer Do That I Can’t?

A short article about why you may want to think about hiring a professional website designer.

 

So what’s the difference between a professional web designer and me?

 

Corrections and Fixes

 

One of the first things is that a  web designer will always know how to correct any problem that may incur.  For ex. recently I had a client whose site was apparently hacked. Google had sent me a notification and was going to start flagging the site if nothing was fixed. After reviewing the site, I found that it was not the site, but his domain name that was hacked. So I corrected the problem and everything was fine. 

This was a problem that could have caused real damage for my client. But if he didn’t have me, as his designer under retainer, he would have never been able to solve this on his own and could have had his site flagged.

Could you have fixed this?

Designing with SEO in Mind

 

Having a nice looking site is fine, but if it is not SEO friendly, the design could work against you.

Proper heading tags, bolds, font sizes, image tags, and original content, all play a role in good SEO basics. The quality and quantity of links, and layout of containers and images, could also hurt or help you.

 

UI/UX

 

UI = User Interface

UX = User Experience

 

 The user interface (UI) comprises the screen menus and icons, keyboard shortcuts, mouse and gesture movements, command language and online help, as well as physical buttons, dials and levers. Also included are all input devices, such as a mouse, keyboard, touchscreen, remote control and game controller.

Usability is also a part of the UI. By definition,  it is a quality attribute of the UI, covering whether the system is easy to learn, efficient to use, pleasant, and so forth.

 

If your site does not offer a nice UI, the visitor will bounce quickly, and you will lose a potential customer. Web designers know how to design incorporating a nice UI.

 

User experience is simply, how you feel about every interaction you have with what’s in front of you in the moment you’re using it.

There are many different aspects that influence user experience. A web designer will know how to achieve a favorable UX.

Layout

 

There are certain guidelines for website layouts. The parameters the structure must fit in, accessibility, functionality, visual aspects, and source code validation are a few.  Professional web designers know these topics and incorporate them into their design.  Without these, the website will not function properly across all formats, and also will not offer a good UI/UX for the visitor.

 

Testing

 

After the site is completed, there is a certain amount of testing before publishing the site. The site must be tested for functionality and responsiveness. It is tested for SEO optimization. It is also tested across different platforms, operating systems, browsers, and devices. These tests will show any issues that can easily be corrected by a professional.

Summary 

 

These are only a few things that a professional designer is responsible for and works with on a daily basis.

 

So if you are reading this and are thinking about designing a site yourself, you should ask yourself a few questions:

 

– Did I know what all this terminology means?

– If I do know, did I know how much it all affected web design? 

– Am I able to incorporate these topics into a design while still making it look and feel like I wanted to?

– Is the platform I am using capable of letting me incorporate these practices?

 

As your website will represent you, and your business, and can be one of the most important marketing tools you own, shouldn’t it look and function like a professionally designed site?

If you answer yes to 1 or more of these questions, you should really consider hiring a professional web designer. In the long run, you will have a professionally designed site, that looks and functions correctly. You will also be able to concentrate on your work, rather than concentrating on learning to design for yourself.

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What Clients Need To Know Before I Start Their Website

An uneducated client is one of my favorites to work with. Not because I can get away with not doing right by them, but because I get to teach them during the website design process. In my experience, those clients feel they have received more value for their dollar, and appreciate all the work I do for them even more.

So I decided to put together a short list about topics that a client should understand when getting into having a website designed for them.

You Should Understand What You Want

Many business owners want a website, but don’t really understand why. Different businesses require different websites. The main action a website built for a clothing or jewelry site wants performed is for the visitor to make a purchase, where as a business that provides a service such as personal training, will want their main action performed to be to make contact.

“The first step in a successful website is to understand its main function for you.”

It May Cost More And Take Longer Than You Think

One of the questions I get asked early on in discussing with a potential client is how long will it take?

There are many phases that I go through before actually getting to designing and building the website. Understanding the business, (or subject), understanding the purpose of the site, and if that’s not correct, then correcting it, and a host of other things.

Potential clients are usually surprised when I tell them I can have a mock up ready for them in three days. That is just the beginning, and then comes the longer finishing process. Most delays come because the client doesn’t realize that they will have homework to do. Bios, images, and all their content, need to be made available. This is usually where delays happen.

Website costs are all over the map depending on who you talk to. Some charge thousands, where some will work for peanuts. People looking for designers on certain search sites, are looking for website costs at $50.00! What do you think you will get for $50? Probably not much. but then again paying $5,000.00 for a simple 3 page site may also be excessive.

Your Website Needs Maintenance

Contrary to popular opinion, once your website is completed and published, it still needs to be maintained. If you just left your website as is from the day it was published, eventually search engines will start ranking it lower. Due to inactivity, a search engine may begin to see it as a dead site. By the same token, search engines will rank sites higher that have content that is constantly being updated.

Images, SEO, and content, all need to be updated regularly. Your site should also be monitored for its up-time and security as well. Your about page also should be updated with any new projects, services, or even accomplishments that have occurred.

For more on good About pages see this article:

Do You Have A Compelling About Page?

Also by having your designer under retainer and paying them a monthly fee to maintain your site, you may be saving money. Most designers will charge an hourly fee for work. If you have a good amount of work to be performed on a monthly basis, a flat fee will be lower then paying an hourly fee. I have clients tell me they feel the amount of work I perform for them is well worth the low monthly fee I charge.

Not Anyone Can Design A Website

I sometimes come across clients who need a redesign, or who have had a friend or someone they know build them a site on a popular commercial site builder. They mostly are looking for information or testing the waters on what a professionaldesigner can offer them. The one main point that they all fail to understand is that the design is not just placing pictures and logos. It is positioning containers, choosing fonts, writing content etc… that is not only appealing to the eye, but also fit certain viewing formats. There are configurations that are proven to lead a site visitor, through your site without losing them.

Now, this all does not just have to just look appealing and then keep your viewer moving through your site, but it also needs to lead them to perform a certain action, and then has to be be SEO friendly!

All these factors get incorporated into every aspect of the design. So while you may know someone who can use a commercial platform, do they really know how to design the site with all these factors incorporated into it?

Content Is King

Since the very first website went live, one thing has not changed. That is, content is everything.

If you think about it, that’s why you visit a website in the first place. To find information. Information is content.

Without original, complete content, your website will not achieve your desired results.

These are some things that I educate my clients in preparation for their new website. As I said most are very satisfied at the end of this process feeling that not only have they learned, but that they have hired a web designer that they can trust with their business, without breaking the bank.

Website Inquiries:

frank@smrwebsitedesign.com

SMRWebsiteDesign.com

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Web Design Trends That Have Created Change In 2015

Here are some of the latest trends in web design for 2015. These styles and features have transformed web design in 2015 and continue to move the industry forward.

Huge Background Images

High Definition background images that span the screen make bold statements. If done correctly, they are inviting and in most cases stunning on a good display.  They pull the site visitor in immediately.

Cards

 

Responsive Design 

 

After Google releasing the news of websites being penalized for not being mobile friendly, Responsive Design has never been more important. The ability to view a website on different screen sizes is essential due to the ever increasing mobile device.

Adaptive Design

 

Designers using Adaptive editors will have an advantage as they can make different versions of their websites to suit the device it is being viewed on. The power of Adaptive development is underrated, but as the mobile industry continues its takeover, having subtle differences between formats will be powerful tools in the web design industry.

Material/Flat/Vibrant Design

 

As Google has updated all its apps and services to Material Design, web designers will undoubtedly be inspired. The flat, bold and vibrant colors can be fun to play with. And the fluid transitions create a nice UI/UX. 

 

Simple/Minimal Design

Simple/Minimal websites have gained in popularity. Companies have seen how the style sells their products, more clearly promotes their call to action, and introduces more of their information to potential clients, due to the clear easy navigated styled site. Although not an easy style to design in, the benefits have proven to be great with this  type of website.

 

Summary:

 

As a web designer, I have used all these trends and ideas. Some with great success, and some which ended up in the trash. But it has been an exciting time for these features as they have taken center stage in the design world.  Only the future knows what hybrids will come from these ideas.

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How To Come Up With Ideas For Blog Posts

Blogging is an essential part of any campaign to increase your online presence. It plays a huge part in back linking and other SEO practices. But coming up with ideas can be more challenging then actually writing about them.

    I have clients that always ask me to either write for them or give them an ideas. While I am by far no expert, I always try to offer my assistance. After all, anything I can do to help my clients, is not only good for my business relationship, but it is part of my responsibility to them.

    So with this in mind, I have written a news letter to them explaining how to use their blog as a tool for their website as well as their business. In conjunction, I am sharing some things about how to get ideas for blogging.

1. Keep Ideas on File.  You never know where or when an idea or inspiration for a post will come.  So write it down on a pad or on your smartphone.
2. Get Inspiration From Other Bloggers.  By reading other blogs you like, you can use the same topics or maybe put a twist on them to make it your own. Maybe the particular blog missed a point you thought was important? You can blog about that.
3. Ask Your Audience From Social Media. Your followers and friends are always eager to help. You would be surprised how many ideas they can give you that you never thought of. Tap into this source. They’ll also appreciate you using their idea!
4. Rehash One Of Your Best Performing Blogs.   So you already know that that blog topic worked. Maybe revisit it, take another point of view, or just update it.  The world changes so fast, there should definitely be new data to add.
5. Write A Guide.  Use your expertise in your field and write a guide that will help others. It will also give you credibility in that field and maybe lead to a few customers!
6. Have A Guest Writer. Often we all know someone in a similar business as ourselves. A fresh point of view is great for your readers. It also shows you are open to other ideas from your peers. They may also in turn ask you to write for them. A win win for everyone.
7. Use What’s Trending!  There are lots of ways to find out what’s trending.

Here are a few places to look:

• Google Trends
• Twitter.com/Search
• Reddit.com

Well there you have 7 ideas for blogging.

Would you like to write a post for me? Send me the topic and the post and if I like it and think it’s relevant, I’ll publish it here as well as give you some free advertising!

Now get to work!

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Do You Have A Compelling About Page? Does It Work?

Many times, About Pages in  websites are nothing more than  informal resumes. They only  outline the website owner and  their goals and achievements. But  is this an effective about page? Is  the reader really interested in you  OR are they interested in what you  can do for them?

    According to analytics numbers on most of my websites, the About page is usually the second or third highest ranking page in their site. But could your About page be turning off customers?

    People, or potential customers, who visit your site are looking over your services or products and deciding whether or not do business with you. Your About page should give them confidence in your skills or product. It should also make them trust you to help or solve their problems.

    One way of writing an effective About page, is writing from the point of view of the reader who is looking at your particular service. Asking yourself what you would look for when visiting your website? Do you feel a connection from your About page? Do you center the content around yourself, or around your potential customer’s needs.

    Here are seven good practices when writing your About page:

1. Do you have a specialty? Do perform a service or have a product that caters to a particular niche? This is important and should be explained further. Also include why they should choose you over the competition.
2. Focus on the services or products that you can provide your customer. The About page is not about you, it is about what you can do to better serve them.
3. Outline your qualifications. By doing this, you show your viewer that you have credibility in your field.
4. Get personal. Share a few personal things like other hobbies, where you live etc… This will help form a connection with your potential customer.
5. A picture is worth a thousand words! A nice image of yourself will go a long way. Giving a face to connect to will help build trust.
6. Update your About page often. Add any new credentials or information that may be relevant to a viewer.
7. Add a Call to Action. Get visitors to contact you with questions, get an estimate, or find out more.

So when creating your About page, if you keep these points in mind, it should be a very effective way of obtaining some customers.

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