How many times have you heard a potential client say that their books are pristine, only to find out their last accountant or bookkeeper created a hot mess for you to decipher? It happens all the time! That is why I am an advocate for making sure you get paid for reviewing a business owner’s books. Doing a review can be time-consuming and you want to make sure you are always paid for your time.
Connecting with a Potential Client? What You Will Learn During a PAID Review of Their Books!
First, before you even begin reviewing the books for a potential client, you must have a place to keep all your notes. I use Dubsado for this task, but you can easily use a word document, Google document, or even a Google form. This will ensure you have all the information you need at your fingertips when you have your follow-up meeting with the client.
There are so many items you can place on your document to use with every client. I could share all of them, but I want to focus on the main ones. You can always add other items that pertain specifically to your clients.
Items to Place on Your Paid Book Review Form
- Company Name
- Review Date
- Yes and No Questions Complete with Sections for Notetaking
Specific Yes and No Questions You Should Have on Your Paid Book Review Form
- Are all of the postings accurate?
- Do the balances match?
- Do all of the bank accounts reconcile?
- How many bank accounts does the business have?
- How many transactions are completed each month?
- How many credit cards does the business have?
- Is the previous year locked out?
- Are there any duplicate accounts?
- Does the accounts receivable match the balance sheet?
- Do the accounts payable match the balance sheet?
- Are the retained earnings being rolled over properly?
- Is the sales tax module set up properly?
- Does the sales tax reconcile with the trial balance?
- Have the sales taxes been paid on time?
I can’t stress how important it is to take notes, as you are marking yes or no to these questions. Those notes will save you a lot of time during your next meeting with the client. You can give them specific scenarios, as well as detailed dates and information.
Reasons Why Your Book Reviews Must Always Be Paid
I know I mentioned time as a major reason why you must always charge to review a potential client’s books. The information you glean from your review will allow you to quote a proper price to renovate the books, so they are actually in pristine condition. If you skip the review, you may have no idea what you are getting into when you receive the books. Then it is a game of playing catch-up and I guarantee you will get overwhelmed quickly.
If you aren’t charging a fee to review the books for a potential client, you must start immediately! You will be amazed at how you will feel when you start to get paid for all the time you are working, even if a potential client ultimately decides not to work with you.