Start your business
Start your business
Run your business
Run your business
Grow your business
Grow your business
Accountants and Bookkeepers
Accountants and Bookkeepers
- Accountants and Bookkeepers
  Learn how accountants and bookkeepers can be productive in these articles & guides
- Learning and Development
  A range of informative content to enhance your QuickBooks experience.
Updates
Updates
- Product Updates
  Watch this space for monthly product updates.
- Intuit News
  Latest news, articles & guides

Need help choosing a plan?

1800 917 771 Schedule a call

Schedule call

accountants and bookkeepers

The three-point plan to turbo-charge your firm in 2023

By QuickBooks Australia

December 6, 2022

To realise your firm’s full potential, you need a map to show you where you’re going and a plan for how to get there. A well-articulated strategy that outlines the goals for your business, and the different stages of your journey to realise them, are the best ways to achieve your vision.

This was the focus of a recent sell-out national roadshow hosted by Intuit QuickBooks, which was an opportunity for bookkeepers and accountants to come together to learn about how to position their business for a bright future in 2023 and beyond.

Scroll to the bottom of this story for more information about our next virtual roadshow event.

Of course, your plan doesn’t have to be set in stone. It’s important to have the flexibility to tweak it as your situation or the world around you changes. So let’s take a look at some of the steps to follow to set your firm on the path to great success.

Step 1: Define what growth means to you

Every accountant and bookkeeper has a different perspective of what growth means to their firm.

For instance, some firms may want to increase their revenue, others will be focused on lifting profits. Achieving a better work/life balance may be a priority for some practice principals. Others will have their sights set on selling their business within a certain timeframe, say five years.

No matter what your goal is, what’s critical is to be crystal clear about it. So, take the time to explore what it means to you.

Step 2: Set out a clear plan

Once you have defined the growth path you wish to pursue, it’s time to set out measurable targets for achieving it.

For instance, let’s say your ambition is to increase the firm’s revenue. To help you achieve your targets, you can create SMART goals – those that are specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and with a timeline – so you and your firm are accountable to them. A SMART goal may be to win 20 new clients by the end of 2023. SMART goals set out clear steps to help you drive your revenue or other ambitions for your firm.

Another example of a SMART goal would be to increase revenue by $50,000 over 12 months. You can achieve your goal by signing 10 new clients who generate $5,000 in revenue each year over that timeframe.

Another example is if your aim is to develop new services for the fitness industry. Your 2023 SMART goal may be to develop a specialised accounting and bookkeeping package for personal trainers that includes BAS reconciliation and tax return preparation.

SMART goals make it easier to build your ideal business because you have a picture of what’s involved to get to your goals.

Technology can also help you grow. The QuickBooks suite has a suite of great tools to assist you to streamline your operations so you can focus on living your dreams. Check out how our great systems and processes can underscore your business performance.

Take the stress out of managing your firm

Free sign-up

Product training

Step 3: Take action to achieve growth

Building your business means putting in place and executing great marketing and technology plans. Here are some of the techniques you can use to develop your ideal firm.

Refresh your website: Make sure it’s engaging so it’s easy for prospective clients to learn about your business and how it can help them. It’s important to list all your services, including expected outcomes, to attract your ideal clients. The site should also be visually appealing and demonstrate your personality.
Regularly seek and publish customer reviews: The more reviews you have, the higher your site will appear on search engine lists. So put in place processes to encourage clients to review your business online. For instance, always ask clients to provide a review at the end of an engagement. You can even include this request in your email footer to systematise this process. There are also tech tools such as automated SMS systems that can do this for you.
Make sure you recognise clients who take the time to write a review. Thank people who post positive comments and acknowledge the negative ones. This is an opportunity to turn anyone whose experience with your business has been suboptimal into a return client. The idea is to address their concerns and ask for another chance to do business with them.
Don’t balk at billing: It’s important to appropriately charge for your services. Do some market research and find out what similar firms charge their clients. Think through a strategy for raising your fees if they are below market rate.
Digitise your processes: Explore ways to automate routine tasks in your business. This is especially important if your growth plan is based on lifting your profits or freeing up time to get more balance in your life. Automation is the best way to give you extra time to work on wining new clients or on activities outside the business you enjoy.

For instance, you can use QuickBooks Tax to automate sending Notices of Assessment and reminders to clients to approve documents. Additionally, QuickBooks Online Accountant can help you can automate your fixed fee billing.

It’s also an idea to think through other aspects of your business to automate on an ongoing basis. Ask your team about which processes in the business can be simplified or improved. You may be surprised how their insights can help streamline your practice.

Tips for turbocharging your firm’s growth profile

Become laser focused on your growth goals and execution plans for them.
Don’t be afraid to step away from clients and plans that are not aligned to your future. Just like a plant, sometimes you need to prune your firm to help it flourish.
Celebrate your wins along the way.

Check out our growth hub for expert advice on how to grow your business today and in the future. It’s packed with eBooks, videos and guides to help you find more clients, add new revenue sources and build a future-fit business.

accountants and bookkeepers

What is social media marketing?

June 10, 2024

7 effective ways to find accounting clients

accountants and bookkeepers

How to find accounting clients - 7 ways

June 10, 2024

accountants and bookkeepers

7 Powerful Strategies To Increase Client Retention

November 23, 2022

Looking for something else?

Get QuickBooks

Smart features made for your business. We've got you covered.

See how it works

Help Me Choose

Use our product selector to find the best accounting plan for you.

Choose your product

QuickBooks Support

Get help with QuickBooks. Find articles, video tutorials, and more.

Start learning

A computer screen showing a picture of a computer.

TAKE A NO-COMMITMENT TEST DRIVE

Your free 30-day trial awaits

Our customers save an average of 9 hours per week with QuickBooks invoicing*

No credit card needed

Cancel anytime

Unlimited support

By entering your email, you are agree to our Terms and acknowledge our Privacy Statement.

- - QuickBooks reserves the right to change pricing, features, support and service at any time. Prices are in AUD and include GST. See our Terms of Service for further information.
  - Pricing: All prices are in AUD and include GST.
  - ProAdvisor Program: Please find the terms of our ProAdvisor program here.
  - 50% off for 3 months: For new subscribers, enjoy a 50% off price subscription on QuickBooks Online Simple Start, QuickBooks Online Essentials or QuickBooks Online Plus for the first 3 months of your subscription (Offer). The discount will applied from the date of your enrolment and will continue for 3 months. From month 4, you will be charged the then current monthly retail price for your subscription. See current prices here. QuickBooks Payroll and QuickBooks Time prices are not eligible for any discount and will be invoiced separately according to your usage on a monthly basis during your subscription. Intuit reserves the right to request information to verify the eligibility of a purchaser of the Offer. Acceptance of such verification information is at the reasonable discretion of Intuit, which may revoke the Offer and impose a monthly cost for the subscription at the then current retail prices, at any time if it considers the purchaser is ineligible for the Offer.
  - 50% off for 12 months: For new subscribers, enjoy a 50% discount off the current monthly retail price for QuickBooks Self-Employed, QuickBooks Online Simple Start, QuickBooks Online Essentials or QuickBooks Online Plus for the first 12 months of your subscription (Offer). The discount will applied from the date of your enrolment and will continue for 12 months. From month 13, you will be charged the then current monthly retail price for your subscription. See current prices here. QuickBooks Payroll and QuickBooks Time prices are not eligible for any discount and will be invoiced separately according to your usage on a monthly basis during your subscription. Intuit reserves the right to request information to verify the eligibility of a purchaser of the Offer. Acceptance of such verification information is at the reasonable discretion of Intuit, which may revoke the Offer and impose a monthly cost for the subscription at the then current retail prices, at any time if it considers the purchaser is ineligible for the Offer.
  - 50% off for 3 months (existing subscribers): For existing QuickBooks subscribers who upgrade to QuickBooks Online Essentials, Plus or Advanced, enjoy a 50% discount off the current monthly retail price for 3 months of your subscription (Offer). The discount will be applied from the date you upgrade in-product and will continue for 3 months. From month 4, you will be charged the then current monthly retail price for your subscription. See current prices here. QuickBooks Payroll and QuickBooks Time services and prices are not eligible for any discount and will be invoiced separately according to your usage on a monthly basis during your subscription. Intuit reserves the right to request information to verify the eligibility of a purchaser of the Offer. Acceptance of such verification information is at the reasonable discretion of Intuit, which may revoke the Offer and impose a monthly cost for the subscription at the then current retail prices, at any time if it considers the purchaser is ineligible for the Offer.
  - Free Trial: First thirty (30) days of subscription to QuickBooks Online, QuickBooks Self-Employed and QuickBooks Payroll (including QuickBooks Advanced Payroll), starting from the date of enrolment, is free. During the free trial, you may pay any number of employees using QuickBooks Payroll free of charge. To continue using QuickBooks after your 30-day trial, you'll be asked to present a valid credit card for authorisation and you'll be charged monthly at the then-current fee for the service(s) you've selected.
  - QuickBooks Payroll powered by Employment Hero: Payroll services are offered by a third party, Employment Hero. QuickBooks Payroll is only accessible via QuickBooks Online subscriptions. You will be charged $6.00 (incl. GST) per month for each ‘active employee’ paid using QuickBooks Payroll. An ‘active employee’ is one who has been paid at least once in the billing month. For Advanced Payroll, there is an additional monthly subscription fee of $10 (incl GST). Pricing, terms and conditions, including service options, are subject to change.
  * Employment Hero was voted the leading payroll solution for SMBs <50 employees (Australian Payroll Association 2021 Payroll Benchmarking Study)
  - Customer support: Call or chat to an expert for QuickBooks Online Accountant, QuickBooks Simple Start, Essential, Plus, and Advanced or use in-product QB Assistant and chat for QuickBooks Self-Employed. You'll also find useful resources in the QuickBooks Community.
  - Compatible Devices: QuickBooks Online, QuickBooks Self-Employed and QuickBooks Payroll require a computer with Internet Explorer 10, Firefox, Chrome, or Safari 6 and an Internet connection (a high-speed connection is recommended). The QuickBooks Online mobile app works with iPhone, iPad, and Android phones and tablets. QuickBooks Online and QuickBooks Payroll are accessible on mobile browsers on iOS, Android, and Blackberry mobile devices. Devices sold separately; data plan required. QuickBooks Payroll cannot be used on the mobile apps. Not all features are available on the mobile apps and mobile browser. QuickBooks Online mobile access is included with your QuickBooks Online subscription at no additional cost. Data access is subject to cellular/internet provider network availability and occasional downtime due to system and server maintenance and events beyond your control. Product registration required.
  - Get paid faster: Get paid 2.5x faster invoicing with PayPal
  * PayPal and QuickBooks customers get paid on average in less than 5 days, which is over 7 days faster than the average for invoices that get paid with other payment methods. Data is for paid invoices that were created in QuickBooks in Australia between 23.05.22 and 23.11.22
  - Tax deductions: Tax deductions not guaranteed due to being subject to user data entry errors. Mileage calculation provided by the Australia Taxation Office - 85 cents per kilometre for the 2023-2024 income year. To a maximum of 5,000 business kilometres per car (Deductions are only applicable to cars)
  - Customer Service Awards: Excellence in Customer Service Award at the CX Australia Awards 2022
  - Multiple file discount: Multiple file discount applies to QuickBooks Australia customers only and valid when signing up for more than one QuickBooks Online subscription in one order. Further terms and conditions available here. Not applicable to QuickBooks Self Employed.
  - Reviews: GetApp, Capterra, Google Play Store, Apple App Store reviews as at date 08/01/24.
  - Cost per day claim (annual): Based on a QuickBooks Simple Start plan at its regular retail price of $313 per year and a 365 day year.
  - Annual Billing: You may pay for your QuickBooks Online subscription on an annual, upfront basis to enjoy a discount on the current fees. If you use QuickBooks Payroll powered by Employment Hero, your payroll costs will still be charged monthly to your nominated payment method in accordance with your usage as set out here. If you cancel your QuickBooks Online subscription within the pre-paid 12 month period, you will not be eligible for a refund, but will retain full access to your QuickBooks Online subscription for the remainder of the 12-month period. Unless cancelled by you prior, your annual subscription will auto-renew on the 12 month anniversary of your sign-up date using the billing details you have given us. Discounts, prices, terms and conditions are subject to change.
  - Over 7 million customers: Based on number of global QB customers (ecosystem) (7.1m) worldwide as of October 2022.
  - Free Onboarding: Applicable to Buy Now subscriptions on QuickBooks Simple Start, Essentials and Plus plans. Not available for QuickBooks Self-Employed.
  - Save Hours: Save up to an average of 29 hours per month with QuickBooks.
  - * Based on a survey conducted by Intuit Australia Pty Ltd in September 2022. Time saving is in comparison to previous accounting method, based on 184 responses from customers that saw time savings.
  - Get access to QuickBooks Tax: ***Access QuickBooks Tax, powered by LodgeiT, by becoming a member of the QuickBooks ProAdvisor Program (it’s free to join). Find out more about the ProAdvisor Program here, including the terms of the QuickBooks Tax offer in the Program here.
  - QuickBooks Time Disclaimers & Offers for Australia: For Important pricing offers and disclaimers with further information, please see here.
  - *Full terms and conditions for access to QuickBooks Tax, powered by LodgeiT as part of the the Proadvisor Program can be found here. QuickBooks reserves the right to change pricing, features, support and service at any time.
  - **Intuit conducted a study involving 56 interviews with accountants and bookkeepers who used Books Review for BAS preparation between March to December 2021 and found that when using Books Review, participants reduced the time spent preparing their clients BAS Reports by around 40%.
  - Our Terms of Service apply to all QuickBooks Online subscriptions. Please review them carefully.

Intuit helps put more money in consumers’ and small businesses’ pockets, saving them time by eliminating work, and ensuring they have confidence in every financial decision they make.

The three-point plan to turbo-charge your firm in 2023

Step 1: Define what growth means to you

Step 2: Set out a clear plan

Step 3: Take action to achieve growth

Tips for turbocharging your firm’s growth profile

Related Articles

Looking for something else?

Get QuickBooks

Help Me Choose

QuickBooks Support

Your free 30-day trial awaits