Episode 12: How to Approach Clean Ups and Diagnostic Reviews For Your Clients with Veronica Wasek
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Conquering Workflows & Systems for Bookkeepers & Accountants podcast with Alyssa Lang, founder of Workflow Queen and Magnetic Bookkeeping & Consulting and Veronica Wasek, Founder of VM Wasek and 5MB Academy. Episode topic: How to Approach Clean Ups and Diagnostic Reviews For Your Clients.
Alyssa Lang interviews Veronica Wasek, Founder of VM Wasek and 5MB Academy where she helps bookkeepers and accountants through he videos, resources and her programs. We discuss all things clean ups, how to approach them and what’s the best way to know when you’re done.
In this episode you’ll hear:
How to approach a diagnostic review on prospects books
How to leverage your clean up process in sales conversations
Recommended clean up softwares to get the job done easier
What the expected time frame and average for completing clean ups
Resources mentioned in this episode:
👥 5 Minute Bookkeeping Facebook group
🎥 5 Minute Bookkeeping YouTube Channel
📝 Smart Review Checklist (Free checklist and learn how to review prospective clients' books in just 15 minutes )
💻 Complete QBO Cleanup System
💻 QBO Paid Diagnostic Review System
💻 5MB Academy (all programs and resources created by Veronica Wasek)
⚙️ Asana
⚙️ Keeper
Listen to the Full Episode here 👇🏼
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If you’ve ever done a cleanup job for a new client, you know how complicated they can be! Sometimes, you think it’s going to be simple-ish, but when you get into the thick of it, more and more issues start piling up.
So I reached out to Veronica (aka the cleanup queen) to share all her tips and tricks that might help us feel more confident offering cleanups and taking on more of them!
Veronica Wasek is the CEO and founder of VM Wasek. She lives in the e-commerce world and offers bookkeeping and consulting for Shopify sellers. She’s also a founder of the 5 Minute Bookkeeping Academy. She educates virtual bookkeepers to strengthen their skills through her program, YouTube channel, and blog.
She’s certified in advanced QuickBooks Online and has been named a top 100 ProAdvisor. All in all— she’s a badass. And she has SO MUCH knowledge to share!
In this episode/blog, we’ll cover:
The first thing you need to do BEFORE you start the cleanup
How to create efficiency during your cleanup
How to empower your client with what you find along the way
Must-have resources for making your cleanups a breeze
So, are you ready to learn all her secrets on how to conquer cleanups? One of my all-time favorite topics!
Getting Started On A Bookkeeping Cleanup
Solving a problem? Love it. Putting together a puzzle? Love it. I think that’s why a lot of us love cleanups. And spreadsheets? LOVE THEM TOO.
But when you start a cleanup, you might not know where to start OR how to get through it in one piece!
Veronica thinks a lot of stress surrounding a cleanup is not knowing the ORDER that you should work in. And even more than that, you don’t know when you’re done. So guess what you have to have in place? A system. Now we’re speaking my language!
To kick things off the right way, a diagnostic review is essential if you want to “look under the hood” and understand what’s really going on in those books. That way, you know how to explain to your client everything that needs to be addressed during the cleanup. This process will also help you estimate how long the cleanup will take and how much you should charge!
The Benefits of Offering a Diagnostic Review
If you can produce a detailed report after the diagnostic review, it’s a great tool to land clients and show off your expertise. It’s SO valuable to be able to show your client exactly what’s wrong in their books, because a lot of business owners know there’s something wrong — but don’t know how to fix it.
That’s where you can step in and guide them to a solution that instantly takes the weight off their shoulders (and makes you look like a hero)!
What’s the Point of a Cleanup?
A client needs a cleanup if they don’t feel like their books are tax-ready. Some people might not even KNOW how out of order their books are until you (the bookkeeper) get in there and start showing them inaccuracies. Even if the client already has a bookkeeper, sometimes it’s helpful to get another set of eyes on the books as a double-check (I’ve found plenty of errors that were overlooked by others in the past!).
Supporting the Client After The Cleanup
Sometimes we go through a client’s books and find opportunities for your client to become more efficient or save tons of money. And if you see something that needs to be fixed— like they’ve been invoicing people the wrong way for years— that information can feel overwhelming for clients.
Taking the time to walk them through the changes that need to be made is truly the only way for them to learn. And since they’ve trusted you to clean up their books in the first place, you’re in a great position to support them! They might get a deer-in-the-headlights look at first, but it’s all about helping them create better habits for the future.
The goal isn’t to turn them into bookkeepers, just to be an informative resource because they should be focused on their zone of genius.
Take these relationships step-by-step for each problem the client is facing. And by doing that, you’re building a roadmap of things they need to do to get the books to a clean slate. Then once they’re clean, offer a couple of coaching sessions to empower them with the information they need to review their books themselves if needed.
How To Put A System In Place For Cleanup Jobs
Maybe you’re new to cleanups and you’re not sure where to start. Or maybe you've been in the industry for a long time— and you’re still like, yikes!
NO WORRIES! Veronica has so many tips and resources for you. She has an entire playlist of QuickBooks and cleanup topics on her YouTube channel. She also has free and paid resources on her website, like 5MB Academy, or a smart review checklist that shows you how to look at books in 15 minutes.
Veronica also has a complete QBO cleanup system course, where she shows you how to do a cleanup. That’s more than just what order to do it in. It also focuses on training you in the full cleanup process from start to finish. This is so important because you’re not just putting the band aid on the issue — you’re fixing the problem!
And keep in mind—for any cleanup client, the average timeframe is six weeks. So think about that when you begin to put your systems in place. When you’re putting together a puzzle, you can’t be rushed!
Cleanups are one of the most helpful things you can offer to potential clients that can give them clarity on their books AND potentially highlight how much they need to hire you as their bookkeeper! Don’t be afraid to jump in and get started offering cleanups to your potential clients. And if you need support or tips — join her free Facebook community (with over 20,000 members!): The 5 Minute Bookkeeping Community!
About our guest:
Veronica Wasek is an accomplished entrepreneur, influencer, educator, and accountant. She is the CEO and Founder of VM Wasek – an accounting and consulting firm that specializes in helping Shopify sellers. Her presence in social media is well-known, including her 5 Minute Bookkeeping YouTube Channel, blog, and Facebook community. She also runs the 5MB Academy, an online academy for bookkeepers and accountants. Veronica is a Certified Public Accountant and is advanced certified in QuickBooks Online. Her expertise has earned her a spot among the Top 100 and Top 10 QuickBooks ProAdvisors. Veronica lives in Sugar Land, Texas and enjoys spending time with her husband Eric at their farm.
Connect with Veronica Wasek:
Check out her YouTube channel: @5MinuteBookkeeping
Join her Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/5minutebookkeeping
Follow her on Instagram: @5MinuteBookkeeping
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