February 14 was more than Valentine’s Day for all of us at adWhite. The entire day was set aside for training and updating our HubSpot certifications.
When we started our marketing firm, there were a few essentials we quickly discovered we needed. One of those was accounting software that would enable us to properly record all of our transactions as well as provide reporting and tax information when needed. We turned to QuickBooks and it has been a great solution for us. It is one of the first and most important software purchases we made. Now, after 16 years of utilizing the desktop version, we have finally made the switch to QuickBooks Online. This has been sitting on the to-do list for quite some time. The desktop version has been good to us and was there to continue to perform the necessary functions we needed. We were also very used to and comfortable with the functionality. The thought of a software migration brings the words "headache" and "time-consuming" to mind, therefore it never moved to the top of the priority list. But, I can feel that I am going to wonder why I didn't make the switch earlier!
There are many reasons we wanted to convert to the online version. First of all, it is much easier to access from anywhere and while on the go. Because of the nature of our business, we do most of our billing at the beginning and end of each month. Since billing drives cash flow, it is of utmost importance that we get our invoices out on time. In the past, I have had to ensure that I could be in front of my computer to make sure invoices were sent out on the appropriate days. That has meant scheduling vacations around billing and even sacrificing weekend time to ensure invoicing deadlines were met. I could dial in to the server from home at times but it was slow and unreliable. To have to be tied to my desk on days not of my choosing is contradictory to some of the reasons we own our own business! We desire flexibility while still meeting the demands that allow our business to be successful. With QuickBooks Online, I can get invoicing on the appropriate days in the location that best suits me, even if I am out of town. In addition, if a client or vendor contacts me with a question or wants to make a payment, I have access to their account to get the right information or run a credit card on the spot. As an owner, our business is always top of mind. We have discussions at home and often need to look up certain information. With QuickBooks Online, that information is easily accessible right when needed.
In addition to the flexibility benefit, QuickBooks Online offers a far superior backup solution. The desktop version did, of course, get backed up, but I regularly found that it was off schedule or interrupted. I shudder to think of the thought of data loss in QuickBooks that has all of our financial activity since the inception of the company. My comfort level has increased dramatically with the high level and secure backups provided by the online version.
Another benefit I quickly discovered with QuickBooks Online is the ease of use. While it is different than what I had grown used to and will take a little adjusting, I noticed that many things were less cumbersome right off the bat. That is going to translate to more time to perform valuable tasks.
In addition, it is more sophisticated and its sleeker appearance is very appealing. It feels as if it is the most current and up-to-date accounting software around. In fact, 80% of new QuickBooks customers are choosing the online version. We are a growing company that utilizes the most up-to-date strategies and software for our inbound marketing work (we use HubSpot Marketing Software, and we love that, too!). We move fast to stay current for our clients' marketing needs so we want to utilize services and products that move fast with us and allow us to be the most efficient we can be. QuickBooks Online matches our growth and relevancy mindset and I can't wait to unlock more of the benefits as we go.
Goodbye headaches and hello more productivity … I hope!
As a Platinum Hubspot Partner, adWhite has run quite a few inbound marketing campaigns for our clients. We've serviced clients both large and small, and across many different industries. While the content and calls-to-action vary, we have found that we get the best results when we plan ahead of time and have a good checklist handy. This helps us make sure that all our bases are covered before launching a fully automated campaign that helps attract potential buyers for our clients.
A lot has been written about how important video is to marketing, but I want to dig deeper into how video affects sales.
Marketing and sales are tied together and both are essential to the other. I believe that video affects both marketing and sales similarly. Essentially, video makes your communication more personal, engaging and interesting. Those are good things for sales, right? People buy from people. It's hard to come across as yourself on email or even the phone. Face to face is great, when possible, but when that's not possible, video can step in.
It’s been almost three years since I switched entirely to Firefox and two years since I made DuckDuckGo my default search engine in all my browsers.
It wasn’t easy and the change happened in phases.
I started using Google Chrome the day the beta version was released to test it. I soon became an advocate of its use. It wasn’t an easy change. My bank website didn’t work and required me to use Internet Explorer. Similar useful websites didn't work well with the new browser either. However, people started using it because it was the best out there, even better than Firefox … at the time.
However, in recent years with the increase of privacy awareness, and knowing how Google interconnects all products and shares personal data, I decided to look for an alternative. I didn't think I needed a complete replacement but something that could let me switch over if I wanted to.
Even though I know people find it a fair trade to give their data in exchange for the benefits that Google provides with their services (Gmail, Google Maps, Google Analytics), I prefer to keep my private life private.
