Step right up – It’s August!

We are all about maximum performance and continually striving for our clients to be the best they can be, so we have decided that as this is Ekka (Royal Queensland Show) month here in Queensland what would be a better theme for our newsletter than Best in Show!?  That’s right, nothing would!

Amongst the APL Accountants sausage dog agility trials, best dressed shih tzu, border collie obedience, chihuahua mariachi, and cavoodle acrobatics we have begun to queue for annual benchmarking.  This queue is a lot like lining up for the cool rides, everyone wants them, but a lot of people are still off getting their fairy floss and a hotdog and possibly losing their place in line.

This is why it’s so important to send your completed benchmark questionnaire to us as soon as possible with all of the information.  If you are short on time and also using Profitdiagnostix, we will just need your owner hours worked for the year and we can get your prices (or hotdog) from you later on, all without losing your place in the queue.

Come to the show

We would like to remind everyone that we are hitting the road for our annual strategic planning days.  Places are filling up quickly, so to ensure you don’t miss out please call our office to book on (07) 3488 0131, or send our friendly admin team an email at admin@aplaccountants.com.au

Show dates:

Brisbane – 2 September (Saturday)

Melbourne – 13 October (Friday)

Sydney – 29 October (Sunday)

Hotdogs, Strawberry Ice Creams, Fairy Floss and the Big Mouthed Clowns

All of these are expensive, although some are better than others (personally I can’t go past a strawberry ice cream), none of them are necessary but you also don’t want to be ripped off.

Here is where we get serious and start talking about reviewing your advertising.  How much is it costing you?  Are you able to measure how it’s working for you?  It’s time to think about what you are using and whether or not it is increasing your sales.  Is that huge radio campaign that is costing you thousands really pulling people through the door, or are you just throwing balls (money) down a clown’s throat hoping for a large outcome (stuffed Minion perhaps?).  Without being able to measure (or adding the numbers as you go being strategic – yes, I’m competitive), you are likely to wind up spending a lot of money for a very small result (no one wants to win the small prize).

One of the best, cheapest, and also proven ways to advertise is word of mouth.  This is something you can do easily enough by providing the best possible service to your clients and training your staff well.  If your clients are happy they will tell others, but as we know if your clients are unhappy they will also tell others.

Your extensive marketing campaign may work, but it’s important to be able to measure the results. You need to know if something is worth doing.

What a ride

July has gone really smoothly for us albeit really busy finishing off end of year bookkeeping and sorting payment summaries. Now that the craziness of July is over we can refocus on our quarterly strategy which is ABBA!  Our office is currently decked out like a 70’s disco complete with mirror ball and coloured flashing lights.  We have a massive dance floor mural on the back wall, inflatable guitars and microphones hang from the ceiling and we often have tunes on in the background.

Your quarterly theme only has to be loosely tied to your strategy. Ours was “Ring, Ring!” because we want to hear from our clients.  Strategy day bookings, benchmarking meetings, etc.  Ring, ring, why don’t you give us a call!?

Fireworks and finale

While we have been busy organising shows the APL dogs have been enjoying squeaky show time treats as short lived as it was.  RIP hotdog and hamburger.

                              

Please Note: Many of the comments in this publication are general in nature and anyone intending to apply the information to practical circumstances should seek professional advice to independently verify their interpretation and the informations applicability to their particular circumstances. In particular, please note that the APL dogs who often prepare this newsletter do not have opposable thumbs so have to type with their noses.