Running a bookkeeping business can be incredibly rewarding - after all, many of your clients’ businesses could not thrive without your vital service.
But like any business, a bookkeeping business can be challenging to run. If it is just you, then you may find you feel isolated sometimes, or you might find it hard to find the resources you need or to keep up with industry changes.
If you are part of a larger business, it can be hard to ensure your that team are consistently supported and developed.
Joining an organisation like the Institute of Certified New Zealand Bookkeepers (ICNZB) gives you the chance to access better support and resources to develop your business.
Here’s why the ICNZB is the place to be for the best New Zealand bookkeepers!
The business benefits of joining ICNZB
5 Benefits of joining ICNZB
Joining ICNZB comes with many benefits, right from the moment you join as a Provisional Member through to being an ICNZB Master Bookkeeper™.
Here are the top 5 reasons you should consider joining.
1: Better visibility and access to clients
Give your business the professional and visibility boost it needs to attract new clients.
When you join as a provisional member, you will receive instant access to all of our member resources to help you within your business; template packages, our extensive webinar library, technical references and more. You will also receive a login to the ICBenefits app where you will receive discounts with Noel Leemings, Bunnings, Torpedo7 and many more!
When you upgrade to an ICNZB Certified Bookkeeper™, we offer you a spot in our Find a Bookkeeper directory where you can showcase your services and any extra qualifications or specialisations you have. People often search our directory when they are looking for a high-quality and trustworthy bookkeeper in their area. So, you will gain automatic access to a stream of potential new clients with minimal investment on your part.
2: Support and networking opportunities
Being a member of the ICNZB gives you a chance to meet and share ideas with other members. You will have the chance to meet new people and to develop lasting relationships with local colleagues through our monthly regional network meetings, and through our private Facebook group. We also hold a monthly National Member Forum where you can meet members across the country and raise any issues you need assistance with.
We regularly run professional development events and an annual conference where you will come across others in the industry. Our members know what it’s like to run their own bookkeeping business and understand that working together can bring better support.
3: Ongoing learning opportunities
Numbers don’t change much, but how we are supposed to handle them does! That’s why we offer regular webinars and educational events to help our members stay on top of the latest developments in the industry and to develop better working practices.
Our website is also a hub of information with plenty of resources for you to access and download. We also send out a regular newsletter to keep you in the know about what’s going on in the industry and recent market trends.
4: Long-term professional development
Alongside our webinars, resources and networking, we offer members the opportunity to become an ICNZB Certified Bookkeeper™ and then an ICNZB Master Bookkeeper™ through our assessment options. These assessments help you to demonstrate your financial knowledge and that you can perform regular bookkeeping functions. By passing these assessments, it demonstrates your clients can trust in your expertise.
ICNZB Certified Bookkeeper™ and ICNZB Master Bookkeeper™ accreditations give your business credibility and authenticity with the chance to show potential clients your skills and reliability.
5: Build trust and credibility
All the aspects of our membership help you to build credibility as a bookkeeper and prove to your clients that you are trustworthy.
In a profession such as ours which deals with sensitive information and critical business processes, being seen as reliable and competent is critical. All our members are asked to abide by our Code of Ethical Conduct which gives your clients peace of mind when using your services.
ICNZB also acts as an advocate for our industry working to promote bookkeeping as a vital and recognised service. This includes things such as successfully lobbying Inland Revenue for more recognition of bookkeepers which saw them introduce a new Intermediary option - Registered Bookkeeper.
Added bonus - our members have access to great offers such as discounts from partner businesses through our Marketplace and a comprehensive insurance option to cover you against liability.