Using Outlook for your email is like using carrier pigeons instead of a cell phone.

It’s 4:30 – and you want your husband to buy some wine for dinner. You write “Pick up wine” on a piece of paper, roll it up, attach it to one of your pigeons, and send him flying out the window toward home. There.

It sounds ridiculous – but if you use Microsoft Outlook to check your email, you might as well communicate with your spouse through carrier pigeon.

Yes – it’s that out of date.

Let me show you how to easily save 10 hours of productivity per month by simply switching from Outlook to the email that comes free with our CPA websites.

Problems with Outlook

In the computer timeline, Outlook is very old. The technology is outdated; the program simply wasn’t built to accommodate a high volume of messages and the size of today’s email attachments.

Here are some problems you might have with Outlook that drain your productivity:

• Your messages pile up - you try to spend time organizing them into folders but you’re always behind. (est. time lost – 1 hr/wk)

•  The search function is slow and cumbersome – and the results are often so bloated that you still waste time sifting through messages. (est. time lost – .5 hr/wk)

• Your Outlook calendar doesn’t sync with the calendar in our Workteam Collaboration Suite – leading to missed meetings and time-consuming meeting check-ins. (est. time lost – .5 hr/wk)

• You can’t view appointments on your calendar with your iPhone or other mobile device. (est. time lost – .5 hr/wk)

• You get “Cannot Connect to Server” and other error messages. These come from problems configuring Outlook and they hinder sending and receiving emails. (est. time lost – .5 hr/mo)

• You struggle with initial setup and reconfiguration challenges. If you’re not a techie, making sure your settings are correct and updated is frustrating and time-consuming. (est. time lost – 1 hr/mo)

Our Solution

CPA websites with CPA Site Solutions include – at no extra cost – a much more robust email service with our Workteam Collaboration Suite.

Here’s how our email solution saves you time, money, and frustration:

Less Expensive. If you use Outlook, you’re most likely paying for IT support, Exchange hosting, or email accounts through GoDaddy or another domain registrar.

In contrast, our email is absolutely free. It also comes with 50 email addresses, so everyone in your firm gets their own address. We support your email so you say good-bye to your IT guy (at least for email).

Easier. Your inbox looks the same no matter where you access it – and you can do so from any computer or mobile device with an Internet connection. Plus, the outstanding search feature allows you to quickly find any email in seconds. Much better than sorting in Outlook.

And because the software is all online – “in the cloud” – you don’t wrestle with installing software or keeping track of updates.

Saves Time. Our email solution saves time, too, with keyboard shortcuts. These allow you to compose, answer, and organize your email without ever having to take your hands off the keyboard.

Furthermore, our email groups emails into conversations. Instead of getting a new email each time someone replies to a message, all replies are displayed with the original thread. This cuts way down on the number of messages to wade through in your inbox.

Safer. Our email is backed up on fully redundant servers. If a virus infects your computer – if a hurricane strikes your office – if any disaster compromises your computer – your email remains perfectly secure.

More Efficient. Our email service is fully integrated with our Workteam Collaboration Suite – giving you the full functionality of these cutting-edge tools:

• shared calendars

• team wiki

• task manager

• shared documents

• shared spreadsheets

• instant messaging (IM)

Check out our videos on the benefits of our email and shared calendars and IM and shared documents.

If you haven’t yet taken advantage of all the features of our Workteam Collaboration Suite, I urge you to give them a try.

You have nothing to lose but wasted time!

Try a Better Way Today

Are you a CPA or accountant who needs a website? Sign up for a Complete Web Suite and get a free 60 days.

If you’re a CPA Site Solutions client who uses Outlook, consider switching over to our easier, faster, and safer email service. Give us a call at 1-800-896-4500 or email us at support@cpasitesolutions.com.

What do you think about Outlook? Does it frustrate you, or does it work for your firm? Share your experiences below.

Your clients have questions. Show them you have answers.

You might not expect to find value in a series of questions.

But listing Frequently Asked Questions on accounting websites leads to higher productivity, more satisfied clients, and expert rates.

Here’s how…

1. FAQs Make Happier Clients

When clients and prospects visit your website, they don’t always know what questions to ask. They just know they need help.

A set of FAQs not only conveys information – it also helps clients organize their thoughts. They feel more in control after reviewing the questions.

In addition, FAQs divide information up into small chunks – which is how people are used to digesting information online.

Finally, a lot of folks expect to find FAQs. It’s the first place they go – and if there are no FAQs, they’re frustrated.

When you satisfy your current clients, you strengthen the client bond. A stronger bond means you retain clients effortlessly, and keep the income flowing.

2. FAQs Mean Increased Productivity

Picture this: it’s tax season. Clients are calling daily, eager for financial advice. Because your website has very little information, it’s up to you and your staff to answer each and every call. This time of year, that’s a tall order.

Now let’s say you have one of our accounting websites. Instead of calling you for help, clients visit your FAQ section. You’re free to focus on your billable work, while clients get the assistance they need.

And more billable work means – you guessed it – more revenue for your firm.

Here are some examples of great questions to list on your website:

• When should I refinance my home?

• How much should I expect to pay in closing costs?

• Is interest on educational loans tax deductible?

• What kind of records do I need to keep in my business?

3. FAQs Allow Higher Rates

When you visit your doctor, you expect her to know about every medical condition you mention.

Pain in your joints? She should know what that could mean. Trouble sleeping? She ought to be able to help you. That mole on your shoulder that looks a little funky? You want to know whether you should worry.

Now what if she kept telling you, “Sorry, I’m not familiar with that.” Would you consider her an expert? Would you feel good about paying her a premium rate?

The same holds true for accountants. If you show your clients that you know a wide variety of information about financial matters, your clients trust your expertise.

And just try setting higher rates without that trust.

Save Time – Use Our FAQs

There’s no need to spend countless hours gathering questions and crafting answers. When you have a website with CPA Site Solutions, you get over 1,000 FAQs included at no extra cost.

The FAQs on our sites - helpfully categorized into several sections – answer your clients’ questions succinctly. They also point out why it’s necessary to contact you for further information, so they help drive business back to your firm.

If you already have a website with us, and you’re interested in adding to the FAQs with some customized questions, give us a call at 1-800-896-4500 or email us at support@cpasitesolutions.com.

Not a CPA Site Solutions client? Sign up today for our free 60-day trial – and start to swell your bottom line with FAQs.