Top tips for making your NZ Xero Awards nomination stand out

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It’s been a particularly busy year for accountants and bookkeepers. The impacts of COVID-19 meant small businesses were working with their advisor on an almost daily basis to make sure their business could get support to weather the storm. From helping clients apply for wage subsidies and loans, to preparing cash flow forecasts and scenario planning – we know you’ve been working tirelessly to help your clients through this challenging time.

So this year’s NZ Xero Awards are extra special as we recognise all the incredible work our partners have done not only on a daily basis, but to shift the dial for the industry. We want you to have the best chance at winning – whether you’re a small, medium or large practice, there’s an award for you. We’ve put together some top tips to help you with your nomination.

Be the next Xero partner of the year

If you are vying for your practice to win one of our ‘partner of the year’ awards this year, be sure to stand out by showing us how you make the most of Xero for your practice and your clients. Tell us about the Xero certifications that have helped you, events you have attended such as training workshops or the 2019 Xero Roadshows, as well as webinars or courses you have taken part in.

We’d also like to know how you’ve shared this knowledge and training with your clients to help them get the best out of Xero and other cloud tools. Perhaps you guided them through how to create reports that they can use to manage their inventory. Or maybe you helped them get started with social media to build their brand and reach more customers.

Like you, we love numbers. Our judges are eager to see some year-on-year progress, so show us the numbers on how many training sessions you’ve had with clients and how this has improved.

We’re keen to hear how you have challenged the status quo and navigated the changing industry landscape with new methods and ideas. This could be cutting-edge services you have offered to your clients, or adapting to a new way of working and communicating with them this year.

For advisory partners

If you’re entering the advisory category, we’re looking for accounting and bookkeeping partners who have made a difference in the lives of their small business clients. So share with us your client testimonials and case studies that illustrate the value they’ve received from your services.

We are big believers in using cloud technology to make your lives easier. In fact, Xero has over 800 apps in our ecosystem. What apps from the Xero app app marketplace have you used in the last year?

We know moving to the cloud is daunting for many small business owners. But many don’t realise there’s people out there who can do it for them. We’d like to know about any cloud integrator partners you have recommended to your clients to help them get set up.

Your relationship with your clients is so important to offering an outstanding service. It can be hard to get small business owners excited about the numbers, after all they didn’t start a business to spend all their time on the books. So tell us about the ways you’ve promoted engagement with your clients. Maybe you hosted events or webinars this year that attracted lots of clients. Or kept in touch with your community through other channels.

People’s choice award

After receiving so many incredible nominations last year, the People’s Choice Award is back! This award gives all the voting power to small businesses who can nominate their accountant or bookkeeper to win. Don’t be afraid to communicate with your clients about nominating you for the hard yards you’ve put in this past year. Sharing the nomination form on your social media channels is a great way to remind your clients to support you with their vote. Check out the criteria for this award here, and note the accountant, bookkeeper, or practice you nominate must be a Xero partner.

We’re so looking forward to reading about all the amazing things our partners are doing. While it’s a busy time for all, we appreciate you taking the time to complete your nominations for the NZ Xero Awards before Friday 4 September 2020. Stay tuned for our finalists and winners soon!

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