What You Don’t Know About Billing Could Break You

billing, cloud computingWe’re going to write this article under the assumption that, as a working public speaker, you plan to be reimbursed for your skills. In short, you don’t plan on speaking for free – you want to get paid. The trouble with operating a business with a total labor force of one – you – is that it’s easy to spend too much time chasing accounts receivable and late payers. Instead, your time should be spent following sales leads, serving customers, and doing those other tasks that bring you even more money that you might have difficulty collecting.

Luckily, online billing options are becoming more mobile and user friendly, perhaps to the point that you won’t need to dedicate specific time to collecting money but can dispense with the chore from your cell phone during the odd free moments that pop up during the day.

Here are three reasons we like the latest generation of online billing solutions.

1. Powerful Web Browsers: Not too many years ago, desktop software installed on your hard drive offered clear advantages but that pendulum has swung in favor of web browsers. Today’s browser offers just as many options as desktop software but with the extreme benefit of portability. Need to send a payment reminder from the subway to a client that seems to have forgotten your mailing address? Done.

2. Cloud Computing: The term “cloud computing” refers to the growing trend of businesses to outsource data processing, storage, security, and upgrades to a third party. No longer is information critical to running your business kept solely in your office, on your desktop hard drive, or in a file cabinet. Choosing to take your billing to the cloud is an excellent choice.

3. E-Payment Systems: E-payment systems are coming into their own. Even if you’re not an environmentalist wacko, there is simply no advantage to chopping down trees for envelopes, stuffing them, licking stamps, and dropping them in the nearest mailbox. It’s much easier for everyone involved to send invoices and receive payments electronically.

Not too many years ago, online billing solutions were rife with issues that made the sensible businessman leery about taking that route. Security was questionable, the upfront price was high, support problematical, and mobility non-existent. The online billing industry has risen to the challenge now and offers a reliable, easy-to-use product that no public speaker should be without.

The Speaking of Wealth Team

Speaking of Wealth

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