The Value of Attending Accounting Conferences

As a professional accountant with an individual practice or a firm, do you attend accounting conferences? If you have yet to attend an accounting conference, it may be time to start. With the QuickBooks Connect conference coming up in November, now is the perfect time to begin attending accounting conferences. The Rules of Thumb blog from MoneyThumb has listed the best reasons that accountants should attend conferences below:

1. Educational opportunities.  No matter how experienced an accountant you are, everyone can learn.  By attending accounting conferences you will become more open to new ideas and trends that can impact future results.  The educational aspect of a conference can expose you to new ways of conducting your accounting practice and help you discover how to be more productive.
2. Networking with peers.  Accounting conferences provide a great opportunity to network with your fellow accountants. You will meet accountants from other regions of the country who can become valuable resources for referrals.
3. Encounter new vendors and suppliers.  Too often people shy away from the trade show exhibit hall at accounting conferences.  They fear that they will have to talk to salespeople, but these accounting industry suppliers are some of the best people for you to get to know if you want to learn more about the current accounting climate.  Discovering innovative products and services for your practice is necessary to stay competitive in today’s fast-paced world.  Plus, these vendors who sell to the accounting industry fully grasp what is happening inside your competition.  Invest time with the sponsors at the event and turn them into your friends and allies.
4. Position yourself as an expert.  When you are active in the accounting industry, you can develop a reputation as an expert to your peers and your clients.  Those who are engaged over the long term are often asked to speak at accounting events and to write articles for accounting industry publications.  Like it or not, others like to associate with the experts in any industry.  Clients feel good about doing business with those that are celebrated by their peers.
5. Have fun.  Being an accountant can often be isolating. An accounting conference is a perfect way to get outside and have some fun. All work and no play can get old fast.  Accounting conferences can add a layer of enjoyment to managing your career growth by mixing a social aspect into your learning and accounting industry branding efforts.  Many events have fun activities such as parties, golf, and tours of the local area where the event is hosted.  Taking an extra day at the beginning or end of the trip to explore or visit friends in the region is also a great way to maximize the investment in travel.  Never underestimate the power of a little fun mixed with some interesting people!

Even though the internet has provided accountants with a way to further their education strictly online, the value of human-to-human connections will never cease. However, if webinars are something you regularly attend, the Rules of Thumb blog from MoneyThumb would like to share this upcoming webinar with you. This looks like a really important one and it is being presented by CPA Practice Advisor. The webinar is called Close the Books on Fiscal Year 2018 and it is being held on November 14, 2018. Here is the link to register for this free webinar. Below is a short description from the CPA Practice Advisor website of what you can expect to get from the webinar:

Time to close the books on the fiscal year 2018 and prepare for the upcoming year. We want to help make your end of year tasks a little easier.

Join this webcast to hear how a complete fixed assets tracking module can help you complete physical inventories and illuminate ghost assets. Learn about year-end reports you may not be aware of, including:

• Audit Advisor
• Midquarter Applicability
• Tax Expense
• 4562 Depreciation and Amortization
• 4797 Sale of property