If you are staring a bookkeeping business, it will be important to consider the costs of operating which you might not have considered such as that of membership to a professional bookkeeping body. If you have not been in public practice you might not ever have needed to be a member or needed to pay for it yourself. If you a re thinking of cutting out this cost, it is important to consider what advantages membership can bring.

Being a member can firstly assist with a sense of belonging. When you are out on your own running your own business, you might feel a little more isolated than you did as an employee. Being a member can remind you that there are like minded bookkeepers in their own practices.

Your membership might allow you to use post nominal which signify membership level and illustrate your professional standing. If this is the case you can use these on your business cards and let your potential clients know. You might also have access to crests or emblems or logos of the professional body which can also be used on letter head and business cards.

Membership to an association will also give you access to professional development. As a small business owner you will now be responsible for your own professional development and need to pay for it too. This might be quite a significant change especially if you have a history of paid employment and being an employee who might have received training and development in house at the employer expense.

Networking opportunities also arise as part of your membership with annual conferences or development days. These can be handy especially of you are looking to find some part time workers or maybe a monitor. It might be useful just to be able to chat with others in public practice and bounce around ideas.

An additional benefit may also be the ability to have a code of ethics or conduct to rely on if you are faced with a difficult decision or client matter. When you are in business for yourself it is sometimes hard to make a decision as the head of your organization. If you have a code of conduct which you need to adhere to as a member of your chosen professional body it may assist with decision making.

As you can see there are many advantages of being a member of a professional body and I have only listed a few. Choose the right organization for your requirements and enjoy the benefits of training, development, networking and professional recognition that membership can provide.