Weeding out the Best of the Best in Office Apps

The Apple App Store has literally hundreds of thousands of applications in its library. With so many to choose from, how do you know which apps are relevant to your work? You certainly do not want to pay and download one, only to have it be a big FAIL.

Here are five iPhone apps recommended by Entrepreneur Magazine that could be quite useful for busy firm attorneys and corporate counsel.

1. ProOnGo Expense

This expense-tracking app is particularly useful for small firm lawyers, or solo attorneys.

Users can manage their expenses on the iPhone using the app's options and features, or export the data to QuickBooks, an Excel spreadsheet, a CSV file, or in XML format. Since CSV data is also ASCII text data--with the fields separated by commas--you can export an expense report to any text-based application on any platform. You can use predefined expenses or add your own; choose from expense, mileage, or time; then just add the data requested by the other fields, such as vendor, category, date, description, and then watch the running total. Touchscreen buttons provide options to sort, export, save, and restore backups.

The Receipt Reader service, which takes a scanned or photographed receipt, deciphers the text on that document, and sends it back to your iPhone.

Free (optional ProOnGo Receipt Reader has subscription fees based on number of scanned receipts).

2. Quickoffice Connect Mobile Suite 

The primary advantage of this app is the capability to view, create, open, and edit Microsoft Office files on your iPhone.

$9.99.

3. Bump for iPhone

Don't let the funny name fool you. This app can be quite useful. It is an excellent time saver for lawyers who deal with lots of people, in person, on a daily basis. 

Setup is easy; just follow the application's prompts. When you meet another "Bumper," both users must open the app on both devices; bump hands while holding the phones, abd then confirm the exchange. The application checks for duplicates, and it compares contact lists for shared entries.

Free.

4. Workday 

Workday allows management to review, approve, and sign off on employees' expense reports, time sheets, and vacation requests. It also provides a quick method for HR and purchasing departments to secure approval for new hires, terminations, requisitions, purchase orders, and other such documents. Plus, it's a breeze for remote workers to secure approval on any document.

Be aware, however, that although Workday for iPhone is free, the core application, Workday Solutions, is not. This program requires a subscription to Workday.

5. SurePayroll Mobile Payroll

This is an ideal app for small firms that contract out payroll to another payroll management service.

SurePayroll provides a long list of features, including calculating wages and deductions, managing payroll taxes, issuing checks or direct deposit funds to your employees, providing 24/7 online access to files, sending alerts, and providing labor law information. The service also includes tight security protocols, employee self-service options, HR tools and support, time clock options, and accounting software integration with programs such as QuickBooks, Peachtree, and MYOB.

Price is based on payroll frequency and number of employees.

All of these apps are available now at the Apple iPhone Store.

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Top Signals that Show a Client is Ready to Buy

There's no doubt about it... selling takes skill. But, closing a deal takes even greater skill - and patience. Top rainmakers will tell you that they look and listen for VERBAL and NONVERBAL SIGNALS that a client is ready to buy. Once lawyers catch these signals, they move in to close.

The two most common buying signals are:

1. Positive body language.

The client may move from a negative to a positive body posture and begin nodding and smiling in agreement.

2. Statements or questions that indicate the customer is ready to make a deal.

The client's talk may include specific details about your service, or cost.

If you're getting these signals from a client, but are still uncertain about whether it's time to close - you can ask him or her straight out. Say something like, "We seem to be close to an agreement. Do you have any questions?" If the client replies "no," follow through with the close.

Once the close is underway, be sure focus on TWO or THREE benefits that will provide the most value to the client. Propose the commitment, spelling out exactly what you want the client to commit to.

Of course, knowing how to close is one thing, negotiating a hard line buyer is another. Stay tuned for some valuable bargaining strategies in the next post.

More resources from Top Lawyer Coach:

4 Ways to Manage Client Expectations

Good Lawyers Ask Questions

Clients Ignore Those Naked Thank You's

5 Ways to Build Business Rapport with People

If you're bogged down with too much time-consuming administrative work, then it might be time to hire an assistant -  a virtual assistant (VA)!

Virtual assistants have proven to be invaluable to solo attorneys -  especially those who work from home.

Why?

They give attorneys added brain power!

A VA is a person who works off-site and helps with a variety of tasks like editing documents, making travel arrangements, updating websites, writing newsletters, etc. VA's can't, however, answer the phone or help with too much bookkeeping.

Sure, the thought of hiring an assistant you don't regularly see can be a little unsettling. Attorneys must be prepared to DELEGATE and TRUST their virtual assistant!

Laurie Kadair Redman, a Louisiana solo practitioner, offers these tips on how to work with a VA:

• Track your administrative tasks for a week. Which tasks keep you from doing billable work or do you just dislike doing? These are good tasks to potentially delegate to a VA.
• Do your research! There is a wealth of information on the virtual assistance industry on the Web.
• Trust your instincts. The relationship between an attorney and the VA is intended to be a long-standing partnership. Take your time to interview several people. It's important to like and understand each other.
• Don't resist change.VA's keep current on new processes and technologies and can offer a fresh perspective on helping you run your business more effectively.
• Be flexible. VA's offer a wide range of services, but there may be services they do not offer. You can complete your virtual office by contracting with an answering service and hiring a virtual bookkeeper.

A VA is not a secretary.

He or she is your bonus brain -  and two brains are ALWAYS better than one!